Alter chef Brad Kilgore shares Dark Chocolate Mousse recipe; Photography by Kelly Sterling

DARK CHOCOLATE MOUSSE WITH MINT GELATO, CHOCOLATE STREUSEL, AND HIBISCUS AND CHARTREUSE SYRUP

Serves 10

Mint Gelato

• 3 cups loosely packed fresh mint leaves
• 3/4 cup egg yolks (from 9 or 10 large eggs)
• 1 large egg
• 3 1/4 cups sugar
• 4 1/2 cups whole milk
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 4 1/2 cups heavy cream

PREPARATION: Blanch mint leaves in salted water, then shock in an ice bath to stop cooking. Quickly whisk together the egg yolks, whole egg and sugar. Bring the milk, cream, and salt to a boil in a saucepan, then reduce the temperature to a low simmer. Whisk some of hot milk mixture into egg mixture to temper it, then add egg mixture to milk mixture in saucepan and cook until viscous. Strain into a bowl in an ice bath to cool rapidly. Once cooled, process in an ice cream machine according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Dark Chocolate Mousse

• 6 ounces dark (72% cacao) chocolate
• 1 2/3 cups heavy cream
• 3 egg yolks
• 6 tablespoons water
• 7 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon gelatin powder

PREPARATION: Melt chocolate in a double boiler until it’s warm, remove from heat while a few chocolate chunks are still visible. Set aside to cool. Pour 1/4 cup cream into a metal measuring cup and sprinkle in the gelatin. Allow gelatin to “bloom” for 10 minutes, then gently heat by swirling the measuring cup over a low gas flame. Stir mixture into the cooled chocolate and set aside. Using a mixer, whip the cream until medium peaks form. In a saucepan over medium heat, cook the water and sugar, stirring occasionally, until water has evaporated and syrup reaches 225 degrees on a candy thermometer. Using a mixer, whip egg yolks until stiff, then slowly pour in the syrup. Fold egg and sugar mixture into melted chocolate mixture, and then fold in whipped cream. Let mousse chill in refrigerator until completely stiff.

Chocolate Streusel

• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

PREPARATION: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix butter, sugar and salt together until smooth. Add cocoa powder and then the flour, mixing until thoroughly incorporated. Spread streusel batter as thinly as possible in a baking pan with a rim, and bake for 20-25 minutes. Let cool in the pan, and then break apart by hand or chop on a cutting board into streusel-size pieces.

Chartreuse Syrup

• 1/2 cup chartreuse
• 1/2 cup sugar

PREPARATION: Combine ingredients in a saucepan and cook until sugar is dissolved; let cool.

Hibiscus Syrup

• 1/2 cup dried hibiscus (found in Latin American grocery stores)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water

PREPARATION: Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and cook until sugar is dissolved; let cool.

Plating:

First place the chocolate streusel, then the mousse, both syrups and gelato. Top with mint leaves.