RASBERRY CHOCOLATE MOUSSE DELIGHT

INGREDIENTS:

• 2/3 cup raspberry chambourd 
• ½ cup cold water
• 2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
• 16 ounces semi-sweet chocolate (2/3 cup or 16 1 oz squares)
• 3 large eggs (separated, whites at room temperature)
• ¼ cup of sugar
• 2 Cups whipping cream (whipped stiff)
• Approximately 33 tubular cookies w/chocolate pr plain (chocolate laced pirouettes work great)
• Garnish with whipped cream and chocolate shavings

Mix liquor with water in large saucepan. Sprinkle gelatin over top of liquor and water mixture and let stand for one minute. Stir over low heat until gelatin is completely dissolved, about 3 minutes. Add chocolate, stir until melted and smooth. Remove from heat, whisk egg yolks one at a time into the chocolate. Cool to room temperature. In a large bowl beat egg whites with electric mixer until soft peaks form when beaters are lifted. Gradually add sugar beat until stiff glossy peaks form. Stir a large dollop of whites into the chocolate mixture until well blended, and then fold the chocolate mixture into remaining whites. Gently fold in whipped cream. Spoon about ¼ mousse mixture into an 8 or 8 ½” spring form pan to cover bottom. Stand cookies in the mousse all around the inside edge of the pan. Gently pour in the remaining mousse. Cover loosely with waxed paper. Chill at least 3 hours until firm or chill overnight. Before serving remove sides of pan. Garnish mousse with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. Slice a strawberry only ¾ through leaving the stem and fan out, place in the center of the crown with mint leaves. I like to serve this with chocolate covered strawberries around the platter at the base of the crown.