"Necessity Is The Mother Of Invention", or, "The Things We Do For Attention".

I decided to get organized today.  So I did.  That means I parked my laptop next to the printer and played on Facebook while printing off recipes from 100DaysofRealFood.  Here's the kicker:  I then three-hole punched each page, and put them in a binder behind glossy, color-coded, tabs!  Oh yeah, I rock.

I then decided to make the Chocolate Mousse recipe that I  printed.  It was going superbly until it called for 2 Tbls of strongly brewed coffee.  I own Keurig. It only makes PERFECT cups of coffee. I'm not smart enough to trick it into making horribly strong coffee.  So I tricked the K-cup.  Oh yeah, I rock.

This would be the K-cup with the lid ripped off, a hole punched in the bottom
and shoved into a plastic mini jello mold (the kind with a removable bottom), all
placed atop a baby glass.




This is the mason jar funnel I added (because I'm notorious for spilling) that
directed the hot water to the K-cup.







See that? That's coffee.....STRONGLY BREWED COFFEE.  Oh yeah, I rock.

 Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup plus 1 Tbs Pure Maple Syrup

1/2 cup plus 2 Tbs cacao powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

pinch of sea salt

2 Tbs strongly brewed coffee (laugh with me here)

3 large egg yolks

3 tsp maple syrup

1/8 tsp sea salt

3 large egg whites

1 cup heavy cream

Combine butter, 1/2 cup plus 1 Tbs maple syrup, cacao powder, vanilla, pinch
of salt, coffee, and 3 Tbs water in a medium heat-proof bowl.  Set bowl over
saucepan filed with 1 inch of simmering water.  Whisk frequently until smooth
and remove from heat.

Whisk egg yolks, 1 1/2 tsp maple syrup, and 1/8 tsp salt in a medium bowl, for 

about 30 seconds, until it lightens in color.  Add chocolate sauce and whisk until
combined.  Let cool until just above room temperature.

In a bowl of a stand mixer or with an electric mixer, whisk egg whites on low
until frothy.  Add remaining 1 1/2 tsp maple syrup.  Increase the speed to
medium-high and whisk until soft peaks form.  Stir about 1/4 of the egg whites
into the chocolate liquid, and then fold in the remaining whites by scooping the
egg whites into the mixture gently, cutting down the bowl, across and up the
other side.  Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and keep folding until liquid and egg
whites are combined.

Whip heavy cream until soft peaks form. Gently fold all of the whipped cream
into the chocolate liquid until no white streaks remain, using the folding
technique above.

Ladle mousse into individual bowls (I used the mini jello molds). Cover and
refrigerate until set and firm, about 2 hours.