Chocolate Mousse

This looks  like a long recipe - but it's actually pretty quick and easy.
Serves 8-10

8 ozs. good dark chocolate (Choc. Menier or similar) broken into small pieces

2 tablspns Orange Liqueur (Cointreau) (or Rhum)

knob of butter

5 eggs separated (medium or large)

3 tablspns sugar

1cup of Double Cream - (heavy cream)

Beforehand:

(a) In one bowl, beat egg yolks together, and set aside.

(b) In another very clean bowl, whisk egg whites & pinch of salt, till peaky,
add sugar (approx.half at a time),
whisk whites again till stiff peaks and shiny, set aside.

(c) In yet another bowl (!), whisk cream until more or less same consistency as the egg whites & set aside.

Then:

Place choc. in a (Pyrex) bowl over a saucepan of hot water, set on a low heat. (The bowl shouldn't touch the water.) Stir fairly constantly and as soon as it is melted, and is smooth and glossy, remove from heat.

Beat in a knob of butter.

Beat in egg yolks and stir in the liqueur.
 

Pour (and scrape!) choc. mixture into a large mixing bowl.
 

Give the egg whites another whisk just before folding into the choc. mixture - I use a flat whisk to fold the ingredients together,

then

Fold in the cream - gently, till all ingredients are well blended.

Either pour into one large bowl, or several small ones.

Grate some good chocolate over. Chill in fridge till 'set'.
Serve with fruit, pouring cream ......... anything that goes well!

If you wish to make it in advance, it keeps pretty well for at least 2-3 days, covered in fridge.

A good way of using up leftover egg whites - - - - you can make a lighter version, omitting the yolks and cream. Chocolate should be melted with 5.1/2 tablspns. water or 3.1/2 tablspns. water & 2 tbls. of orange liqueur.)
You could also grate White Chocolate over to decorate.