Chocolate Espresso Mousse with Peanut & Pretzel Bark

Chocolate Espresso Mousse with Peanut Pretzel Bark
This year my sweet tooth seems to go bye-byes for extended periods of time, which is inconvenient for the frequent updates I hoped to make to this blog! When I do eat sweets, I like dark chocolate, fruit, or something with a good hit of salt to balance everything out. And that is where this delicious Peanut & Pretzel Bark comes in.

Chocolate Peanut Pretzel Bark
Chocolate bark is the easiest thing in the world to make but it’s really fun, tasty and adaptable. All you have to do is melt chocolate (good quality please!), spread it thin and scatter with your favourite toppings. After some time in the fridge to set, you can break it into pieces. Kids totally love it (remember my sprinkle bark cake?) but these days I prefer the more grown-up combination of salty peanuts, pretzels and choc-covered espresso beans with slightly bitter dark chocolate. It’s an amazing mix of flavours.

Chocolate Espresso Mousse with Peanut Pretzel Barka
It would also make a lovely last minute homemade Easter gift for your friends. You know how I love edible homemade treats for the holidays instead of mass-produced chocolate! Get creative with the toppings and use fruit like freeze-dried raspberries and dried figs, shredded coconut, or any other nuts or chopped up candy bar your heart desires. How about a personalised batch for your best friends based on the flavours they love the most? The possibilities are endless so use your imagination.

Chocolate Espresso Mousse with Peanut Pretzel Bark
I’ve paired the sweet-salty bark with an easy and quick (boozy!) chocolate espresso mousse for a fun and interactive dessert. It’s a fantastic last minute Easter dessert that will wow the socks off your friends this long weekend – you don’t need to tell them how easy it was to make! I love that it can be made in advance too. The flavours are a total knockout and the decadence is off the chart, but I love that because of the dark chocolate and salt, it isn’t overly sweet.

Related: Hot Cross Doughnuts

Chocolate Espresso Mousse with Peanut Pretzel Bark

Chocolate Espresso Mousse

  • 120g chocolate (65% cacao), coarsely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons cream
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons coffee liqueur (I used Mr Black Cold Press Coffee Liqueur)
  • 2 egg whites
  • Large pinch salt
  • 1/2 cup whipped cream to serve

Chocolate Peanut & Pretzel Bark

  • 250g chocolate (65% cacao), coarsely chopped
  • Salted peanuts
  • Mini pretzels
  • Chocolate covered espresso beans, roughly chopped
  • 1 teaspoon flaked seasalt

For the chocolate mousse, place chocolate and cream in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, whisk and and stir occasionally until chocolate is melted and smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Whisk egg yolks and sugar together until thick and pale. Fold mixture into chocolate, then stir in the coffee liqueur and salt. Set aside.

Whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold into chocolate mixture, then divide it between 3-4 serving glasses. Refrigerate until firm, about 2-3 hours. Serve with whipped cream and shards of Chocolate Peanut Pretzel bark.

In the meantime, make the peanut & pretzel bark. Place a piece of non-stick baking paper onto a flat tray. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Using an offset spatula, spread the chocolate into a thin layer onto the baking paper. Scatter with peanuts, mini pretzels, chopped espresso beans and the sea salt. Refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours until set. Cut or break into shards to serve.

 

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