Something for Dinner: White Chocolate Mousse in Chocolate Dessert Cups

Chocolate Dessert Cups
1 c. semi sweet chocolate chips
1 Tbsp. shortening
In microwave or double boiler, melt the chocolate chips and shortening, stirring often to make sure it doesn’t burn. Brush evenly onto the inside of 8 paper muffin cup liners. Chill until hardened (about 30 minutes). Remove liners. Fill with desired dessert.

White Chocolate Mousse
1 C. white chocolate ¼ c. whipping cream
1 Tbsp. Raspberry sauce
1 ½ c. whipping cream, whipped
Combine chocolate and cream in heavy saucepan. Heat until chocolate melts, stirring constantly. Cool. Stir in raspberry sauce, then fold in whipped cream. Raspberry Sauce: 1 10 oz. pkg. frozen raspberries, thawed 2 Tbsp. sugar Blend raspberries until pureed. Strain to remove seeds. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. To serve: Pipe or spoon into serving dish or molded chocolate. Serve with remaining raspberry sauce. Garnishes: Mint leaves, fresh raspberries.

Here is a step by step picture how-to on the chocolate dessert cups.

Now this is a double boiler. This is something I did not learn how to do until I was out of my parents' house. You take a saucepan and fill it with some water. Bring to a boil and place a glass or metal bowl on top. The steam and heat will evenly melt your chocolate.

There are two different ways that I have made the chocolate dessert cups. The first way is cutting waxed paper into circles. Put the waxed paper circles on the backs of a muffin pan.

I am not a huge fan of the way these look. They aren't as clean cut as the other way, and it's hard to get the wax paper to go around the muffin cups to form enough of a cup to fill. The second way I have made these is on the insides of paper muffin cups. This way is kind of tricky. I will give you a few pointers.

If the chocolate is not thick enough, they WILL break apart when you take the paper off of them.

I put a large spoonful of melted chocolate in the bottom of the paper muffin cup. Then, using a basting brush, brush chocolate up the sides of the paper cup, leaving a little bit of space at the top for peeling off the paper.

I found that the best way to brush the chocolate up the side is to first "push" the chocolate up from the spoonful . Then go back over the sides pulling additional chocolate up to coat the first layer. Then let the chocolate set in the freezer.

You have to be very cautious in handling the chocolate once it sets. The best way to remove the papers is to not touch the chocolate AT ALL. This is why it is best to leave a little space at the top. I just handled the papers at the top, not holding the sides. It is a little difficult to manage the cups gently enough.

Fill the chocolate cups with White Chocolate Mousse and drizzle with raspberry sauce. You can either do this with a piping bag or a baggie with a small whole cut into a corner.