Recipe: Chocolate Raspberry Bliss Mousse

 Best eaten while reading 'Peony Love' by Lisa See

Chocolate Raspberry Bliss Mousse

Serves 8

Ingredients:

2 cups heavy whipping cream, divided

4 bags Celestial Seasonings Chocolate Raspberry Bliss herbal tea

3 egg yolks

1⁄3 cup granulated white sugar

Pinch of  sea salt

1 tsp. vanilla

6 oz. semisweet chocolate chips, cut into small pieces

Shaved chocolate (optional)

Fresh raspberries (optional)

Preparation:

Heat ¾ cup heavy whipping cream in a heavy saucepan until hot (about 180°F). Steep tea bags in the saucepan of hot cream for 4 minutes. Carefully remove tea bags and squeeze the excess tea into the hot cream. Whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and salt in a metal bowl until combined thoroughly. Add the hot cream and tea mixture in a slow stream, whisking until combined. Transfer the mixture to a saucepan and cook over moderately low heat, stirring constantly, until it reaches 160°F. Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, and stir in the vanilla. Melt the semisweet chocolate in a double boiler (or a metal bowl set over a pan of simmering water, or in a glass bowl in a microwave at 50 percent power for 3-5 minutes), stirring frequently. Whisk the custard into the chocolate until smooth, then cool. Beat 1¼ cups heavy whipping cream in a bowl until it just holds stiff peaks. Whisk a quarter of the cream into chocolate custard to lighten, then fold in the remaining cream gently but thoroughly. Spoon mousse into eight 6-oz. stemmed glasses or ramekins and cover. Chill at least 6 hours. Let stand at room temperature about 20 minutes before serving, and garnish with shaved chocolate or fresh raspberries if desired.