The coronavirus pandemic has created shortages of almost all fresh foods, and eggs are no exception (or should I say eggception?). On a recent trip to the grocery store, jumbo sized eggs were all that were left in the cooler; since I did not want to truck on over to Walmart on the Saturday before Easter, I bought the jumbo eggs and thought nothing more of it...really, I completely forgot that I now had two different sized eggs in my refrigerator egg bin.
The following week, I decided to try a new recipe I had spotted in one of my women's magazines: a triple chocolate Bundt cake! I usually make my baked goods from scratch - the process relaxes me - but with everything on shortage this starts-with-a-mix Bundt cake recipe is perfect for the times. The recipe looked foolproof, what with all of the dry ingredients pre-measured (open box, pour contents into mixer!)...but remember what I said about my eggs being two different sizes? I didn't!
Following the recipe exactly, I added my liquid ingredients - 1/2 cup melted butter (check!), 1 cup chocolate milk (check!), and 4 eggs (che...oh no!). It was only upon adding the fourth egg, holding it's broken shell in my hand, did I realize why the last two eggs felt "different" than the first two - it's because they were the jumbo eggs; I had used my last two large eggs, and then the first two jumbo eggs without fully registering the difference in size.
"Well," I thought to myself, "size doesn't make much of a difference when cooking scrambled eggs...here's hoping it won't matter with my cake!" (For the record, when baking, unless egg size is specified, always assume large eggs).
I continued with the recipe, mixing as directed, only to notice that my cake "mix" now had the thick and creamy consistency of chocolate mousse. It stuck to the mixer paddle like soft meringue...smooth and creamy and chocolate...as I wiped the blade into the baking pan, I found myself wondering, "Did I just make mousse au chocolat by accident?" A quick taste from the batter remnant left on the blade confirmed this delicious thought.
Lesson learned: Don't quit halfway through, just because you made a mistake. Always remember that not all mistakes result in failure!
Here's the recipe:
Mousse au Chocolate (French Chocolate Mousse)
Ingredients
1 package instant chocolate pudding mix (I used Godiva)
1 cup full-fat chocolate milk (I used Fairlife for the reduced sugar content)
1/2 cup melted butter, cooled*
5 large eggs*+^
Extras:
Cooking spray
Shredded coconut
Fresh cut fruit
Directions
Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl in the listed order and mix on low speed for 30 seconds, until liquids have combined with solids; then mix on high speed for two minutes.
Using a spoonula, spoon mixture into a Bundt cake or other molded pan that has been prepared with cooking spray. Refrigerate several hours or overnight. Once mousse is set, flip mold onto a serving plate to serve. Sprinkle with shredded coconut or fresh cut fruit
If you are not using a mold, smooth mixture inside of mixing bowl and let set for at least two hours before serving. Top as desired.
*For vegan substitutes, I recommend "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter" and liquid (not powdered) egg substitute.
+Note on the use of raw eggs: The USDA requires that eggs be pasteurized before being sold, but as an extra step for safety you can mix milk and eggs in a separate bowl and warm to 160 degrees. Cool to room temperature before adding to the mix.
^To make the triple chocolate Bundt cake, use 4 large eggs instead of 5 and bake at 350 degrees in a prepared Bundt cake pan for 50 - 55 minutes. Let cool in pan for 30 minutes, then flip onto cooling rack and let cool completely.
KJM
04.18.2020
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