Earl Grey Chocolate Mousse with Candied Orange

Prepare Candied Orange Peel

1. 1Wash oranges thoroughly. Using a sharp knife or vegetable peeler, remove the peel in strips, avoiding as much of the white pith as possible. Cut the peel into thin matchsticks.
2. 2Place the orange peel in a small saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to a boil, then drain. Repeat this process twice more to remove bitterness.
3. 3In the same saucepan, combine 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water. Bring to a simmer, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add the blanched orange peel and simmer gently for 20-25 minutes, or until the peel is translucent.
4. 4Remove the peel from the syrup using a fork or slotted spoon, and spread it out on a parchment-lined baking sheet to cool and dry completely. This can be done a day in advance.

Make Earl Grey Chocolate Mousse

1. 1Steep the Earl Grey tea: Heat 5 1/8 fl oz of the heavy cream until just simmering. Remove from heat, add Earl Grey tea, cover, and let steep for 10-15 minutes. Strain the cream, pressing on the tea leaves to extract maximum flavor, and discard the tea. Cool slightly.
2. 2Melt the chocolate: In a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (bain-marie), melt the chopped dark chocolate and butter together, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. 3Prepare the créme anglaise base: In a separate heatproof bowl, whisk egg yolks and 2oz sugar until pale and fluffy. Slowly whisk in the warm Earl Grey infused cream. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon. Do not boil. Remove from heat.
4. 4Combine: Pour the warm créme anglaise into the melted chocolate mixture, stirring gently until fully combined and smooth. Let it cool slightly.
5. 5Whip cream: In a cold bowl, whip the remaining 5 1/8 fl oz heavy cream until soft peaks form.
6. 6Whip egg whites: In a separate clean bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form, then gradually add 2 tbsp caster sugar and continue beating until stiff, glossy peaks form.
7. 7Fold: Gently fold one-third of the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, then fold in the remaining whipped cream. Finally, very carefully fold in the stiff egg whites until just combined, being careful not to deflate the mixture.
8. 8Chill: Divide the mousse among 6 serving glasses or ramekins. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, until set.

Assemble and Serve

1. 1Just before serving, garnish each Earl Grey Chocolate Mousse with a generous sprinkle of the candied orange peel. For an extra touch, you can add a small sprig of fresh mint or a dusting of cocoa powder.