Classic Chocolate Mousse

This chocolate mousse is made by cooking egg yolks over a saucepan of barely simmering water before combining them with other ingredients. The trick is to get the egg yolks hot enough to kill any bacteria, but not so hot that they curdle. The best way to judge the temperature is with an instant-read thermometer, which should reach 150°F. In this recipe, a small amount of sugar is beaten into the egg yolks to stabilize them, so they’re less likely to curdle.