Basic Chocolate Mousse

There are many variations on chocolate mousse, but the basic approach is always the same: the chocolate is melted, often with butter, and then often combined with egg yolks. The mixture is folded together with sweetened whipped cream or beaten egg whites. Variations in the kind of chocolate used, the amount of butter added, and whether cream or egg whites are used create the subtle differences in texture. Flavoring ingredients—vanilla extract, cognac, whiskey, grappa (marc), kirsch—are ofte