gFree: Transitioning to a new Author

gFree will now be authored by a new blogger, she is the person who inspired me to take up blogging and also my sister.

Her name is Christine also a University of Texas student. She will now be writing for gFree from a first-hand perspective as someone who is allergic to gluten and has been gluten-free for over two years now.

She will be an excellent source as someone who will write about her daily experiences and gluten-free encounters around Austin.

Two-Ingredient GF Chocolate Mousse

Now that everyone has had a few days past Valentine's Day I hope everyone day a great day, couples or single.
  
When I was trolling Twitter for a special Gluten-Free Valentine's Day treat that was easy to make and quick, I found a recipe worth sharing!




So, if you've been following me on Twitter you saw me post the link here:

I got the idea from a Yahoo! article on Shine and attempted making it on V-Day, so I wanted to share my experience with you! (Takes about 15 minutes to make)

So, first, I'm going to re-post some of the directions listed in the article, but also tell you what I did!

Two-Ingredient Chocolate Mousse

8 ounces chocolate

(I used semi-sweet: choose  chocolate you love)
3/4 cup (6 ounces) water
ice cubes
freshly whipped cream for topping (optional)

1. Simply pour water into a saucepan. Then, over medium heat, whisk in the chocolate. The result is a homogenous sauce.

- Obviously, this part is pretty easy, I started by warming up my water to a light boil and then added in my chocolate chips. The chips instantly started melting and making a chocolaty water combination. Which, I say is totally fine AS LONG as you don't burn the chocolate--that's what to watch out for!

2. Pour the chocolate mixture into a bowl set over an ice bath, then whisk the chocolate sauce, either manually with a whisk or with an electric mixer (if using an electric mixer, watch closely -- it will thicken faster). 
- To me, this is where it started getting tricky. I only have a hand whisk, so as they tell you, if you use an electric mixer it will thicken the chocolate mix faster, so I SUGGEST you use one instead! By hand whisking, I stirred for about 10 minutes until it started getting thick....and that's when I got trouble...

3. It will thicken and strands of chocolate will form inside the loops of the whisk. Pour or spoon immediately into ramekins, small bowls or jars and let set.

- As they say, "it will thicken and strands..." that didn't happen to me. It got thick, but not "mousse-like." Mine turned out more like chocolate pudding, which you can see in the picture to the right. But, my Valentine's guests (roommates) said the "pudding" turned out good. Whether they were honest or not, it was okay, and that was good enough for me. But, if you really want to excel in this challenge, I'll make two suggestions: 1) Use an electric mixer 2) Stir long enough until you see the "chocolate strands".

4. Serve immediately, or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream if desired. 

If you check out the original article they feature a few helpful hints at the bottom of the page, which are great

Note: Three things can go wrong. Here's how to fix them. If your chocolate doesn't contain enough fat, melt the mixture again, add some chocolate, and then whisk it again. If the mousse is not light enough, melt the mixture again, add some water, and whisk it once more. If you whisk it too much, so that it becomes grainy, this means that the foam has turned into an emulsion. In that case simply melt the mixture and whisk it again, adding nothing.

I say, this treat doesn't have to be reserved for Valentine's Day, but can also be paired with any meal to complement as a quick dessert. It may take some practice to get the right chocolate consistency, but it is very quick to make and easy!