Chocolate Mousse with Mascarpone, Honey and Vanilla

Ingredients

• 7 ounces (200 g) semi-sweet chocolate (minimum 62% cacao)
• 7 tablespoons (100 ml) whole milk
• 1 cup (236 ml) heavy cream, chilled
• 2 tablespoon honey, preferably Acacia
• 1 vanilla bean sliced in half (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
• 4 tablespoons (56 g) butter at room temperature cut into small pieces
• 8 ounces (250 g) mascarpone
• 5 tablespoons (45 g) icing sugar

Instructions

1. Chop the chocolate into small, fairly uniform pieces about the size of a peanut and put in a heatproof bowl. Scrape the tiny seeds from the halved vanilla bean and add to the milk.
2. Put the milk in a small pot with 7 tablespoons of the heavy cream and the honey. Heat until the liquid is just about to a boil. Pour the hot milk mixture over the chocolate. Using a spatula, begin stirring the chocolate mixture in the center of the bowl to start the emulsion, gradually widen the motion to bring in the rest of the milk, continue stirring until smooth and blended. Once the milk has been incorporated, stir in the butter, piece by piece. Let cool to room temperature.
3. Using an electric beater or a standing mixer, whip the rest of the cold cream until fairly thick, stop the mixer, add the mascarpone and continue whipping until it forms soft peaks. With the machine running, add the icing sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. Pour the chocolate mixture onto the cream in three batches, briefly whisking each time you add more of the chocolate mixture – after the last batch, stop the mixer and continue folding in the chocolate by hand using a large spatula or spoon, it does not need to be completely combined.
4. Spoon into individual serving cups, chill for at least 2 hours and serve.