There are two ingredients in the chocolate mousse I make. If you forget one, you could just eat the chocolate on its own. Or beat the cream slightly and sweeten it with a few drops of maple syrup. Or homemade jam. But I don’t make jam, and I am feeling too cheap at the moment to buy maple syrup. The stand in is not in my vocabulary. So I am going to do my best to remember both the cream and the chocolate.

If you are cheap like I am, forget about it for a minute. Long enough to buy good dark chocolate. Belgian or Latin American or African are good bets. 70% cocoa content is ideal. Buy organic cream. Very gently melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of slowly simmering water. Be sure that the water isn’t touching the bowl. Allow the cream to come to room temperature. Use nearly equal parts cream to chocolate going either way in your favor. Some people like it a bit more chocolaty and some people don’t. You have to figure out what you want.

Be sure to have extra cream to whip for the top. Once the chocolate has nearly melted, remove it from the pan of water and whisk in the last chunk off chocolate off the heat. Whip the cream just until it begins to thicken. Don’t worry; it is enough. Wash your hands and dry them well. Pour the cream onto the chocolate, (reserving a little) and fold it in. The side of your hand should sweep the sides and bottom of the bowl, gently scooping the mixture from the bottom and lifting it to the top, until it is fully incorporated. Spoon the mousse into espresso cups and top with a dollop of cream. If you really want to go crazy, you can start each cup with a large drop of homemade caramel sauce (caramelized sugar, cream, butter, whiskey) before you add the mousse.