Light dessert with apple compôte and chocolate mousse

Another simple but delicious recipe from my favourite Greek pastry chef! A tasty, seasonal and light dessert to enjoy after a rich meal. Just a small advice: it is better if you have the mousse ready from the day before

Recipe of Stelios Parliaros,
a most prominent Head Pastry Chef

"Gastronomos" magazine of "KATHIMERINI" newspaper (2010)

Ingredients (for 8 portions)

For the apple compôte:


4 large and firm sweet apples
50gr. of granulated sugar
2 cinnamon sticks

For the chocolate mousse:
475ml of cream (35% fat)
30gr. of honey
100gr. of chocolate (preferably of 70% cocoa solids), cut in small pieces

Method:
Peel the apples, discard the pips and cut each one into 8 wedges. Put them in a pot with the sugar and the cinnamon sticks and add water just enough to cover them.

Boil the apples in medium heat until they become slightly tender. Be careful not to over cook them and fall apart, you need them as compôte but not as a pulp. Leave aside to cool completely. When ready equally fill 8 bowls (or glasses) half the way up and put in the fridge.

In a saucepan warm 175 ml of the cream along with the honey until the mixture's temperature reaches the 90°C. If you don't have a confectionery thermometer take the saucepan off the heat just before the cream comes to the boil.

Empty the hot cream on the chopped chocolate (which you have in a bowl) while stirring with a rubber spatula until the chocolate is melted.

Add the rest of the cream, stir thoroughly and leave the mixture in the fridge for at least 3 hours or, even better, for the whole night.

Take the cream out of the fridge and beat it with a hand mixer until it gets the consistency of whipped cream.

Fill with the mousse a confectionary bag and equally divide it in the bowls covering the apple compôte and serve.