French chocolate mousse

Ingredients:

• 170 g semi-sweet baking chocolate, chopped
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 3 eggs, separate the yolks from the whites
• 0.5 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
• 0.5 cups heavy cream, chilled
• 0.5 tsp vanilla extract
• Whipped cream and chocolate shavings, for serving

Preparation:

1. Place the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set it over a saucepan of simmering water (or use a double boiler). Melt the chocolate and butter and stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Add the egg yolks one at a time to the chocolate mixture, whisking until smooth after each addition.
2. In another bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue beating. Gradually whisk in 1/4 cup of sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form.
3. In a chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream until it begins to foam and thicken. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and vanilla extract. Continue whipping the cream until soft peaks form.
4. Gradually and carefully fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture with a spatula until fluffy. Then gently fold in the whipped cream. Be careful not to over-whip the mousse, which will cause it to collapse. Divide the mousse evenly among 4 bowls. Cover and refrigerate for several hours. Before serving, garnish each serving with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.