Chocolate Mouse

I recently discovered that my dog had been moonlighting from his job as under-desk foot-warmer by helping out on my friend Noon Observations blog. I wouldn’t have minded if he had asked but he didn’t. By way of apology he has written a recipe for me. You might like to share it with your children, nephews and nieces, small cousins or grandchildren.

Chocolate Mouse for Burmese Cats
by Zephyr in the Kitchen

Apart from a smooth-coated lurcher, the Burmese cat is one of the most intelligent and beautiful pets a human can have. 

Burmese cats are almost as good as dogs

Burmese cats originally came from Burma and Thailand in south-east Asia. They lived in the grounds of Buddhist temples where the monks took care of them.

A Buddhist temple

Buddhists believe that all living things have souls and that when they die the soul moves on to a new body. Burmese cats are so clever and friendly that it’s easy to believe they used to be human. Or lurchers.

Nowadays the natural habitat of a Burmese cat is a sofa, armchair or possibly a silk cushion within easy reach of a radiator and the remote control. Burmese cats are luxurious beasts. If they could cook this is what they would make. It’s as silky-soft and gorgeous as they are, though less fun to chase.

A chocolate brown Burmese cat

The recipe has a lot of steps but each step is quite easy. You just have to keep going and be patient; as patient as a cat waiting at the entrance to a mouse hole.

Ingredients

125g chocolate
(you can use dark, milk or white; a Burmese cat would choose dark chocolate, but the other types will be tasty too)

25ml water from a freshly boiled kettle

15g unsalted butter

25g caster sugar for dark chocolate
(you don’t need any for milk or white chocolate which are sweeter than dark)

2 large eggs

whole almonds

currants or sultanas

pieces of clean string, 8-10 cm long

egg cups or small glasses to serve

Preparing the chocolate

1. Find a glass bowl or small saucepan that will rest in a larger pan without touching the bottom.
2. Break the chocolate up into squares and cut the butter into little cubes. Put them both in the smaller bowl or pan.
3. On the hob warm 2-3 cm of water in the larger pan.
4. When the water is just simmering rest the small pan on top.
5. Add the 25 ml of freshly boiled water from the kettle.
6. Leave the chocolate and butter melt without poking and prodding. When the chocolate looks melted give it a few gentle stirs to combine the ingredients and turn off the heat.
7. Wearing oven gloves put the chocolate pan on the. Stir until the mixture looks smooth and then leave to cool. 

Preparing the eggs

1. Separate the eggs into two bowls. Put the whites in a big bowl. The yolks can go in a smallish bowl.
2. With an electric or hand whisk beat the egg whites until they start to thicken.
3. Now add the sugar if you are using it and carry on beating until the egg white is really white and fluffy. When it’s ready it should be so stiff that you can tip the bowl upside down over your head without any falling out!
4. Use a fork to beat the egg yolks to a smooth pale yellow liquid.

Combining the eggs and chocolate

Egg yolk, beaten egg white and melted chocolate ready to mix

1. The chocolate mix should have cooled down by now. Feel the bowl with your hand. If it’s not uncomfortably hot to touch try dipping the very tip of your little finger into the chocolate. Ideally your finger won’t feel cold or hot because the chocolate is just the same temperature. If it’s too hot wait a bit longer.
2. Stir the egg yolks into the chocolate. Do it quite slowly to keep the chocolate mixture smooth.
3. With a large metal spoon or a spatula and scrape the chocolate mix into the egg white bowl.
4. You are now going to ‘fold’ the egg white over the chocolate. This is NOT the same as stirring – it’s much more delicate than that. Slide the spoon down the side of the bowl. When you get to the bottom lift as much chocolate as you can and turn your spoonful over. Turn the bowl a few centimetres and do it again. As soon as the chocolate and eggs are combined stop folding. If you have folded carefully the mixture will be runny but light and airy.

Nearly there…

1. Put your egg cups or small glasses on a tray or large plate.
2. Dangle a piece of string into each egg cup, leaving one end trailing over the side.
3. Using a dessert spoon, or pouring very slowly fill each one to the top with mouse.
4. Clear a space in the fridge for the mouses. If there is anything smelly in the fridge cover the pots with cling film. Leave the mouses to cool for about an hour. As they cool they will thicken and set.
5. Use almonds and currants to give your mouses noses and ears. Now for the really patient part: put them back in the fridge for another hour at least, and ideally two before you eat them. The longer you wait the more delicious they will be.

Chocolate mouse and friends

How to eat

Eat with a teaspoon, taking small dainty bites, just like a Burmese cat. You don’t have to eat the tail.