Sumptuous vegan chocolate mousse

Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times

You love chocolate, right? And health studies show that a little dark chocolate is good for you, as part of an otherwise healthy diet.

Unfortunately, most recipes for chocolate mousse involve eggs (or gelatin) and cream, which lessens the health benefits of the chocolate.

Well, Melissa Clark of the New York Times this week shared a chocolate mousse developed by the French molecular gastronomist Hervé This.  It's intense, has only three ingredients and while it is creamy, it contains no cream. Vegan! The one key is to use a good, complex chocolate, because that is all you will taste.

Even if your valentine is taking you out for dinner, skip dessert there; hurry home and dive into this.

Go ahead and make it for four, even if it's just the two of you that night. As Clark writes: "Leftovers will be equally seductive the next day — you know, just like your Valentine."

If you want to see the video of this, the New York Times is offering free access to day. Here's the link: http://nyti.ms/11VztGS

She's also developed a fine Valentine's Day menu here: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/13/dining/cooking-a-valentines-day-meal-at-home.html

Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse with Fleur de Sel

TOTAL TIME

10 minutes

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

• 285 grams bittersweet chocolate (about 10 ounces), roughly chopped, more as needed
• 1 cup of water
• Fleur de sel, to taste

PREPARATION

1.

Create an ice bath in a large bowl using ice and a little cold water. Nestle a smaller bowl in ice bath.

2.

Place chocolate and water in a small pot and heat over medium. Whisk until mixture is melted and smooth, about 3 to 5 minutes.

3.

Immediately pour melted chocolate into the bowl in the ice bath. Vigorously whisk chocolate mixture by hand until thick, 3 to 5 minutes. The chocolate should be fluffy and form a mound when dolloped with the whisk (it should generally have the texture and appearance of mousse). If the mixture does not thicken, add a bit more chopped chocolate and remelt over the heat. Spoon into serving bowls and garnish with fleur de sel.