Strawberry Mousse-cakes

I bought this cookbook quite awhile ago, but haven't made too much out of it yet because....well, it appears it was translated into English from some other language [Italian maybe?] and not everything seems to have translated properly. which can create a lot of havoc in recipes. I tried making some lava cakes from it for my mom's birthday last January, and they turned out not too bad...except the recipe neglected to tell me to add the flour. kind of an important detail. However there was a recipe I'd wanted to try pretty much ever since I got it [other than the one on the cover...that one is still to come..] and yesterday after work just seemed like a good time to make something wonderful.

and this definitely counts as something wonderful. painting with chocolate? ohh yes. [also, pretend that picture is right side up... blogger wouldn't turn it for me, and this laptop has no programs on it that will allow me to rotate it before uploading.]

saute strawberries in sugar? i didn't even know you could do such a thing. and then it got even better when i added the fake rum extract that has been sitting in our cupboard for longer than i can remember. [seriously, if rum actually tastes anything like that....then maybe i should get the real stuff for next time i make it. because it just made it taste so much more wonderful.]

these things really taste like little bites of happiness. all the flavours blend into perfection. plus, the cuteness factor is through the roof. i cannot resist anything in miniature. when dad tried one at supper, he took one bite and said... "oh. i don't think you should let your mom try any of these." :]] they're just too good.

Strawberry Mousse-cakes

originally Strawberry Mousse in Chocolate Cups [a name not nearly splendid enough for these] from Dessert [whose recipes are by Simone Rugiati and Licia Cagnoni]

Mini cups

7 oz. (200g) dark chocolate [5 oz. was plenty for me]

Mousse

150 g strawberries, hulled

1/3 c. sugar

1 tbsp white rum (or something of that sort)

1/2 tsp gelatin powder

1 c. plus 3 Tbsp (280mL) whipping cream

Place half of the strawberries and all of the sugar in a frying pan and saute for a few minutes. Add the rum and cook for a few more minutes. Remove from the heat. Dissolve the gelatin in about a tablespoon of water. Add the gelatin to the cooked strawberries. Add the remaining raw strawberries and puree in a blender or food processor.

Whip the whipping cream to stiff peaks and fold into the strawberry mixture. Refrigerate. Melt the chocolate over a double boiler or in a microwave.

Coat the inside of 20 waxed mini paper cups with melted chocolate. (best way to do this is using a brush of some sort - basting brush i think they're called - to paint the chocolate into the cups.) Refrigerate (or freeze) the cups until the chocolate hardens, then remove from the paper. Fill the chocolate cups with strawberry mousse and drizzle with chocolate sauce if you wish. Chill before serving. if they make it that long.