The Mad Hatter New Year Party 2010-2011

A Happy New Year to you......
Hope this year brings good health, good food, lots of love, joy and laughter in your lives!!
So what did you do to ring in the New Year??
I had a party at home with some close friends. Some old and some new.
It's just the right weather and the absolute right occasion to celebrate. Well for that matter isn't winter always an occasion to celebrate?
The party was a fun crazy mad hatter party as I like to call it... where we just let our hair down!!!

A party like no other I've hosted....loads of fun....amazing friends........and lots of food. Usually my parties are food oriented.......but this one had all of that and a lot more....
Every time I have a party at home my intention is to keep the main course brief while a mix of light and not so light finger foods keep flowing in till the drinks are on...
As usual the menu was brief and at the same time a complete spread.
The friends enjoyed the Shepherd's Pie, the Chicken Stroganoff (my version), the Spinach & Tomato Lasagna and last but not the least the Chocolate Mousse'.

So Chocolate Mousse` it is to ring in the New Year:

Chocolate Mousse`

Ingredients:
4 Eggs
6 tsp. Gelatine dissolved in ¾ cups of water
600 ml Milk
14 tbsp. Sugar
6 tbsp. Cocoa Powder
1 tsp. Vanilla Essence
500 g Cream

Procedure:
1. Mix gelatin in cold water in a small, heavy bottomed pan. Leave aside for 5-7 minutes. Heat on very low flame to dissolve it. Make sure the gelatin doesn’t boil. Keep aside.
2. Separate eggs.
3. Mix milk, sugar, cocoa and egg yolks in another heavy bottomed pan on medium to low heat. Keep stirring continuously so that the cocoa doesn’t burn over. Once the custard coats the back of the spoon remove from fire and let it cool down to room temperature.
4. Add gelatin and mix well. Make sure gelatin is completely blended in the custard.
5. Chill in the freezer till only thick. Make sure it doesn’t start setting.
6. Once the custard is chilled and thick add 400g of cream and beat well. (Preferably use a hand blender).
7. Chill again till thick.
8. While you set the cream-custard mix to chill again, beat the egg whites till stiff.
9. Now add these egg whites to the thick cream-custard mix.
10. Pour in the serving dish and let it set.
11. Do not put it in the freezer for setting. Always set mousse` in the fridge. The freezer can form crystals on the mousse` which will spoil the dessert.
12. When the mousse` is set, whip the remaining cream and put in an icing cone to decorate as desired.
13. Serve chilled.