A Toast to the New Year

"Tomorrow is the first blank page of a 365-page book. Write a good one." 

Brad Paisley

 

"Ring out the old, ring in the new / Ring, happy bells, across the snow / 
The year is going, let him go / Ring out the false, ring in the true."
English poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson

... that today, besides being New Year's Eve Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians played "Auld Lang Syne" as a New Year's Eve song for the first time on this day in 1929. Auld Lang Syne had been the band's theme song long before 1929. However, this night was the start of a New Year's Eve tradition as Lombardo's famed orchestra played at the Hotel Roosevelt Grill in New York City to usher in the new year. 

Chocolate Mousse 

Cook’s notes: Toast the New Year with this rich, decadent and oh, so good dessert and a bubbly glass of champagne. Serve the mousse in small demitasse-like cups. Add a plate of cookies and you are ready to ring in 2016. Makes 5-6 small servings. 

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup chilled heavy cream 
• 4 large eggs at room temperature 
• ¼ cup strong coffee or espresso at room temperature 
• dash of salt 
• 3 tsp. sugar, divided 
• 1/8 tsp. crème of tartar 
• 8 oz. of good quality semi-sweet chocolate chopped or bittersweet chocolate (61-72% cacao) 
• 2-3 TB. Kahlua or Amaretto 

Directions:

• Separate yolks and whites. 
• Beat 3/4 cup whipping cream and refrigerate. 
• Combine egg yolks, coffee or espresso, salt and 2 tsp. sugar in a metal bowl. 
• Whisk ingredients and set bowl in a larger pan of simmering water. 
• Whisk constantly until mixture is lighter in color and has doubled in volume about 6-8 minutes. 
• Remove bowl from water and stir in chopped chocolate pieces. Whisk until chocolate is blended into egg mixture. 
• Add in Kahlua or Amaretto, mix well and cool to room temperature. 
• Beat egg whites in another bowl with crème of tartar and remaining 1 tsp. sugar. Beat until firm peaks form. 
• Gently fold egg whites into whipped cream mixture. 
• Fold egg whites/whip cream mixtures into chocolate/egg mixture. 
• Spoon into serving cups. Top with crushed almonds or toasted coconut. 
• Refrigerate until serving.