Christmas Single-Serve Delight

Christmas single-serve delights are small treats perfect for enriching the holiday table. They can vary according to tradition and the creativity of the pastry chef, but let’s imagine something sweet and festive, like a spoon dessert that could be a chocolate mousse flavored with orange or cinnamon, for a Christmas touch, served in small single-serve portions.

Here is a sample recipe for a chocolate and spice Christmas single-serve dessert:

Ingredients

For the biscuit base:

• 150 g of dry biscuits (like Digestive)
• 75 g of melted butter

For the mousse:

• 200 g of dark chocolate
• 3 eggs (yolks and whites separated)
• 50 g of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• Grated zest of 1 orange (untreated)
• 1 pinch of salt

For the topping:

• Whipped cream
• Candied orange peel
• Ground cinnamon or cocoa for dusting

Preparation

1. Start by preparing the biscuit base for your single-serves. Finely chop the biscuits and mix them with the melted butter. Distribute the mixture into single-serve glasses or molds and press it down well to form a compact base. Refrigerate to set.

2. For the mousse, melt the chocolate in a double boiler and let it cool. Then, add the grated orange zest and cinnamon. Mix well.

3. Whip the yolks with half of the sugar until you get a light and frothy mixture. Add them to the melted chocolate and fold gently.

4. In a separate container, whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt. Halfway through whipping, add the remaining sugar and continue to whip until you get a shiny and firm meringue.

5. Fold the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mixture, mixing from bottom to top to keep them from deflating.

6. Pour the mousse over the cooled biscuit bases in the glasses, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours to let the mousse set.

7. When ready to serve, top the single-serves with whipped cream, candied orange peel, and a dusting of cinnamon or cocoa.

This dessert is a creation you can personalize to your taste. For instance, you could use chopped gingerbread as the base instead of the biscuits, add a heart of orange sauce over the biscuit before adding the mousse, or replace whipped cream with white chocolate ganache.

Curiosity

Christmas single-serve delights are a wonderful way to add a touch of fine dining to the holiday table. The presentation in individual portions allows each guest to enjoy a taste of luxury and helps control portions during the plentiful Christmas dinners.