Well, it’s happened.

I have peaked too soon! Because this is the easiest, most delicious, and most festive non-traditional Holiday dessert of all time. I don’t see where I can go from here. This is like the secret weapon in the arsenal of any holiday meal. Of course we all love pumpkin pie and Christmas pudding, and all those traditional favourites, but a there are a million reasons to include something different and fun. When so many people are attending more than one Holiday gathering, a break from the usual suspects is always welcome.

There are so many reasons why you should make this dessert before the year is over. Let me list ’em for ya!

• It’s EASY! The mousse comes together in less than 15 minutes, and then just chills in the fridge till dinner. And in a pinch, it doesn’t even need to chill for long – 30 minutes would do it! Sprinkle over your pomegranates and honeycomb and bam, masterpiece.
• It’s unexpected. An unusual addition to your holiday table for sure – but not so unusual that anyone would be put off. Just different enough to be completely enticing.
• It’s not too heavy! Because there is no cream in this mousse, it’s not as rich and heavy as normal recipes can be, and the pomegranates add beautiful bursts of palate-cleansing freshness.

• It’s festive! Take a look at this gorgeous dish! A beautiful puddle of shiny chocolate, surrounded by a wreath of pomegranate jewels and shards of golden honeycomb.
• It’s a kiddie pleaser. Let’s face it, the kiddoes don’t always love traditional desserts. But chocolate mousse? Well, I know I was always down for chocolate mousse.
• It’s versatile. Thanksgiving lunch, Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas lunch, Christmas dinner, Holiday parties, New Years Eve, New Years day…I defy you to find an occasion that this would not be perfect for.

• It’s adaptable. SO MANY ways to vary this recipe! Milk chocolate mousse with raspberries and honeycomb? White chocolate mousse with passionfruit and gingersnap crumbs? Peppermint dark chocolate mousse with crushed peppermint candies and whipped cream? SO MANY WAYS!
• Pomegranates. ‘Nuff said.

The way all these elements work together is magic. Holiday magic. Rich, dense, light chocolate mousse meets sharp sweet pomegranate, with the slightly bitter crunch of the honeycomb – it’s perfect. I hope you try it. I was seriously off my game when taking these photos and putting this recipe together, but it came out like a dream. Which just goes to show that you can’t stuff it up – even when you’re having a stone-cold bad day.

I hope you try it!

xx Sarah.

Chocolate Mousse with Pomegranate and Honeycomb

An original recipe by Sarah Coates for The Sugar Hit

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

4 oz (100g) dark chocolate (70% or higher)

1 oz (30g) butter

3 eggs

pinch of salt

2 oz (50g) sugar

1 tbsp cocoa powder

1 pomegranate’s worth of seeds.

100g honeycomb, chopped or broken up.

First, melt the chocolate and the butter in the microwave in 20 second bursts, stirring regularly, and set it aside to cool slightly. Separate the eggs, placing the whites in one large mixing bowl, and the yolks in another. Add the salt to the whites, and whisk them to stiff peaks. Add the sugar and cocoa powder to the egg yolks and whisk them until smooth and slightly lightened in colour.

Pour the cooled melted chocolate into the yolk mixture and fold through quickly to combine. Finally, add the egg whites to the chocolate-yolk mixture and fold them together, gently but thoroughly. The mixture may look like it won’t come together, but keep folding and it will become shiny and homogenous. Pour into a serving dish, and cover with plastic. Chill for at least 30 minutes, before decorating with the pomegranate seeds and honeycomb and serving.