Chocolate Carragheen with Irish Coffee Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 2/4 ounces carragheen moss
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 4 oz semisweet chocolate
• 1/2 teaspoon peanut oil
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 cup strong coffee
• 1 tablespoon Irish whiskey
• grated chocolate, to decorate
• lightly whipped cream, to serve

1. Pour the milk into a heave-based saucepan. Add the carragheen moss and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, using a sharp chopping knife, chop the chocolate into small pieces or grate roughly. remove the milk from the heat and stir in the chocolate until it has all melted.
3. Strain the chocolate mixture through a fine strainer. Very lightly grease four teacups with peanut oil, then pour in the chocolate carragheen. Chill until set.
4. Pour the water and remaining sugar into a heavy-based saucepan. Heat gently. Stirring until the sugar dissolves. Remove the spoon and continue to heat the syrup until it turns a pale golden color.
5. Pour in the coffee and stir over gentle hear until smooth. Remove from the heat and cool. Stir in the whiskey. Allow to cool.
6. Turn each mousse onto a plate (you'll have to coax them out of the cup) and pour some sauce around each one. Serve with cream and decorate with grated chocolate.

Michael's Modifications:

1. I couldn't find the moss, so I used regular gelatin (Knox) that comes in packets suitable for gelling 2 cups of liquid (I used a packet and a half). Instead of boiling the milk/gelatin mixture I merely heated the milk enough that it began to steam and added the sugar and gelatin slowly so that it dissolved completely.
2. After slowly adding the chocolate I raised the temperature a small amount and covered the pot, leaving it for a couple of minutes (I was experimenting, so I can't tell you exactly how long it was). I was trying to make sure that all the chocolate melted and the mousse would have a consistent texture. If you want a slightly different look and taste, leave the grainy bits of chocolate that you'll end up with after adding it to the milk (in other words, don't raise the heat and let it sit). What you'll end up with after pouring the mix into the cups and letting it cool is a three-layer mousse that has crunchy bits on the bottom.