Remembering the Titanic with Grace

Have you heard? There’s a man in Australia with money to burn that says he’s going to launch the Titanic II. It’s not the first time he’s made that claim. Maybe he’ll succeed this time around, but even if launched, it won’t be the same. She sailed into the sunset of different time.

The Titanic represents something beyond the greatest tragedy at sea. We see the ship and all its grander than life passengers through romantic, rose-colored glasses. Look at all the movies, each with a love story woven in. Entire dinner parties revolve around recreating the elegance of the First Class Last Supper. There’s even a recipe book out there to help capture that final night. I should know, it’s a part of my nearly 200 cook-book collection.

Many confuse this point in time as part of the Victorian Era, but actually it was a part of the Edwardian period. While officially the Edwardian period ended with the death of England’s King Edward in 1910, it’s sense of style extended to the beginning of World War I in 1914. This would put the Titanic and all it represents in the Edwardian Era – the romantic golden age of long simmer afternoons and garden parties. Samuel Hynes described the Edwardian era best. “A leisurely time when women wore picture hats and did not vote, when the rich were not ashamed to live conspicuously and the sun never set on the British flag.” Long before becoming King, Edward VII was a leader among the fashionable elite that influenced style and perception throughout Europe. It is that style, the perception of decadence that we secretly admire and fules our fascination with the Titanic.

The problem with a Titanic II sailing is that her style and grace would be lost. While the ship itself might appear the same, her decks would be filled with scruffy passengers in flip-flops and raggedy shorts. Glamor and elegance are notions of the past, when every night was formal night.

Many, many moons ago my Hubby gave me a subscription to Bon Appétit magazine. That was in the olden days, when we subscribed to the printed word. In their October 1990 edition, Autumn Elegance, was a picture of a Chocolate-Peanut Butter Mousse Loaf. Back then, it became my signature dessert. Through all the moves over the years, the magazine got lost – sort of. I have boxes and boxes of books and magazines. I knew I still hade this 33-year old magazine someplace, but I didn’t know where. Hubby bought me new book cases for the den, and I set about the task of reorganizing everything. That’s when I came across my prized Bon Appétit.

Recently Hubby and I took a 16-day cruise to Hawaii. One of the desserts offered during the cruise was a dessert very similar to my once signature Loaf. So I’ve made it once again – exactly as the original recipe instructed. I needed to refresh my memory before tweaking what can only be described as silky perfection. So I present to you this amazing dessert as is. Oh but I have some ideas as to how to claim it as my own creation. After all, that’s what cooking is all about. It’s an art form – first you paint by numbers, then you take those skills and color outside the lines.

Of all the dishes I’ve made over the years, this is by far the most photographed. I wanted to document every step in the journey to the most amazing dessert ever. And if I can do this, anyone can.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Loaf
Peanut Butter Mousse
2 cups Powdered Sugar
6 oz Ceram Cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons Creamy Peanut Butter
2 large Egg Whites
3 tablespoons Heavy Cream

Line a 6-cup loaf pan with foil. Set aside.

Sift powdered sugar, reserve and set aside 2/3-cup of the sugar. Let cream cheese come to room temperature. Separate egg whites from yolks. Reserve yolks for the chocolate portion of the Mousse Loaf.

In a bowl, cream together 1-1/3 cups sifted powdered sugar, the peanut butter and cream cheese. Add heavy cream, beat until smooth. Set aside.

In another medium bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add the reserved 2/3-cup powdered sugar to the whites. Beat until stiff and shiny. Fold whites into the peanut butter mixture in 2 additions.

Tilt the prepared loaf pan lengthwise at a 45-degree angle. Spoon in the peanut butter mousse to form a triangle down the length of the pan. (I cheat a little with a folded bit of foil to use as a guide) Smooth the top and side. Set pan in the freezer; propping to hold the 45-degree angle. Freeze until the peanut butter mousse is firm, about an hour.

Chocolate Mousse
3 Egg Yolks
8 oz Bittersweet Chocolate
1 cup Heavy Cream
1/3 cup Sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons Instant Espresso Powder
2-1/2 tablespoons Hot Water

To the reserved egg yolks, separate and add 1 more yolk. Set aside. Chop chocolate, if necessary, and set aside.

Note: You can save a bit of time and energy by using chocolate chips in the mousse as well as the ganache. However; bakers chocolate – the one that needs chopping, does melt a bit more smoothly.

Heat heavy cream and sugar in a heavy small pan over very low heat, stirring just until sugar dissolves. Transfer warmed cream to a medium bowl, refrigerate until well chilled.

Melt chocolate in the top of a double boiler over simmering water, stirring until smooth. Cool for 5 minutes.

Dissolve espresso powder into the hot water in a small bowl. Whisk egg yolks into the espresso, one yolk at a time.

Add espresso mixture to the warm chocolate, stir until smooth and slightly thickened. Let stand until the mixture is cooled to room temperature but not yet set. Don’t rush it. the cream needs to fully chill, too, so there’s plenty of time.

Beat chilled heavy cream to soft peaks. Fold cream into the chocolate mixture in 2 additions.

Remove frozen peanut butter mousse from the freezer, set upright on a flat counter. Spoon chocolate mousse alongside the peanut butter mousse. Smooth top to same level. Cover pan with foil, freeze until the chocolate portion is firm, at least 6 hours or overnight. (Overnight is best).

Chocolate Ganache Glaze
5 oz Semi-sweet Chocolate
5 tablespoons Butter
2/3 cup Heavy Cream
Raspberries for garnish
Fresh Mint for garnish

If necessary, finely chop or grate chocolate, set aside. Dice butter into small pieces, set aside.

Heat cream and diced butter in a medium saucepan over low heat until cream simmers and the butter is melted. Turn off heat. Add chocolate, whisk until smooth. Let glaze cool until thickened but still of pouring consistency, about 90 minutes.

Invert Mousse Loaf onto a serving platter. Remove, peel away the foil. Smooth the sides as much as possible. Pour the ganache over the frozen mousse slowly, spreading with an off-set spatula over the top and down the sides. Garnish with raspberries and mint as desired just before serving.

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Remove from me the way of falsehood,
and favor me with Your law.
The way of truth I have chosen;
I have set Your ordinances before me.