Sally Berneathy - Death by Chocolate 04 - Chocolate Mousse Attack

by Sally Berneathy

  Rickie sidled up to the counter. Before he could even ask, I handed him a cookie then took out two more for Grace and Chuck. I had no idea why they were there or what they wanted, but giving them chocolate couldn’t hurt.

  “Why, thank you,” Grace said. “Chuck, we should of got her to make our wedding cake. Becky Carol made it, and it was really dry.”

  “Gosh, had I only known, I’d have been happy to make you a big, dense chocolate cake.”

  “Maybe for our first anniversary party.” She looked at Chuck and giggled. He smiled down at her. A man of few words. That was probably a good thing considering how much Grace talked. “Rickie just had to come say good-bye. He said you took such good care of him after his worthless daddy dumped him on you.”

  I forced myself to smile. “We had a great time together.” I wasn’t sure what he’d told her, but I wasn’t going to volunteer anything. I’d already been accused of kidnapping. Child endangerment probably wasn’t far down the list after the events of the night before. It doesn’t look good for a cop’s girlfriend to be charged with those things.

  “Say good-bye, Rickie.”

  “Bye,” he mumbled.

  “Wait! Let me give you some cookies to take with you.” I reached inside the case, took out all the leftover cookies and put them in a bag. Fred would just have to do without for one day. Getting rid of Rickie was worth foregoing a few cookies. “And some brownies.” I added the nutless and nutted versions and handed the bag to Rickie.

  “Say thank you, Rickie.”

  “Thank you,” he mumbled.

  I reached across the counter and touched his cheek. “Thank you,” I said.

  He shrugged. “Whatever.”

  “I’ll let you know the next time we need a babysitter,” Grace said, and the three of them turned to leave.

  Oh, great.

  As they walked out the door, I realized Trent had been standing behind them.

  “Hey!” I gave him a genuine smile. “Sorry, I’m fresh out of cookies and brownies, but you can have the baker if you’d like.”

  A wide grin stretched his lips as he strolled over. Green fire danced in his dark eyes, a sign he was happy. “I’d like.” He leaned across the counter and gently touched my face. “How are you doing?”

  “Good. No worries. I just became childless again. With Rickie out of my house and my mind, I can deal with a little thing like a broken nose. I take it you had something to do with reuniting the happy family.”

  “As a matter of fact, I did. I asked Fred to use his talents and find Grace and Chuck.”

  “Really? You asked Fred? Weren’t you afraid he’d do something illegal?”

  Trent nodded, and the green in his eyes ramped up a notch. “I knew he would. But I figured it would be worth it. Another night with Rickie, and you’d have been the one climbing out your bedroom window to escape. I figured my lieutenant would cut me a little slack if I got involved in a slightly shady activity in the name of love.”

  Oh, God! He said it again! “So where did he find the happy couple? I assume it wasn’t far away.”

  “Turns out they’ve been half an hour from here the whole time. They were staying at the Fin and Fur Lodge out by the lake. The newlyweds were getting in a little fishing and hunting.”

  “Hunting? Deer season doesn’t start for three months.”

  “Rabbits and squirrels.”

  “Well.” I didn’t even want to think about that. “At least they won’t go hungry.”

  “And they’ll have plenty of dessert. That was a nice thing you did, giving them enough cookies and brownies to keep Rickie on a sugar high for a week.”

  “Two days at most. He’s tough.”

  He arched an eyebrow and his grin widened. “You say that like you almost admire him.”

  I snorted. “You’re giving me way too much credit.”

  The last customers came up to pay. Trent waited while I rang up the sale.

  “Where’s Paula?” he asked when the door tinkled behind the couple.

  “In the kitchen with Matthew.”

  He flinched. “Any explosions or sounds of pots and pans hitting the wall?”

  “No, Paula’s the silent and deadly type. The quieter it is, the worse things are going.”

  We listened to the silence for a few seconds.

  “Sounds bad,” he said.

  “Yeah.”

  Matthew came through the kitchen door. He wasn’t smiling. He turned back inside. “I’ve been trying to find my sister for twelve years. I don’t give up easily on the people I care about.” He saw us watching and smiled weakly.

  “Good luck,” I said.

  He nodded. “Thanks.”

  “Hang in there.” I tilted my head toward Trent. “Took me a couple of years to catch him. He was worth the wait.”

  Matthew’s smile became a little more genuine. “She’s worth the wait too.”

  “Yes,” I said. “She is. I’ll talk to her.”

  He nodded. “Thanks.”

  Not that I thought anything I said to Paula would make any real difference. She’s stubborn. But that wouldn’t stop me from trying.

  Matthew left, and Trent and I were alone except for the seething woman in the kitchen.

  “I guess I’d better go so you can clean up and get home.”

  “I guess. I should have time for a nap before you get off work. If you wanted to come over tonight, even though it’s a work night, I could express my appreciation for your deigning to work with Fred to get rid of the kid.”

  He nodded slowly. “How do you plan to express that appreciation?”

  I shrugged. “How about some Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake?”

  “That’s a start.” He gave me a quick kiss and started for the door. I’d see him in a few hours. Spend the night with him. Have a chance to talk to him and tell him how much it meant to me that he would join forces with Fred and do something slightly shady in order to help me. Tell him how much I cared for him.

  Unless one of us got killed in a car wreck or shot by a madman in the next couple of hours.

  “Trent—”

  He paused at the door and looked back.

  I opened my mouth and tried to say something meaningful, tried to put into words…a word…my feelings for him. I swallowed, cleared my throat and tried again. “See you tonight.”

  He smiled. “Count on it.”

  THE END

  Read on for more of Lindsay’s favorite recipes!

  Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake

  With thanks to my friend and classmate, Carolyn Hathcote!

  Grease with butter a 9 inch spring form pan at least 3 inches high. If desired, line bottom with parchment. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

  Make layers in order.

  Bottom Layer:

  6 tablespoons butter

  7 ounces bittersweet chocolate (60% chocolate)

  2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  4 large eggs, separated

  1/3 cup packed brown sugar, crumbled to remove lumps

  Melt butter and chocolate in large bowl in microwave in two 30 second segments, stirring after each. Allow mixture to cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Whisk in vanilla and egg yolks. Set aside.

  Beat egg whites at medium speed until frothy. Add half of brown sugar and beat until combined, about 15 seconds. Add remaining brown sugar and beat at high speed until medium soft peaks form.

  Fold beaten egg whites into chocolate mixture. Transfer batter to prepared spring form pan, smoothing top.

  Bake until cake has risen, is firm around edges, and center has just set but is still soft (center of cake will spring back after pressing gently with finger), 13 to 18 minutes. Transfer cake to wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour. (Cake will collapse as it cools.) Do not remove cake from pan.

  Middle Layer:

  2 tablespoons cocoa powder

  5 tablespoons hot water

  7 ounces bittersweet chocolate (60% chocolate)

  1-1/2 c
ups cold heavy cream

  1 tablespoon sugar

  dash salt

  1/2 teaspoon vanilla

  Combine cocoa powder and hot water in small bowl; set aside.

  Melt chocolate in large bowl in microwave in 30 second segments, stirring after each one. Cool slightly, 2 to 5 minutes.

  Whip cream, sugar, vanilla and salt until soft peaks form.

  Whisk cocoa powder mixture into melted chocolate until smooth. Fold whipped cream into chocolate mixture. Spoon mousse into spring form pan over cooled cake. Refrigerate cake at least 15 minutes while preparing top layer.

  Top Layer:

  3/4 teaspoon powdered gelatin

  1 tablespoon water

  6 ounces white chocolate chips

  1-1/2 cups whipping cream

  1 teaspoon vanilla

  Shaved chocolate or cocoa powder (optional)

  In small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over water; let stand at least 5 minutes.

  Place white chocolate in medium bowl. Heat 1/2 cup cream in microwave, about 45 seconds, until hot but not boiling. Add gelatin mixture and stir until fully dissolved. Pour cream mixture over white chocolate and whisk until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth, about 30 seconds. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.

  Whip remaining cup cream until soft peaks form. Fold whipped cream into white chocolate mixture. Spoon white chocolate mousse into pan over middle layer. Smooth top. Return cake to refrigerator and chill until set, at least 2 hours.

  Garnish top of cake with chocolate curls or dust with cocoa. Run thin knife between cake and side of spring form pan; remove sides of pan. Cut into slices and serve.

  Chocolate Scones

  Place rack in center of oven and preheat to 375 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  1/3 cup cream

  1 large egg

  1 teaspoon vanilla

  1-3/4 cups flour

  1/4 cup cocoa powder

  1/2 cup sugar

  2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

  1/8 teaspoon salt

  1/3 cup butter, softened to room temperature

  1/3 cup chocolate chips

  1/3 cup white chocolate chips

  In a small bowl, whisk together the cream, egg, and vanilla.

  In a large bowl, mix flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder and salt. Using a pastry blender, a big fork or a potato masher, blend butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the chocolate chips. Add the cream mixture and stir just until the dough sticks together.

  Shape dough into a 7 inch circle, cut into eight wedges and place on the baking sheet.

  Bake for 18-20 minutes or until firm around the edges but a little soft in the center. A toothpick inserted into the center of a scone will come out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Serve with whipped cream or chocolate syrup or whipped cream and chocolate syrup.

  Suicide by Chocolate

  With thanks to Kristy Jackson!

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 inch pan.

  Recipe of chocolate chip cookies (or cheat and use a tube of dough)

  Recipe of brownies (or cheat and buy a family-size mix)

  24 regular Oreo cookies

  Recipe of chocolate fudge sauce (or cheat and buy a jar)

  Recipe of caramel sauce (or cheat and buy a jar)

  Vanilla bean ice cream

  Spread cookie dough in bottom of pan. Layer with Oreos. Pour brownies over top. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

  Cool at least half an hour. Serve with ice cream, heated fudge syrup and heated caramel syrup.

  Double Chocolate Cream Pie

  1 cup sugar

  1/4 cup cocoa

  1/4 cup corn starch

  Pinch of salt

  3 cups milk or cream

  3 egg yolks

  1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla

  1 cup chocolate chips

  One 9” piecrust, baked & cooled

  Sweetened whipped cream

  In medium saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt. Combine milk and egg yolks and whisk until well-blended. Add milk and egg mixture to the chocolate mixture, stirring until well blended. Cook mixture over medium heat until it thickens, stirring constantly (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat. Add vanilla and chocolate chips. Stir until completely blended. Pour into piecrust, allow to cool, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Top with whipped cream.

  Sue Ross’ Birthday Chocolate Cake

  Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease large pan (9x13 or 10x15). Dust with cocoa powder.

  Put in mixing bowl:

  2 cup sugar

  2 cup flour

  Put in sauce pan and bring to boil:

  1 cup butter

  1/4 cup cocoa

  1 cup water

  Pour heated mixture into flour mixture and blend well.

  Add:

  2 eggs

  1/2 cup buttermilk

  1 teaspoon soda

  1 teaspoon vanilla

  Pour mixture into pan and bake for 20 minutes.

  When cake has been in oven ten minutes, put the following ingredients into sauce pan and bring to a boil:

  1/2 cup butter

  1/4 cup cocoa

  1/3 cup milk

  Remove from heat and add:

  1 box powdered sugar

  1/2 cup chopped pecans

  2 teaspoons vanilla

  Pour over hot cake.

  Perp Walk Brownies

  Recipe of brownies (or cheat and buy a mix).

  Make chocolate mousse (below).

  Crumble half of brownies into a deep pan or a large bowl.

  Pour mousse over brownies.

  Crumble remaining brownies over top of mousse.

  Top with whipped cream.

  Sprinkle with miniature chocolate chips.

  Sprinkle with chopped nuts.

  Chocolate Mousse

  (Thanks to my Beta Sigma Phi sister, Julia Gibson, for sharing this recipe!)

  6 oz. pkg. chocolate chips

  1/2 lb. cream cheese

  1 c. whipping cream

  1/3 c. sugar

  2 tsp. vanilla

  Melt package of chocolate chips on low heat. Stir well then set on counter to cool. Combine cream cheese, sugar, salt, and vanilla with electric mixer. Add melted chocolate and stir until everything is blended and smooth again.

  Beat whipping cream till peaks form and then fold into chocolate mixture. Keep folding and blending softly until totally mixed.