Blackberry & White Chocolate Mousse

I went blackberry picking a few mornings ago, which resulted in a haul of 1.8kg of fresh blackberries, and a little head-scratching for blackberry recipes. I soon remembered having seen this recipe on The Boy Who Bakes. It makes for a wonderfully summery dessert, and the portions can be altered to suit your appetite. 

We didn't really have any biscuits to go with the mousses (they aren't absolutely necessary, but  I would definitely recommend serving with a biscuit), but then I remembered we had a reject-muller yoghurt in the fridge which comes with little white chocolate biscuit balls. How fortunate.

White Chocolate & Blackberry Mousse
serves 6

Ingredients:
For the white chocolate ganache
100ml double cream
100g white chocolate, chopped
For the blackberry compote
300g blackberries

juice of 1 lemon
50g caster sugar
For the white chocolate mousse
200g white chocolate, chopped
250ml double cream
2 egg whites
25g caster sugar

white chocolate

Method:
1. For the ganache, place the chocolate in a heat proof bowl and bring the cream to a simmer in a saucepan or heat proof bowl in the microwave. Pour the cream over the chocolate and stir until smooth. Divide the ganache amongst 6 serving glasses and refrigerate.

2. For the compote, put the blackberries, lemon juice and sugar into a saucepan and heat gently until the berries have softened and released some juice. Spoon some of the liquid from the compote over the ganache and return the glasses to the fridge.

3. For the mousse, melt the chocolate in a heat proof bowl over a pan of simmering water or in the microwave. Set aside to cool. In a medium-large bowl, whip the double cream to soft peaks. In another bowl, whip the egg whites to soft peaks and gradually whisk in the sugar, still beating until the meringue forms firm peaks upon lifting out the whisk. Carefully fold the meringue, in thirds, into the cream. Gradually fold the melted chocolate into the mousse. Pour the mousse into the glasses and return to the fridge for a few hours. To serve, top with the remaining blackberries and blackberry juice and a few shavings of white chocolate.