June 2010 Daring Bakers' Challenge: Chocolate Pavlovas with Chocolate Mascarpone Mousse

The June 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Dawn of Doable and Delicious. Dawn challenged the Daring Bakers’ to make Chocolate Pavlovas and Chocolate Mascarpone Mousse. The challenge recipe is based on a recipe from the book Chocolate Epiphany by Francois Payard.

Pavlova is one of my absolute favorite desserts, so I was thrilled to have an excuse to make one!  It was fun to try a new recipe as well as new topping as I usually do mine with whipped cream and berries.  The mousse in this recipe was a little too "dark" for me; I'd use a sweeter chocolate next time.  This was my first time making a creme anglais (for the topping), though I've made similar things in the past.  Mmmm cream.. I enjoyed a pavlova with just that drizzled on top. 

In non-challenge news, a few weeks ago hubby and I bought and moved in to our first house!! Tres exciting.  So my last of blogging has been due to 1) restricted finances (all money going to fixing up said house) 2) busy-ness, 3) lack of internet and 4) not much cooking (hubby has a job that has him away four evenings a week).  

Also, hubby and I have decided it is time to get healthier (and shed some rather unnecessary pounds) so we're adapting to new eating habits.  We'll see how creative we can get cooking without butter (oh butter, I miss you).  

In the near future, except posts on:
 1)  Blueberry cobbler that, had hubby and I not been married already, he would have married me for.  

2) Venison backstrap.  Super simple, tasty, and not at all bad for you!