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Gluten-free: 18 fabulous flour-less desserts

Whether your household is entirely gluten-free, you're expecting gluten-free guests, or you're experimenting with a new diet, this list will satisfy dessert cravings of all sorts. 

Chocolate mousse

Laura Edwins/The Christian Science Monitor
Top your chocolate mousse with decorations of your choice.

By Laura Edwins, Staff Writer 
From "How to Boil an Egg" by Rose Carrarini of Rose Bakery

11 ounces semisweet chocolate

3/4 cup heavy cream

6 eggs, separated

1-2 tablespoons sugar (to taste)

Optional add-ins and garnishes:

3 tablespoons hot espresso coffee

1 tablespoon whiskey, dark rum or Grand Marnier

Chocolate beads, or shavings

Coconut flakes

Strawberries, bananas, or other fruit

Whipped cream

1. Melt the chocolate completely on the stove or in the microwave. Ms. Carrarini recommends using a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Set aside to cool.

2. Get out three large mixing bowls and two smaller bowls. Carefully separate your eggs into the two smaller bowls. In one of the large bowls whip the cream until soft peaks form.

3. Beat the egg whites in another large bowl until soft peaks form, then add the sugar, and beat for a few more minutes. (You may want to take it easy on the sugar depending on how sweet you like your mousse. You can always add more later.)

4. In the last large bowl beat the egg yolks well. Beat in the espresso, whiskey, or rum (if using). Stir the melted chocolate into the yolk mixture. The mixture will thicken up a lot. Fold in half the egg whites, then all the cream. Finally fold in the other half of the egg whites.

5. Chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour before decorating and serving.

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Mark Sappenfield
Editor

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