Minty Chocolate Mousse with Candied Mint Leaves

Minty Chocolate Mousse

1. Place the pieces of white chocolate into a heatproof bowl and sit the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water until the chocolate melts, stirring gently with a spatula every now and then. When it's melted, stand the bowl on a cold surface to cool down a little.
2. In another bowl, and using an electric handheld whisk for ease, whip the cream, egg white and peppermint essence together. You want a softly peaking, rather than stiff mixture.
3. Add a large dollop of cream to the slightly cooled chocolate and mix together to loosen. Gently fold the chocolate mixture into the cream.
4. Divide the mixture among six small but perfectly formed glasses with a capacity of 60ml/2 ¼fl oz.
5. Chill the mousses in the fridge or give them a fast icy zap by putting them in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. Once chilled, if using mint leaves, decorate each top with a mint leaf just before serving.

Candied Mint Leaves

1. Prepare the mint leaves. Remove the mint leaves from the stems and rub each leaf gently with a finger that has been dipped in the egg white mixture. Lay on a flat, clean working surface.
2. Mix the drop of spearmint extract into the granulated sugar.
3. Sift the sugar and mint extract mixture over the mint leaves.
4. Lay the mint leaves close together on a cake rack covered with wax paper.
5. Leave in a warm but not hot place to dry. When crisp, the candied mint leaves are ready to consume.