Ingredients
1 3/4 cups plus 4 teaspoons heavy cream
4 large egg yolks, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
2 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons hazelnut praline paste
7 ounces dark chocolate, melted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
64 dark chocolate dessert cups
64 blanched hazelnuts, toasted and halved, for garnish
Shaved dark chocolate, for garnish
Preparation
With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, whisk cream until soft peaks form. Transfer to refrigerator; chill for 1 hour.
In a clean mixing bowl, and with a clean whisk, beat yolks on high speed until pale and frothy. Meanwhile, bring sugar, corn syrup, and water to a boil in a small, heavy saucepan over high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Continue boiling for about 1 minute. With mixer on medium-low speed, carefully pour hot syrup down side of bowl. Beat on medium-high speed until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Beat in hazelnut praline paste. Stir in chocolate, vanilla, and a pinch of salt with a flexible spatula.
Add one-third of the chocolate mixture to whipped cream; whisk to combine. Add remaining chocolate mixture, fold to completely combined. Pass through a coarse sieve into a large bowl; discard any solids.
Transfer mousse to a disposable pastry bag or large plastic bag. Using scissors, snip a small hole in bottom of the bag or from one of the corners of the plastic bag. Pipe mousse into chocolate cups to fill; serve garnished with hazelnuts and shaved chocolate.
