GAUDY WHITE HIBISCUS ~ TASTEFULL WHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

"White...is not a mere absence of colour; it is a shining and affirmative thing, as fierce as red, as definite as black...God paints in many colours; but He never paints so gorgeously, I had almost said so gaudily, as when He paints in white. "

- G. K. Chesterton

~ Gaudy white hibiscus

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WHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

~ Beloved 1982 prized recipe, an Italian meringue with finely chopped white chocolate and whipped cream, from (no-longer in Northville) ELIZABETH'S

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1 lb. white chocolate

6 oz. sugar

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup egg whites

pinch cream of tartar

1 tsp. sugar

2 cups heavy cream

1 quart strawberries

• Shave chocolate and put shavings into food processor bowl. Process in 2 batches until very fine. Set aside.
• Combine sugar and water in small saucepan. Bring to boil. Simmer sugar syrup until it reaches 238-degrees. If edges turn gold, you have cooked it too long.
• In the meantime, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and sugar with electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Pour in hot sugar syrup and continue beating at high speed for 8 minutes until bowl and mixture are cool and meringue is thick and shiny.
• Gently fold meringue into white chocolate.
• Whip heavy cream and fold into meringue. Divide into 2 bowls, cover each with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
• Serve 2 scoops on a sauce of pureed strawberries. To make sauce, puree 1 quart strawberries in food processor and put through mesh strainer.