This week I had the pleasure of collaborating with Vasiiliko, Australia and NZ importers of the unique and intoxicating Greek spice, Chios Mastiha.
Chios Mastiha is the natural resin that is excreted from the trunk and branches of the Mastiha tree. This excretion is produced by incising the bark with a sharp pointed instrument. Mastiha appears in the incisions in the form of tears and exudes in droplets onto the soil. While it is flowing, it is a gummy, clear liquid; it solidifies in irregular shapes after 15-20 days. Mastiha has a unique flavour unlike anything you have ever tasted. Impossible to mimic, there is no substitute.
Not only does Mastiha taste delicious but scientific research shows that Chios Mastiha has anti- microbial, anti- inflammatory and healing properties. This is why Mastiha is often referred to as The Greek Superfood.
Historically, Mastiha has had many wide ranging uses and was even the first chewing gum worldwide. As a culinary ingredient mastiha is often used to flavour Greek Easter bread, cookies, ice creams and even savoury dishes like roast chicken. The best way to cook with mastiha is to purchase whole Mastiha tears and grind them with a mortar and pestle for the freshest flavour. To avoid the tears sticking to the pestle chill the Mastiha prior to grinding and use a circular motion when grinding as opposed to smashing the tears.
Mastiha pairs beautifully with chocolate so I decided to showcase this wonderful ingredient by creating a beautiful silky smooth Chocolate Mastiha Mousse garnished with cream, crushed pistachios and rose petals for an exotic Mediterranean touch. The mastiha note is subtle and can be tasted at the end of each mouthwatering spoonful of chocolate mousse. A little mastiha goes a long way so two ground teaspoons are all you need for this recipe.
Now for the mousse. Perfecting the right texture is critical when making a chocolate mousse. I find that mousses with a heavy thick cream in the ingredient list tend to harden like a rock once chilled. To avoid this, I use a thin pouring cream to achieve that perfect silky smooth chocolate mousse texture. The mousse mixture will appear slightly runny when poured into serving glasses but don’t worry because it thickens once it cools and sets.
Feel free to swap out the dark chocolate for white if you prefer a white mousse, it works equally well. Crushed pistachios add a gorgeous crunch and work beautifully with the mastiha and chocolate. Pistachio and mastiha are actually related so perhaps that is why they taste so good together.
Easy to make yet so flavoursome and visually exciting. Heaven in a glass.
- 300G 70% COCOA DARK CHOCOLATE, CHOPPED
- 4 EGGS, ROOM TEMPERATURE
- 4 TBS CASTER SUGAR
- 2 TSP GROUND MASTIHA TEARS
- 1½ CUP (375ML) POURING CREAM
- Place chocolate in a large glass bowl and melt in microwave. Stir to combine and set aside to cool slightly.
- Whisk the eggs and sugar together for about 5 minutes until triple in volume. Add ground mastiha and whisk until combined.
- Gently fold the egg mixture through the melted chocolate one third at a time with a large rubber spatula.
- Gently fold through the pouring cream.
- Pour into serving glasses and refrigerate until set.
- Serve with dollop cream, chopped pistachios and dried rose petals.
- Place chocolate into the Thermomix bowl and grate for 8 sec/speed 6.
- Melt chocolate 4 min/50 deg/speed 2. Pour the mixture into a separate bowl and set aside.
- Clean and thoroughly dry the Thermomix bowl.
- Place the butterfly into the TM bowl and add the eggs and caster sugar. Whip 3 min/Speed 4 or until triple in volume.
- Add ground mastiha and whip 10 sec/speed 4.
- Add the chocolate mixture and combine in reverse mode/20 sec/speed 3.
- Add pouring cream and combine in reverse mode/10 sec/speed 3.
- Pour into serving glasses and refrigerate until set.
- Serve with dollop cream, chopped pistachios and dried rose petals.
These look heavenly! I love mastiha so much- such a unique, bold flavour. Everytime I go home in Greece for the holidays, I bring back with me a little mastiha-flavoured something. I’ve never tried it with chocolate though- and now I can’t wait to! Thanks for sharing, Helen! Happy New Year!
Works beautifully with chocolate. Enjoy!!
What is pouring cream? Is that heaving whipping cream or half and half?
Not heavy cream the thin cream that is pouring consistency.