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1
Melt chocolate over hot water.
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2
Using a thin small clear 4-sided cellophane bag cut the top off to desired height.
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3
Un-crease the bag so it stands up and open.
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4
Using a paintbrush, coat the inside of the bag well with chocolate.
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5
Put in the freezer to set up until very hard, about 30 minutes.
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6
Cut the bag a little and pull it away from the chocolate.
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7
Store chilled until ready to serve.
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8
To serve, fill it with white chocolate mousse then lay it on a plate on its side so it looks like it's spilling over.
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9
Garnish it with a cascade of mixed berries and a mint sprig.
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10
You can fill it with truffles, too.
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11
Two days before you plan to serve the dessert, in a small saucepan, heat the cream over medium heat just until it boils.
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12
Immediately turn off the heat.
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13
Place the chocolate in a medium bowl.
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14
Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth.
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15
Strain into another bowl, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
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16
The next day, remove the mixture from the refrigerator and, using a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or a hand mixer, whip it into fluffy, soft peaks.
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17
Return to the refrigerator.
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18
In a clean dry bowl, whip the egg whites until soft peaks form, then add the sugar and continue whipping until glossy and stiff, about 30 seconds more.
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19
Fold into the white chocolate mixture, and then spoon the mixture (or pipe through a pastry bag) into glasses or chocolate bags.
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20
Notes about the recipe: This was invented by a Chicago chef friend of mine, Jackie Shen for her restaurant, Jackie's, in 1984.
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21
She wanted to make a chocolate bag like she saw Julia Child have full of truffles but could not figure out how to do it.
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22
She tried brown paper bags but they just didn't work.
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23
Then one day she was waiting in line at Garret's caramel corn stand on Randolph Street, a tradition in Chicago, and noticed they were bagging in a clear cellophane bag and she realized that might work.
