At Christmas, there is a much-loved and valued place for raisins and citrus peel steeped in booze and unrefined sugars – stirred into puddings, say, or to fill crumbly, short pastry. Of course, I’m not denying this most obvious fact, but please don’t downplay the pivotal role that chocolate plays in the mix. Too much stewed fruit is dispiriting, but put a bowl of whipped, deeply chocolatey mousse on the table and the world is righted. If we can agree that Christmas is about decadence and indulgence, then we can also agree that a rich, velvety chocolate mousse with boozy things to pour on top is an absolute must.
