8 eggs
12 oz. chocolate chips
10 tbsp. sweet butter
1 (4 oz.) bar milk chocolate
3/4 c. heavy whipping cream

Make mousse a day or two ahead. Separate eggs, putting whites into a large bowl, yolks in a small one. Let whites warm to room temperature, one hour. In top of double boiler, over hot, not boiling, water, melt chocolate with butter, stirring constantly.

Remove top of double boiler from water. With wooden spoon, beat in yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Let cool 10 minutes. With portable mixer, beat whites until stiff, moist peaks form when beater is slowly raised.

With wire whisk or rubber scraper, using an under-and-over motion, gently fold chocolate mixture into egg whites just enough to combine thoroughly; there should be no white streaks. Turn into an attractive, 1-quart serving dish. Refrigerate.

NOTE: At this point the mousse may be wrapped in foil and frozen for a week or two. To serve: Let thaw in refrigerator 4 to 5 hours; then decorate.

Several hours before serving, decorate mousse with whipped cream and chocolate curls. To make curls, warm chocolate bar, still wrapped. Place in a warm spot just until soft, not melting. Then with a vegetable peeler pressing lightly, pare along bar in a long, thin stroke, to form a curl.

Make 8 curls. Lift with toothpick to plate; refrigerate. In small bowl, whip cream stiff. Turn into pastry bag with a Number 6 star tip, pushing cream to end of bag. With tube held upright, squeeze whipped cream out in a 1-inch circle, twisting to form rosette.

Form about 8 whipped cream rosettes around mousse, 1 inch from edge of bowl, with 1 large rosette in center. Using a toothpick, carefully place chocolate curls between rosettes. Refrigerate until serving time. Makes 8 to 10 servings.