Chocolate Tahini Mousse

Directions

• Chocolate Mousse:
• put the water and sugar together and bring up to a boil, and then reduce until it becomes a syrup (if you have a thermometer, don’t let it go above 120 degrees c). 
• Separate 2 of the eggs, whites into a spotless bowl and yolks into another.
  Crack the last egg into the bowl of yolks, and add in the cocoa powder, chilli and salt. Whisk for about 2 minutes until creamy and light. 
• When the sugar has become a clear liquid, allow it to boil for two mins and then add it in a steady stream into the cocoa mixture.
• Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of hot water.
  Then add into the cocoa mixture, beating all the time. Whisk the eggs into stiff peaks. 
• Whisk the cream into soft peaks.
  Incorporate them a spoonful at a time, alternating, until everything is combined but with plenty of air.
• tahini mousse:
•  in the same mixer bowl (no need to wipe it out), combine confectioners’ sugar, tahini, crème fraîche, vanilla extract and salt.
  
  Beat everything together until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
• Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly beat in cream until the tahini mousse thickens.
  It will be thinner than whipped cream but should still mound on a spoon.
  
  Refrigerate while you finish preparing chocolate mousse.
• Plate up as you would like – we did it in alternating spoonfuls but you could also very lightly mix the two mousses together.
• candied cacao nibs:
• As the mousse sets, make the candied cacao nibs (if using): Heat oven to 160°C, and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. 
• In a small pot, bring sugar and 60 ml water to a boil, and simmer, stirring, until sugar has completely melted, 2 to 4 minutes.
  
  Remove from heat and stir in cacao nibs.
• Spread nibs in an even layer on prepared baking sheet.
  
  Bake until dry and crunchy, about 20 minutes, stirring halfway through.
  Let cool completely.
• Spoon nibs, if using, on top of mousse, sprinkle with flaky sea salt, and serve.