Cheeky Chocolate Mousse

The situation: it's four o'clock, and you've got people coming over at seven for dessert. The cupboards are bare. And these people know their food -- picking up a box of Betty Crocker isn't going to cut it.

What do you do?

It's Nigella to the rescue, with her super chocolate mousse recipe. While most mousses take four hours plus to set, this one is firm and ready after barely an hour in the fridge.

Here's what you need:

• 3 cups mini marshmallows
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 9 ounces best quality semisweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
• 1/4 cup hot water from a recently boiled kettle
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Put the marshmallows, butter, chocolate and water in a heavy-based saucepan.

Put the saucepan on the stove, over heat, though keep it fairly gentle, to melt, stirring every now and again. Remove from the heat.

Meanwhile whip the cream with the vanilla until thick and then fold into the cooling chocolate mixture until you have a smooth, cohesive mixture.

Pour into 4 or 6 glasses or small dishes and chill until you want to eat. (About an hour)

Serving mousse in tea cups is a little something I picked up from my favourite dinner party guru, The Fable of the Table. I love the idea of eating out of tea cups, and these mini polka-dotted ones just give the mousse an extra bit of sweetness!