With chocolate mousse this good and this easy, you can give your guests a delicious start to the new year!

　　

Ingredients

Serves 6 (makes approximately 18 spoonfuls)

　　8 ounces semisweet Bakers chocolate chopped

　　2 (8-ounce) containers Cool Whip topping

　　

Basic Chocolate Mousse:

1/2 cup of toasted coconut, slivered nuts, or crushed candy

　　

Malted Chocolate Mousse:

1/3 cup malted milk powder

　　1/2 cup Whoppers candies, crushed

　　

Chocolate Amaretto Mousse:

3 tablespoons amaretto liquor

　　1/2 cup slivered almonds,

　　

Step 1

1. Place chocolate in a large microwaveable bowl. Melt in microwave for 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds. Stir chocolate until smooth.

　　

Step 2

2. Once chocolate cools, add 1 cup of Cool Whip to the chocolate, stirring quickly. Continue folding in the rest of the Cool Whip in 2 batches, until there are no visible streaks.

　　

Step 3

3.Divide mousse into thirds.

　　

Basic Chocolate Mousse:

Step 4

Place one-third of the mousse into a medium-size zip-locking plastic bag, cut off one corner, and pipe mousse onto 6 spoons, about 1 tablespoon per spoon. Top with your favorite toping, such as toasted coconut, slivered nuts, or crushed candy.

　　

For Malted Chocolate Mousse:

Step 5

Fold malted milk powder into one-third of the mousse. Place mixture in a medium-size zip-locking plastic bag. Pipe onto 6 spoons and top with crushed whoppers.

　　

For Chocolate Amaretto Mousse:

Step 6

Fold Amaretto into one-third of the mousse. Place mixture in a medium-size zip-locking plastic bag. Pipe onto 6 spoons and top with toasted almond slivers.

　　Excerpted from the book Katie Brown Celebrates: Simple and Spectacular Parties All Year Round. © 2008 by Katie Brown. Reprinted with permission of Little, Brown and Company, NY. All rights reserved.