To celebrate Her Majesty the Queen’s official birthday on Saturday June 12, we bring you a recipe originally shared by former royal chef, Darren McGrady, revealed as one of the Queen’s favourite desserts, made with dark chocolate and warming Drambuie. Prepare in advance for an easy dessert for guests…

Darren McGrady, who was the Queen’s personal chef in the 1990s, has commented on his inspiration behind the recipe. “It’s no secret that the Queen loves chocolate, and the darker chocolate the better. Here’s the most delicious chocolate mousse I made for the Queen, both at Balmoral and banquets at Buckingham Palace.”

Drambuie’s new 50cl bottle, RRP £18, will be available in supermarkets across the UK from May 2021.

Serves: 8
Preparation time: 20min (plus 3 hr chilling time)

1. Melt the chocolate in a large bowl, taking care not to overheat it.
2. Put the coffee in a small bowl and dissolve in the boiling water.
3. Whisk the egg yolks into the chocolate and then add the dissolved coffee and the whisky and mix well.
4. Whip the cream until stiff and peaks hold.
5. Whip the egg whites until stiff and the peaks hold.
6. Fold the cream with a metal spoon into the chocolate mixture followed by the whipped egg whites.
7. Keep folding until there are no white specks of cream or egg white and then pour into a decorative serving dish.
8. Put the mousse into the refrigerator for at least 3hr to allow the chocolate to set.
9. The top can now be decorated with rosettes of whipped cream, raspberries and chocolate curls for table presentation.
10. This mixture makes enough for about eight portions of dessert.