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Serves 8

Ingredients

2 cups chilled heavy cream
4 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
7 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped

6 ounces pistachios, toasted and chopped

Heat 3/4 cup cream in a 1-quart heavy saucepan until hot.

Whisk together egg yolks, sugar and a pinch of salt in a metal bowl until combined well, then add hot cream in a slow stream, whisking until combined.

Transfer mixture to saucepan and cook over moderately low heat, stirring constantly, until it registers 160°F on thermometer. Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and stir in vanilla.

Melt chocolate in a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a pan of simmering water (or in a glass bowl in a microwave at 50 percent power 3 to 5 minutes), stirring frequently. Whisk custard into chocolate until smooth, and then cool.

Beat remaining 1-1/4 cups cream in a bowl with an electric mixer until it just holds stiff peaks. Whisk one fourth of cream into chocolate custard to lighten, and then fold in remaining cream gently but thoroughly. Fold in pistachios.

Pour mousse into 8 individual ramekins and chill.