1. Chop the chocolate coarsely and add to a heatproof bowl. Place on a pot with simmering water – the water should not touch the bowl. Melt the chocolate and let cool down a bit. Mix the cocoa powder and hot water in a small bowl until you get a smooth paste. Add to the melted chocolate and mix in well.

 

2. Add the cold heavy cream and confectioners’ sugar to a bowl and whisk until stiff peaks form. As soon as the chocolate mix is not too warm anymore, add about 1/4 of the whipped cream and fold in. You don’t have to be very gentle here – you want the chocolate and whipped cream to be well mixed so the cream gets softer and lighter. Add another 1/4 of the whipped cream but now you fold it in gently. Try not to overwork the cream – the more you mix and the colder it gets the firmer it will be. Add a bit more whipped cream if you think it is still too compact.

 

3. To layer the trifles add about half of a brownie crumbled on the bottom of a glass, add a layer of chocolate mousse, then a layer of the whipped cream (the one you did not use yet). If you want to add some liquor to the trifle, add 1-2 teaspoons on top of the brownies before you add the mousse and whipped cream (optional). Repeat with the second half of the brownies (and optional the liquor), chocolate mousse and finish with whipped cream. Sprinkle with some brownie crumbles and chopped chocolate to decorate the trifles and refrigerate until you are ready to serve them.