Dancing girls for dessert.

A LIFETIME OF having people over for dinner has taught me not to believe guests who say they don't want dessert. I know that the same people would feel deprived if they were not served something sweet after their meal of a roast, vegetables, and salad-and that, if coaxed a little, they will dig into their dessert with the best, and sometimes even come back for seconds. Poor ignorant sods, I say to myself don't they know that human nature has always required something sweet after a solid meal?

The truth is, desserts are here to stay. Woe to the cook who does not provide a sweet ending to a meal. If he or she can't spare the time and energy to make desserts, I suggest a chocolate bonbon and a little glass of sweet wine. The bonbon must be first class, however; if the money to buy first-class chocolates is not there, I would serve sliced oranges or, for a change of pace, frozen berries.

A clever friend of mine, a dessert-lover himself, once mused that desserts have long been linked with sex-if dancing girls cannot be provided at the end of a meal, a good dessert has to take their place. The reason Americans love dessert so much, he explained, is that dancing girls are not easy to come by in this country, and would not necessarily be welcome anyway at the end of a family meal, so we have become accustomed to dessert instead. (I have tried to imagine what guests would say if I brought out a cohort of dancing girls one evening instead of chocolate mousse, but even my fertile imagination balks at this.)

Another thing I have noticed is that far too many cooks underestimate the power of a good dessert to impress. Men especially are lovers of sweets, particularly when the dish is rich and preferably made with chocolate. And both men and women admire the cook who has put him- or herself out to make a grand finale to a dinner,

The best dessert is a rich, dark, sensuous chocolate mousse, which invariably pleases. Chocolate mousse also has the advantage that it must be made a day ahead to ripen properly. Another dessert that has made guests swoon in my house is meringues filled with whipped cream. I am not speaking of little dried-out confections, but of large, airy half-globes stuck together with loads of vanilla-flavored whipped cream. With nostalgia, I remember the Swiss meringues I enjoyed in the Emmenthal, in the Bernese Alps. The inn, which served wonderful food, was a large, comfortable country place that resembled its customers, stately men and women in their Sunday best. It was heart-warming to see these Swiss stalwarts spooning up their meringues after a fine dinner of veal roast, potatoes, and fresh vegetables. I still dream of those Emmenthal meringues, snowy-white inside, crunchy and off white outside, with whipped cream unlike any other whipped cream I have ever eaten.

Besides being good to eat, fancy desserts are fun to make. The recipe for my classic chocolate mousse follows -but remember that it must be made well ahead of time. En avant!

CLASSIC CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

4 ounces (4 squares) dark, unsweetened chocolate, such as Baker's

3/4 CUP sugar

1/4 cup water or coffee

5 eggs, separated

1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring or I tablespoon brandy, kirsch, or orange liqueur Melt the chocolate, sugar, and water or coffee together in the top of a double boiler over hot (not boiling) water. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Remove the double-boiler top from the bottom and cool the chocolate mixture. Stir in the flavoring. Beat the egg whites until very stiff. Fold them gently, but thoroughly, into the chocolate mixture.

Spoon into little white souffle dishes (the classic French way) or into a dessert bowl. Cover the mousse with plastic wrap or foil so that it will not absorb odors. Chill no less than 12 hours, but preferably 24 hours, in the refrigerator. Do not freeze. The consistency must be spongy, and only long chilling achieves this. Serve the mousse with a dollop of sweetened cream or sour cream, or with a sprinkling of salted chopped almonds. Makes 6 to 8 servings.