Blend the cottage cheese first. Spoon the cottage cheese into your blender or food processor. Blitz on high for about 30 seconds until it turns completely smooth — you're looking for a texture that resembles thick double cream, with no visible lumps or curds. Scrape down the sides once halfway through.

Add the dry ingredients. Tip in the cocoa powder, salt, and the chopped dark chocolate if you're using it. The cocoa powder will look dusty on top of the cheese, and that's perfectly fine. Give everything a quick pulse (three or four short bursts) to start incorporating the powder.

Pour in the wet ingredients. Add the maple syrup, vanilla extract, and milk. Blitz again on medium-high for 20 to 30 seconds. Watch the colour change from pale brown to a deep, rich chocolate shade — the mixture should look glossy and smooth, like a thick milkshake. If it seems too stiff, add another tablespoon of milk and blitz for 5 seconds.

Taste and adjust. Dip a clean spoon in and taste. The mousse should be deeply chocolatey with a gentle sweetness. If it tastes bitter, add another half tablespoon of maple syrup and blitz briefly. If it's not chocolatey enough, add another teaspoon of cocoa powder and pulse again.

Pour into serving dishes. Divide the mousse evenly among small ramekins, small glass jars, or even little teacups. The texture at this stage should be pourable but thick — it will flow slowly off a spoon and settle into a smooth, even surface in the dish.

Chill (or eat straight away). For a firmer, mousse-like texture, refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. After chilling, the surface will feel set to the touch, and a spoon will cut through it cleanly, leaving a smooth edge. If you can't wait, eat it immediately — it will be more like a thick chocolate pudding, and that's lovely too.