Mar 27, 2019

Espresso Dark Chocolate Mousse with Coconut Whipped Cream

By Ruth Elnekave, CNP, and Sophie Bourdon

Yield: 6 servings

Vegan, Gluten-free, Refined Sugar-free, Dairy-free

espresso vegan mousse viewed from the side in a clear glass

Any homemade hummus fans out there? Yeah, us too! And we’ve got good news for you — you can put the liquid drained from a can of chickpeas to good use. Known as aquafaba, this starchy liquid is a fan-favourite in vegan desserts. When blended, it transforms into a dreamy light fluff that can be used to make marshmallows, meringues, icings, plus a variety of other baked goods.

For this recipe, we’re blitzing aquafaba into a dark chocolate mousse. This light and creamy vegan mousse is a chocolate lover’s dream. We like to use Joya’s single-origin bean to bar Dark Chocolate and enhance it with espresso powder to give this mousse a rich, chocolatey flavour. And while garnishes are often optional, we highly encourage that you top this mousse with coconut whipped cream. Get ready for the lightest and creamiest whipped dessert imaginable.

Ingredients

Mousse 

  • 6 oz / 170 g JOYÀ Functional Chocolate, chopped
  • 1 tbsp coconut sugar 1 ½ tsp espresso powder (or instant coffee)
  • ½ tsp pure vanilla extract 1 cup aquafaba, room temperature*

Whipped Cream 

  • One 14 oz can full fat coconut milk**
  • ½ tsp pure vanilla extract (optional but fabulous!)
  • 2-3 tsp maple syrup or organic cane sugar (optional)

* Aquafaba is the liquid drained from a can of chickpeas. 

** Refrigerated for at least 8 hours.

vegan espresso mousse in a glass with chopped chocolate and two spoons

(All photos by Sophie Bourdon)

Instructions

Mousse

  1. Melt dark chocolate over a double boiler (or a stainless steel bowl placed over a pot of simmering water), stirring continuously. Add sugar, espresso powder and vanilla and stir to combine. Once smooth and runny, remove from heat.
  2. Add aquafaba to a large mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on high speed until firm and glossy. This will take 5-15 minutes depending on the aquafaba and mixer. The fluff should stay in place when you flip the bowl upside down.
  3. Pour the slightly cooled melted chocolate into the fluff and continue to whip with the mixer to combine. It may appear as if the meringue deflates slightly but not to worry — the mousse will set into a wonderful consistency! If the melted chocolate is no longer readily pourable, rewarm very briefly just until pourable.
  4. Spoon mousse evenly into 6 glasses and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours. 

Whipped Cream

  1. Chill can of coconut milk in the fridge overnight, or longer (at least 8 hours). Do not shake the can.
  2. Just before you are ready to make your whipped cream, chill a large and deep mixing bowl in the fridge or freezer for 5-10 minutes.
  3. Remove the can from the fridge and without shaking, remove the lid. Scoop only the thick cream from the top of the can into the chilled bowl (making sure not to scoop out any of the liquid) and pour the remaining liquid into a container or jar (this can be used for smoothies, baking or cooking).
  4. Beat cream with a hand or stand mixer until creamy and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. If using vanilla and/or sweetener, add and continue to beat for another 30 seconds. Taste and adjust vanilla and sweetener as desired.

Serving

  1. Garnish mousse with whipped cream and shaved dark chocolate, raw cacao nibs or berries and enjoy!

Notes: The whipped cream will last well for about a week in a sealed container in the refrigerator. As it will firm up slightly, simply transfer to a bowl and re-whip prior to using. This vegan whipped cream can be used like dairy whipped cream — it’s a delicious topping for ice cream, hot chocolate, mousse, fruit crumble or pie, cake, pancakes or waffles or even to take a bowl of berries to the next level!

Ruth Elnekave, Founder and CEO of JOYÀ
by Ruth Elnekave, CNP

Ruth Elnekave is a Toronto-based chef, holistic nutritionist, culinary instructor, recovering corporate lawyer and founder of JOYÀ. Her projects are fuelled by one main goal: to spread the pure joy and wellbeing experienced when sharing and savouring delicious, real food.

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A young woman, Sophie Bourdon, sits outside in a black tea shirt in a garden.
by Sophie Bourdon

Sophie Bourdon is a health and wellness entrepreneur based in Montreal, Canada. She is the holistic nutritionist and founder behind The Green Life, an online journal, shop and natural skincare and self-care line. Sophie believes in a holistic approach to wellness that uses the power of plants to promote nourishment and vibrancy on every level - skin, body and soul.

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