Vegan Chocolate Mousse

Traditionally a specialty of French and Belgian restaurants, mousse is a creamy dessert made from egg and cream, usually in combination with chocolate or pureed fruit. It wasn’t until the 1960s that the dish made its way into American and British restaurants. To achieve this dessert’s particular light, fluffy, yet extremely rich consistency, raw eggs whites are normally beaten before being mixed with the other ingredients. The resulting mixture is then chilled to maintain aeration. An inherently classy dish, mousse is often served in a wine glass or champagne flute, and can range in texture from fluffy to thick and creamy. No matter how it is served, though, mousse is unmistakably elegant and decadent while still being fairly light and refreshing.

Even for those who aren’t vegan or vegetarian, traditional chocolate mousse can create problems. Since it’s made with raw eggs, eating mousse that is prepared incorrectly or with the wrong ingredients can lead to salmonella poisoning. Most restaurants will use pasteurized eggs any time a recipe calls for raw eggs, and those cooking with raw eggs at home should be sure to do the same.

So, if egg is a crucial ingredient in mousse, what substitutions can be made to whip together a vegan chocolate mousse? And can the vegan counterpart even compare to the original? Or course! The first primary substitution is tofu, which will give your vegan chocolate mousse that fluffy and creamy texture. By combining tofu with sugar cane juice and vanilla and whirling in a food processor or blender, you’ll end up with a smooth and consistent mixture. The next substitution is, of course, vegan chocolate, which will melt every bit as well as milk chocolate, and which is often quite a bit healthier as well. When the cold tofu mixture is combined with the melted vegan chocolate and mixed thoroughly, the mixture will partially solidify, leaving you with a delicious vegan chocolate mousse that is perfect for adding a touch of class to the end of any gourmet vegan meal! Following is an easy and fun recipe for vegan chocolate mousse that is delicious and pretty healthy as well!