Chocolate mousse is usually made from a whole heck of a lot of heavy cream. For us, unless we’re going to great lengths to get raw, grass-fed (and expensive) cream, we’re just not planning on eating that much dairy if we can avoid it.
As you’re well aware, we’re not a vegan-only site — however we do embrace veganism as one of many fully legitimate healthy lifestyles. Whether you are fully vegan or are just looking to embrace a more plant-based lifestyle, recipes like this one for a vegan chocolate mousse pie make it so, so easy.
This easy-to-execute (and addictive) recipe for a classic winter dessert comes to us from Vegan Holiday Cooking— swipe it up if you find yourself perplexed about plant-based holiday treats — otherwise dive innnn….
This super easy chocolate mousse pie has got to be one of my absolute favorite desserts ever! It’s rich, chocolaty and silky smooth—three things I adore in desserts. The filling is undetectably dairy free and has been raved about by my non-vegan friends. The pie can be served fully chilled or frozen, but personally I prefer the smooth touch of a slightly chilled piece of this gorgeous pie.
Tofu, despite its bad reputation, can be extremely healthy for you and has many benefits. It’s high in protein, low in fat and has the perfect texture to achieve silky, creamy results in many plant-based desserts!
CHOCOLATE MOUSSE PIE
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients:
For the crust:
11⁄2 cups raw walnuts
11⁄2 cups dried figs, roughly chopped
For the filling:
12 oz silken tofu, drained
1⁄2 cup solid chilled full-fat coconut cream
5 oz 70% cacao dark vegan chocolate, melted
3 Tbsp pure maple syrup
3 Tbsp cacao powder
2 Tbsp almond butter
1⁄2 tsp pure vanilla extract
For the coconut whipped cream:
1 (14-oz) can full-fat coconut cream, refrigerated overnight
1 Tbsp pure maple syrup
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Directions:
Grease a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.
For the crust:
Place the walnuts in a food processor and pulse a few times, until they are crumbly. Add the figs and blend until the mixture is moist and chunky.
Transfer the crust mixture to the prepared tart pan. Use your fingers to spread it evenly across the bottom and sides of the pan.
For the filling:
Combine the tofu, coconut cream, chocolate, maple syrup, cacao powder, almond butter and vanilla in a high-speed blender and blend for 1 to 2 minutes, until the filling is completely smooth. Pour the filling into the tart pan and even out the top. Place the tart pan in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours, until the filling is set. After the filling has set, chill the pie overnight in the fridge for a silky smooth consistency or keep it in the freezer for a firmer texture.
For the coconut whipped cream:
Scoop only the solid portion of the chilled coconut cream into a small bowl. Add the maple syrup and vanilla and whip with an electric hand mixer until it is light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve the pie with a dollop of the coconut whipped cream on top.
Reprinted with permission from Vegan Holiday Cooking by Kirsten Kaminski, Page Street Publishing Co. 2019
