Cloud-light Chocolate Mousse (it is Vegan too)
Chocolate mousse is a much-loved dessert in Portuguese restaurants and homes alike. Over the years, I have made different several versions, ranging from the traditional egg-based recipe to lighter alternatives made with more unusual ingredients. This one I know make more often as I usually have the ingredients needed leftover from other recipes.
When I was growing up, chocolate mousse often came from a packet. All we had to do was mix the powder with water and whisk. Like many children of my generation, I have fond memories of those mousse mixes. They were undeniably sweet, perhaps a little artificial by today's standards, but they transformed a handful of simple ingredients into a much-anticipated dessert. This recipe takes a very different approach. Made with aquafaba and olive oil instead of eggs or cream, it produces a mousse that is remarkably light, airy and delicate. The texture is almost cloud-like, yet the flavour remains deeply chocolatey.
I personally prefer a slightly bitter chocolate flavour, which is why I use chocolate with a cocoa content of 70% or higher. However, the recipe works just as well with milder dark chocolate or even milk chocolate if that is more to your taste.
If you are sceptical about aquafaba, I encourage you to give this mousse a try. You may find yourself surprised by just how indulgent something so light can be!
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
1 x 100 gr chocolate tablet, preferably high-quality dark chocolate (the best you can afford as the taste of the mousse depends on it)
2 tablespoons of maple syrup (or less depending on your sweetness preferred and the type of chocolate used. If using milk chocolate, omit the extra maple syrup. An alternative is to use normal sugar
Optional: a pinch of salt
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil or butter, or a mix of the two (my favourite is 1 tablespoon of each, but I only make this version for non-vegan friends)
200 ml of aquafaba (the liquid that comes in the tins of chickpeas)
Optional: a pinch of cream of tartar will help your aquafaba to build soft peaks
Optional garnish: hazelnuts, raspberries, chocolate shards or just cocoa powder
Equipment
Small heatproof mixing bowl that can fit on top of the saucepan
Small saucepan
Spatula
Large mixing bowl
Electric Whisk
Large spoon
Individual serving bowls (the mousse is very light and tends to deflate if served from a family dish)
Method
Before you begin: The consistency of aquafaba can vary considerably from one tin or jar of chickpeas to another. For this recipe to work at its best, the liquid should be similar in consistency to fresh egg whites. If it seems too thin, I recommend following the optional Step 0 first. Otherwise go to Step 1.
0. If the liquid from the chickpeas is far too thin, pour it into a small saucepan over medium heat (setting 5 out of 9 in an induction or electric hob) and simmer until reduced to the consistency of fresh egg whites, but make sure you have 200 ml. Allow it to cool for 15-20 minutes.
1. To melt the chocolate, place the loosely broken chocolate, and butter and salt if using, in the heatproof bowl. Sit the bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water, ensuring the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Stir the chocolate regularly with a spatula to ensure it melts evenly. The chocolate should take about 10 minutes to melt completely. Remove it from the heat and allow it to cool slightly for a few minutes.
2. Meanwhile, pour the chickpea liquid and a pinch of the cream of tartar into the large mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer on its highest setting, whisk for about 10 minutes, or longer, until it resembles stiffly whipped egg whites. Don’t be tempted to stop before this stage.
3. Stir the olive oil, and maple syrup, into the melted chocolate, and mix well until fully incorporated. Using the spatula, gently incorporate the melted chocolate mixture, a little at a time, into the meringue, taking care not to lose too much volume. Continue until fully combined.
4. Spoon the mousse into individual pots. Refrigerate for a few hours. To serve, garnish with raspberries, or hazelnuts, and finish with a light dusting of cocoa powder.
Tips:
This mousse is at its lightest and most airy on the day it is made. It will keep for longer in the refrigerator, but the cloud-like texture gradually deflates after a few hours in the fridge.
If using sugar instead of maple syrup, add it to the aquafaba mixture and not the chocolate. At the end of Step 2, with the mixer still running, gradually add the sugar a teaspoon at a time to create a glossy meringue.
Have You Tried This Recipe? How did it go?
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