I absolutely love this healthy, sugar and gluten-free chocolate mousse.
Before you judge, trust me that it’s much better than it sounds. It’s main ingredient is not egg yolks or heavy cream, but tofu. I’m just going to throw this out there: Eric doesn’t care for tofu, but he loves this recipe.
Let’s face it. Valentine’s Day is a fattening holiday. While it’s fun to indulge in sweets today, maybe tomorrow you’ll be ready for something healthy. And since chocolate mousse is generally made with heavy cream, this recipe is one of the only ways someone with lactose intolerance can enjoy it. I do have a yummy recipe that only uses egg yolks and butter, but we’re going for healthy here.
I first tried this recipe from the book Muscle Chow by Gregg Avedon. It has a great selection of healthy recipes to guide you along your work-outs. The original recipe calls for chocolate protein powder to make a high-protein dessert. Since it’s tough to find dairy-free protein powder, I now make this with cocoa powder and melted chocolate. It’s also much sweeter this way.
The original recipe also calls for stevia, but that’s to keep it sugar-free. If you don’t mind the sugar, it will taste much sweeter and more decadent using white sugar. The choice is totally up to you. I recommend taste testing before refrigerating to achieve your desired sweetness…and chocolatey-ness.
- 1 package Extra Firm Silken Tofu, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons stevia or white sugar, plus two teaspoons, separated
- 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon cocoa power
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Vanilla soy milk, warmed
- 3 egg whites
- In a small bowl, melt the chocolate chips in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir, then continue heating in 10 second intervals and stirring until melted.
- In a blender, add melted chocolate, room temperature tofu, 2 tablespoons of stevia or white sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon of vanilla soy milk or water. Blend, scraping the sides and adding more warmed vanilla soy milk 1 tablespoon at a time until well combined. Consistency should be thick and creamy.
- Taste the tofu cream to check for desired sweetness, adding more cocoa powder and sugar to taste. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
- In a separate large bowl, whip the egg whites and two teaspoons of stevia (or sugar) with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Keep working at it until it's thick and white like a cloud.
- Gently mix the meringue into the tofu cream mixture until just combined. Divide the mousse into separate serving bowls and refrigerate for at least four hours. Serve with coconut cream, berries, or shaved chocolate and sprinkles.
