Chocolate mousse is one of my favorite indulgences. The airy, fluffy texture brings to mind clouds of dark chocolate bliss, floating around the heavens. This mousse recipe emphasizes the “dark” in “chocolate.”
Cocoa nibs, cocoa powder and melted, 70% dark chocolate yield a mousse that is any chocolate aficionado’s dream. A touch of coffee emphasizes the inherent, cocoa-forward savour of the dessert.
Where is the heavy cream, you ask? It’s been traded in for tofu. Yes, tofu. The soybean product has little taste and acts as an empty palate, embracing myriad flavors in the decadent mousse. Blandness can be a beautiful blessing. An added bonus: the end product is a dairy and lactose-free indulgence.
Tofu is often touted for its nutritional benefits. To be honest, I did not use tofu in this recipe because it is nutritious, low-fat and low-cholesterol. I was inspired (or coerced!) by this month’s alphabet blogging challenge, “T is for Tofu.” Of course, my noggin is consistently and firmly focused on:
All. Things. Chocolate.
The results of this experiment in soya curd chemistry is positively fabulous. Not surprisingly, tofu has been a staple in Asian countries for thousands of years. Clearly, I am a tad bit behind the eight ball!
A Greek yogurt topping is luscious and dreamy when sweetened with a touch of honey or stevia and flavored with almond extract and orange zest. Segmented oranges on top of the mousse echo the citrus notes in the orange-scented yogurt. Of course, feel free to use your imagination, and add your own favorite flavors and fun to the yogurt.
A refreshing handful of fresh berries balance out the dessert’s inherent richness and bring the sweet, deep notes of the chocolate to life. If berries aren’t in season, any number of winter and fall stone fruits would be delectable. Fresh, ripe eaches, plums or even persimmons would shine in the dish.
Crispy cocoa nibs, like cocoa powder, has recently been deemed a “Superfood.” Our family loves their intense, earthy chocolate flavor and resounding “crunch!”. They are delicious on oatmeal, yogurt – and mousse! Dark chocolate shavings or even granola would act as supreme toppings, as well.
On a side-note, this mousse is definitely fantastic after a long refrigeration period. I recommend preparing the mousse the night before and allowing it to chill overnight. The texture is perfect after about twelve hours of chilling. However, the finished product keeps for several days to a week in the refrigerator, so feel free to go nuts (or nibs!) and double the recipe to share with friends and family.
Please check out my amazing fellow bloggers who are also posting scrumptious recipes for tofu. They include Sofia in Barcelona at Papaya Pieces; Liz in Minnesota at Food for Fun and Amanda in NYC at What’s Cooking: Fine Dining My Way. I never miss a blog post from these amazing ladies; you shouldn’t either. And, do let me know if you are interested in joining our monthly, fantastic food blogging challenge.
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Dark Chocolate Mousse (Dairy-Free)
Loosely adapted from recipes at Cooking Light and Food Network
Ingredients:
1, 12.3 ounce extra-firm tofu, drained
1/2 cup best quality cocoa powder
1/2 cup superfine sugar, or a touch less or more, to taste
1/4 tsp. fine salt
1/4 cup strong-brewed coffee, cooled
1, 3 ounce 70% dark chocolate bar, chopped
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 egg whites, room temperature
Greek yogurt, flavored according to preference, to top mousse
raw cocoa nibs* and fresh fruit, to top mousse
Preparation:
- Press the tofu between two plates to remove any excess water.
- Purée the tofu, sugar and cocoa in a food processor until very smooth. Longer is better.
- Melt the chocolate in the microwave or over a double boiler.
- With the food processor motor running, slowly stream in the melted chocolate.
- On high-speed, whip the egg whites with a whisk or electric mixer until stiff peaks form.
- Add the chocolate-tofu mixture to the egg whites.
- Continue to whip until the mixture is airy and fluffy. Take your time and let the air in.
- Refrigerate all day or over-night.
- Serve the mousse topped with Greek yogurt, fresh fruit and a bounty of cocoa nibs.
- The hard part: devour, decimate and enjoy the guilt-free mousse!
*Sprinkle (or pour) the cocoa nibs on top at the last moment so they retain their intense crunch.
©Shanna Koenigsdorf Ward, shannaward.com (2013-2014), unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without expressed and written permission from this blog’s author, Shanna Koenigsdorf Ward, and/or owner is strictly and completely prohibited.
Curls and carrots 
The perfect Spring post!
Stéphane, Thank you for the lovely words. Have a wonderful spring day! Best, Shanna
Tofu?! I am reminded of the tofu food fights in my daughter’s college dorm cafeteria, but you have raised it to new levels of elegance.
Oh, my. I would like to hear the story there! Sounds like a pretty cool university. 🙂 I hope you try this recipe; you won’t regret it. Thank you for stopping by! -Shanna
Tofu Chocolate Mousse is a great way to add protein to your diet 😉
I bet you’ve got a good food processor. When I did the recipe for the Viva! photos back in February I used silken tofu but only a hand blender. It worked a treat but needed some serious whizzing. Yours looks glossy and very smooth – nice!
Great photos, Shanna, I especially like the one with the daffodils.
Since I’d like to stay with Kees a bit longer I’m not going to make this with tofu (check out the Pad Thai I just poted to find out what I mean…). I also make chocolate mousse without heavy cream, but my very simple (French classic) recipe only has chocolate, eggs, sugar, and water. My recipe would of course not comply with the “T for Tofu” challenge. Interesting technique to add the chocolate mixture to the whipped egg whites and to keep whipping, rather than folding in the egg whites. It sounds easier!
Hi, Stefan. I commented on your beautiful pad thai earlier and mentioned that avoiding divorce over soya curd is always a good move! 🙂 Thank you for your kind note, as well. The flowers were a gift that a lovely friend brought to a small dinner I hosted this weekend (which included pasta, of course!). You know, folding the egg whites carefully into the mousse would be technically correct. However, for some odd reason, the texture is better if the tofu mixture is also whipped after. Tofu is an enigma. Do share your mousse recipes; I bet they are divine. Have a great night, Stefan! – Shanna
You already read it:
http://stefangourmet.com/2013/10/08/chocolate-mousse-mousse-au-chocolat/
Of course I did, haha. It is about chocolate, no? What about your heavy cream version? 🙂
Mmmmmmm, che buono Shanna! Dark chocolate and sweet fruits… Perfect!
Thank you so much, Silva, for stopping by. Chocolate and fruit go so well together, no? Have a lovely night! Best, Shanna
Thank you. It’s very late and at last I’m going to bed. It’s late tonight cause we had guests for dinner. We had fun and spent a nice night.
I offered a dessert I’m sure your kids would love! And maybe you too! Within few days I’ll post picture and recipe.
Buona notte!
Shanna, OF COURSE you would have made a dessert with tofu! I really love tofu, but haven’t ever tried it with chocolate. Obviously I need to remedy that.
Michelle, Thank you. You never fail to bring a smile to my lips. I would love a full report on your adventures in soybeans and cocoa! 😉 Warmest regards, Shanna
Now I know what to do with tofu! You’re right, it’s bland. Although, I’ve found a couple of recipes recently where it’s cooked in a sort of crust. Now to find tofu. Seriously, none of the local stores carry it.
Liking these themes for all platforms. What do you make of it? I’m using one on Tumblr but haven’t made the change on WP as yet. I’m worried that my formatting might go askew!
Hi, Johnny. Thanks for the visit. I love oven-roasted, marinated tofu. Crispy, flavorful and addicting. I eat so much that the health benefits are compromised. The same goes for this mousse. I sure hope you can score some soy bean curd soon! 😉 Shoot me an email at shanna.ward@alumni.utexas.net with more details about your formatting notes. I would love to collaborate. Warm wishes to you! – Shanna
We’ve already had our chocolate and chocolate mousse discussion this week, so I’ll just add that this looks delicious. I don’t have to say, “enjoy,” because I already know you have. 😉
In my ridiculously huge stack of recipes pulled from magazines over the years, there is an old and battered recipe for chocolate mousse made with tofu that I have been meaning to make for, oh, ten years or so. And lo and behold, it’s from Cooking Light — wonder if it’s the same one that helped inspire you? At any rate, I’m happy to hear from a chocolate lover that this “tofu into mousse” thing actually works! I’ll be trying it soon and seeing if any of my friends can guess the secret ingredient! I’m sure it will go over much better than the butter bean brownies I once made. =)
Hi, Jess. Yes, this recipe is adapted from recipes at CL and TFN (the links are posted at the bottom, with the recipe). Thank you for stopping by and saying such wonderful things about the mousse and your experience, as well. I have made black bean brownies with success, but never butter beans. 🙂 Have a chocolate-covered weekend! – Shanna
what. amazing. photos. !!! I love this post and this recipe. And I totally have that same bag of cacao nibs in my kitchen as I write 🙂 Will make this sooner rather than later.
Thank you, Liz. Oh my gosh, the hubby is stealing the cocoa nibs! I am going to have to put them somewhere unsuspecting, like with the lentils and rice. 🙂 They really are nuggets of brown gold. Let me know what you think of the recipe, Tofu Maven. 😉 – Shanna
This is a completely new use of tofu for me, Shanna, though it makes perfect sense and sounds terrific. I’ve not tried fresh fruit with chocolate mousse either but seeing it atop yours sure does increase this dessert’s Wow Factor. This is another great post, beautifully photographed, Shanna.
Hi, John. Gosh, I love fruit paired with chocolate. The combination of bright and fresh with earthy and deep pleases the palate. I appreciate the visit and the warm, uplifting comment. Thank you! Happy Friday, Shanna
Hi Shanna…
I have to admit that I have never tasted tofu let alone incorporated it into a recipe. Your delicious looking dessert has inspired a change! When I return home from vacation, I must think about giving tofu a try! — Hope all is well with you and your beautiful bambinos!
Take care ~Linda
Hi, Linda, Seeing all of the delicious, chocolate recipes on your blog, I have a sneaking suspicion that you’ll enjoy this mousse. 🙂 Thank you for your wonderful note. Best, Shanna
Shanna that’s awesome, I couldn’t believe my eyes… tofu and chocolate! wow! thanks for sharing!
Let me know if try it! I appreciate your kind words. Best wishes, Shanna
I love tofu. In Korean, we call it “Doo-boo.” We have it almost every day in fact. It’s very filling too (good for diet purposes). 🙂
Ju-won, I love tofu, too, especially when roasted in a pan or in the oven. Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, soaking up any flavor you give to it. YUM. Thanks for the visit! Happy Friday, Shanna
Shanna, this is so creative of you! Tofu with chocolate in dessert, like WOW! I hope this helped with your cravings 😉 Hey its been a creative T session, I hope more people join in! xx
Thank you, Sofia. I have enjoyed our collaboration. Your post on tofu looked incredibly vibrant and flavorful. Have a wonderful Friday, Shanna xx
Lovely post Shanna! Tofu is indeed perfect in chocolate mousse. You just can’t go wrong with dark chocolate and fruit either. And the cacao nibs, I LOVE those, especially in steel cut oats with peanut butter. I feel a chocolate craving coming on….
Thank you, Gretchen. Your steel cut oats sound delicious, and I am gathering you have made tofu chocolate mousse before! 🙂 Have a great day, Shanna
That looks really incredible Shanna! Nice work! 🙂
Thank you, Isabel! 🙂 This is something you would like. You often make desserts that are healthful and indulgent, like your series on quinoa. That was a fun one! Best, Shanna
Yum, this looks insane, Shanna. By looks alone, I wouldn’t have known this was made with tofu instead of cream! The texture is so smooth and with the perfect thickness. Dairy-free is always good for this household. Lovely photos (I like the flowers, too). I am interested in following along with this monthly challenge you’re in (how did I miss it before?), but am scared of what the next challenge would be– “U for…?” Udon? Unagi? I don’t know what else starts with “u” (that’s what scares me). Seems fun, though!
Hi, Ngan, Though we spend entirely too much money on aged (generally sheep and goat) cheeses, there are some mild milk allergies and lactose-intolerance at Casa Curls and Carrots. Heavy cream and straight milk are two things the adults (sadly) can’t do. This is a lovely alternative. My husband swiped the remaining yesterday morning and ate the whole container on the way to the airport (along with a bunch of nibs). I am elated that you would like to join our monthly challenge. Please email me at shanna.ward@alumni.utexas.net, and I will keep you in the loop. Yes, “U” will be a doozy. Warmest wishes, Shanna
This looks so good!!! Celeste 🙂
Well, thank you, Celeste. To make this vegan, you can use flax or chia gel in place of the egg whites and whip them into decent peaks – or omit the egg whites all together. Have a lovely day, Shanna
I was frantically looking for the tofu, but then I realized it has been blended into the mousse. That bottle of Madagascar pure vanilla extract reminds me of the many trips I took to Madagascar to see the Lemurs, and forests, and farmers picking and drying organic vanilla pods…lovely memories. The mousse looks and sounds delicious. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for sharing your memories of Madagascar and for leaving such a sweet comment. I hope you try this mousse. 🙂 Best wishes, Shanna
Wow, what a delicious and practically guilt-free dessert! I’m used to eating tofu in various savory dishes, but never in a dessert. Thanks for sharing this recipe, Shanna!
Thank you, Ada. I think you’ll love this one! Have a fun Friday night. 🙂 Best, Shanna
So luscious and rich looking, but guilt-free dessert. Definitely a winner in my dessert list. 🙂 The combination of coffee and chocolate made this silky treat decadent and flavorful in my opinion. The Greek yogurt is absolutely perfect healthy topping instead of whipped cream. Mm…Great post, Shanna. I’ll send you a message about the challenge. I hope I am welcome if I decide to join. 🙂 Best wishes to you all. ❤
Thank you, Anna! Yes, we would love to have you in the monthly blogging challenge. How exciting! Warmest wishes, Shanna xx
Yay! Thank you, Shanna. How do you guys do it?
Your use of tofu in this dessert is brilliant Shanna! And what a great way to make something special for both vegan and non-vegan friends. Nice work on stepping up to the tofu challenge. You are a magician of food. I look forward to hearing what your next trick will be!
~ Melissa
Hi, Melissa. Your words are always so kind and generous. Thank you for bringing a smile to my face and light to my heart. Warmest wishes, Shanna
Ooh, i’m really impressed, my friend!Sorry for my absence, I’m in a mess of things to do for our new home..it’s already time to move! But…how about you? You’re feeling well?? This dessert is just perfect, chocolate and fruit…mmmh! I saved the recipe 😉
AAh..I made the granola bars!! so great! I’ve to make a post about it!! xoxo Cris
Thank you for your kind words, Cris. Have a lovely week, filled with both work and play. xx Shanna
That looks so beautiful and I love the touch of yellow flowers.
Aaah CHOCOLATE! And very healthy using tofu, and Greek yoghurt instead of cream, what a great idea 🙂 We love it.
Thank you, I&E! 🙂 I think you two will love this recipe. Is tofu easy to find where you are? Enjoy your Sunday. Best, Shanna