When Craving Meets Creativity- the Chocolate Mousse Berry Tartlet
by Amanda • July 13, 2012 • Desserts & Treats, Plant-based (Vegan) • 21 Comments
Introducing: the Chocolate Mousse Berry Tartlet
Today I wanted a treat. Something different. Fun. Chocolate. Satisfying.
The hunt began. I perused the vegan cookbooks, turning straight to the dessert section only to find myself disappointed with my options. I didn’t want carrot cake. Or bean cookies. And why are so many desserts made with beans?!? I was feeling disgruntled- beans and baking are a new concept to me, the shell-shocked vegan (still just shy of 7 weeks in, so much to learn!)
Then I found it. The recipe that made me smile with delight. New hope took over and cooking began. Out came the food processor. Out came the ingredients for the mousse. Then the crust. And I thought: “Why is this going so smoothly? It is far too easy to be a good vegan dessert. It will be a flop. Or worse, a double flop.”
In rolls the realization that my bananas, the ones that refuse to ever be anything but green, were not just hard and impossible to peel but also an important ingredient on the list. Then comes creativity- a berry sauce. And from the Engine 2 Diet Icebox cake comes the Chocolate Mousse Berry Tartlet.
My cute babysitter, who is a great sport and very brave to try new things in the kitchen, ate hers happily. Her comment: “Thank you for not telling me it was tofu until after I ate it!” Funny the prejudices we develop- now she knows- she ate tofu, AND SHE LIVED.
My husband ate his first spoonful and gleefully said, “Mmmmm.” Once again, I broke the news that it was made with tofu. His reply, “It’s nice to know that things can taste so good and be made with healthy ingredients.” Say what? Did that really just come out of his mouth?
So there you have it- this tasty treat is non-vegan approved.
Twice.
Sweet.
Literally.
Chocolate Mousse
(Courtesy of Engine 2 Diet)
1 pkg tofu
2 Tbl cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 c maple syrup
Blend all ingredients until smooth. Refrigerate until chilled.
Crust
1 c dates
1/2 c almonds
1/2 c walnuts
1 tsp vanilla
Blend in food processor. Refrigerate. Flatten on a dish. Use a round cookie cutter (or a random plastic thing found in the kitchen drawer if you have no clue where the cookie cutters went like me) to cut out circles. Pipe mousse onto circles. Add sauce- see below:
Berry Sauce- Option 1 (not pictured but it was yummy)
1-2 cups frozen mixed berries- blackberries, blueberries and raspberries
Agave nectar to taste
Pumpkin pie seasoning to taste
Heat ingredients in small saucepan over medium until heated through. Scoop/pour onto plate (not directly onto mousse as it will melt.
Berry Sauce- Option 2 (shown)
1 c. fresh raspberries
Puree raspberries. Drizzle over tartlets. Add whole berries as garnish. I didn’t add sweetener this round and they were just perfect.
Wow. I’ll bet it was non-vegan approved. They’d be nutty not to like that! Well done!
Oh-so-delicious. It was a hit all around, for the grown-ups at least. It never did make it down the ranks of kiddos. We’ll need to do another batch for them, I don’t think they’ll protest.
The crust looks great
It was. Rip pulls through again. And it was EASY! I like easy and tasty in the same recipe, a good combo.
These look delicious. I’m making my own version on Sunday!
Thanks for the inspiration.
Awesome! I want to know what you do different!
And here is the result: Berry Banana Mousse Tartlet. I’m tempted to have a week of these, all different flavors. Thanks again!
Be still my heart- bananas and blueberries! I love the banana addition to the mousse, I will definitely need to give this a whirl. And blueberries *happy sigh* I grew up picking them every summer in Michigan where they are big, juicy, sweet and beautiful. Love!
http://heebavore.wordpress.com/2012/07/16/berry-banana-mousse-tartlet/
Yay! I need to try that mousse, It looks easier than the last one I made! I think you are handling veganism pretty rockingly dude!
Oh, and I hate the bountiful basket bananas that NEVER EVER ripen and if you can manage to peel them, they are a bitter chalky mess. Such a waste.
Soooo easy. Dumb bananas.
perhaps, but you get a million extra points for presentation! Thanks again for the flowers and treats yesterday. Xoxo
Thanks for sharing this with me! It was awesome! And who knew, but it was an early birthday treat! And it’s totally vegan approved, too. I realized after leaving yesterday that I was being bossy, so sorry. Just shut me up next time. I think you’re marvelous.
But of course, my friend. You deserved it. Funny, bossy never crossed my mind.
And right back atcha.
Did you use a vacuum packed or refrigerated water packed tofu? I am making this TODAY!! Yay for a healthy mousse!!
Water packed
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I am going to try this mousse today. I have been trying to find a good pudding that Andrew likes. I made Chef AJ’s chocolate avocado pudding for him. It looked silky and delicious he would take a few bites and stop and say “it looks so good, but it doesn’t taste good, but it looks so good I keep thinking it has to taste good.” It was funny and sad.
Wow, does this mousse look good! Great post! Thanks!
This looks gorgeous! ♥
YUMMY!
Congrats on being 7 weeks Vegan, that is so awesome and even better that you are sharing witih those close to you how awesome vegan food is