Do you like mousse au chocolat ?

I was never a big fan of chocolate mousse, except for the one my auntie "Mine" would make for us each time we were visiting her. She always said her secret ingredient was super good dark chocolate and a hint of coffee...and probably also a massive use of butter and eggs :)

When I discovered aquafaba - aka chickpeas cooking water - I set to myself the challenge to make a chocolate mousse as good as my childhood memory one... but without the overindulging fats :)

Some people are still afraid of using chickpea water.... weird, don't you think, when you eat raw egg whites in a chocolate mousse or raw egg yolk in a mayo ? As you know chickpeas are rich in protein, and some of it can be found in the cooking water. So aquafaba is a mix of protein and water, like egg whites, and works like magic to give you the fluffiest 'vegan egg whites' to make the best chocolate mousse :) And taste wise it definitely doesn't taste like chickpeas (like your regular choc mousse doesn't taste like eggs :))

If you are ready, then try this super super easy recipe and you won't regret it.

VEGAN, GF, NF, AND DAM DELICIOUS !!!

INGREDIENTS

1. 240 ml aquafaba ideally home cooked but if not, use canned chickpeas water ensuring it's low sodium ones

2. 70% cacao vegan chocolate

3. 1 tbsp lemon juice

4. 1 tsp coffee extract

5. 2 tbsp unsweetened almond milk

6. 20 grs sugar (this one is up to you, but kids would prefer with it :)

7. Raw cacao nibs, grilled crushed nuts, pomegranate, grated coconut..... to top when serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Put your chocolate broken in pieces in a bowl and add 2 tbsp almond milk and your coffee extract. Put the bowl in a larger pan with heated water and melt your chocolate "au bain marie" stirring regularly. Once melted set aside to cool down.

2. Put your aquafaba in your kitchen mixer, with the whisk equipment, add the lemon juice and whip until it does not move at all (like for egg whites). It should be ok after 5/7 min.

3. Add the sugar gradually and continue whipping until you get again the perfect peak.

4. Gently fold bit by bit the cooled down melted chocolate with a spatula.

5. Pour your mousse in individual glass containers or a big bowl. Cover with cling wrap or a lid if you use glass containers like WEK glasses.

6. Leave to set in the fridge for at least 5 hours but ideally overnight.

7. Enjoy, topped with whatever you feel like and tell me what you think !

Nb: Can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days, so a good dessert to prepare ahead for a diner :)

Nb2: ensure your whisk and whisking bowls are super clean, as aquafaba is super easy to whip, except if there are grease traces on your equipment :)