Chocolate Tofu Mousse

Chocolate Tofu Mousse is perfect for rounding out a sparse dinner menu or adding an elegant touch to a special meal. Unless you tell them, no one will even suspect the main ingredient.

Soft Tofu for Dessert

In case you were wondering, here’s the recipe for the Chocolate Tofu Mousse I piled into those cute little Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Cups last week. This is a great recipe I was first introduced to by a good friend several years ago. I often eat firm tofu but one day I mentioned that I had never found a way that I enjoyed eating soft tofu. Knowing a thing or two about my tastes, she claimed she had the perfect remedy and gave me a copy of her recipe for Chocolate Tofu Mousse.

It took me a while to try it. Sometimes I am slow to organize my thoughts around new ideas but, in the end, she was right. This recipe produces a delicious mousse that, even after I added a few extra ingredients, is easy to make. Rich in protein, vegan, potentially non-dairy, and relatively low in sugar and fat this dessert could almost pass as a nutritious main course though the taste is definitely that of a decadent special dessert.

While it still sounds a bit strange to me to eat tofu for dessert, the flavor of this mousse is fabulous in every way. In a taste test I would never identify the main substance of this dessert as tofu.

Sweet Confirmation

To prove my point I offered this “pudding” to my youngest son, the member of my household who is, by far, the most finicky eater. He liked it. Of course I then had to mention what it was made of and I don’t think he finished it or has tasted a bite of it since.

Further confirmation came when I discovered that Mark Bittman found a very similar Mexican Chocolate Tofu Pudding to be an impressive dessert. He dressed his up in the same way, adding the Mexican flavorings I find so appealing as an addition to chocolate.

With those recommendations I feel I can serve this mousse with confidence. It is a perfect dessert when I crave something chocolaty to round out a sparse dinner menu or when I want to share an elegant dessert with dinner guests.

Chocolate Tofu Mousse

Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Total time

15

minutes

This mousse is perfect for rounding out a sparse dinner menu or adding an elegant touch to a special meal.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon espresso powder

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder (I used ancho chili powder)

• 1/4 cup brown sugar

• 1/4 cup boiling water

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 1 package (12.3 ounces) of silken tofu (I used soft)

• 6 ounces good quality chocolate, melted

• whipped cream, for garnish

• chocolate shavings, for garnish

• a pinch of chili powder, for garnish

Directions

• In a microwave-safe measuring cup or bowl combine the espresso powder, cinnamon, chili powder and brown sugar. Add the boiling water and stir together until the sugar is fully dissolved. Stir in the vanilla.
• In a medium mixing bowl, combine the tofu and hot coffee spice mixture (warm it up in the microwave if it has become tepid) using a stick blender or other mixer. Continue blending until smooth.
• Whisk in the warm melted chocolate thoroughly until the mixture is smooth. (It will appear thin but that’s okay.)
• Divide the mousse among 4 to 6 small dishes, stemmed glassware or Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Cups. Chill until ready to serve.
• Just before serving, garnish with whipped cream, a dusting of chili powder and/or chocolate shavings, as desired.
• Enjoy!

Notes

• Recipe Source: with inspiration from Tofu for Two.
• The first time I made this recipe there were some fine lumps in the mousse. I think the cause was that the chocolate cooled too quickly when added to the tofu. Adding the hot liquid to the tofu first and then adding the chocolate while still nice and warm eliminated that problem.