zobha (light)
Aquafaba Chocolate Mousse

Avocado mousse is great, but if you’re looking for the real, fluffy mousse consistency, look no further than aquafaba. Aquafaba is chickpea liquid that makes an excellent egg-white replacer, as it becomes very fluffy when blended, yielding a deliciously light dessert.

SERVES 4

5oz dairy-free dark chocolate, broken into small pieces

1 tbsp almond milk

1 cup aquafaba (liquid drained from 15oz can unsalted chickpeas)

4–8 drops monk fruit sweetener or 1 tbsp maple syrup (optional for extra sweetness)

¹⁄₂ tsp cinnamon (optional)

1 tsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar (optional for foaming)

toppings: grated chocolate, pomegranate arils, chopped pistachios

1 In a double boiler, melt the chocolate with the almond milk. (You can also place the chocolate and milk in a glass bowl set over a saucepan of boiling water.) Do not stir until the chocolate is completely melted. Once the chocolate has melted into the milk, whisk gently to combine. Transfer the chocolate mixture to a medium bowl to cool.

2 In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine aquafaba, sweetener, cinnamon, and lemon juice, if using. Note: the bowl and any utensils used must be completely free of grease for the aquafaba to whip properly.

3 Using a mixer with a whisk attachment, whip the mixture into stiff peaks. This will take about 8 minutes. Check to see if you have achieved stiff peaks by inverting the bowl. The aquafaba should not slide down at all.

4 If adding sweetener, continue whipping after you reach stiff peaks and add the sweetener drop by drop.

5 Check that the chocolate has cooled (it should not be warm to the touch). Using a silicone spatula, fold about one-third of the whipped aquafaba into the cooled chocolate, then gently fold this mixture back into the whipped aquafaba until fully combined. The mixture may deflate while folding.

6 Pour into 4 small bowls or glasses. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 3 hours or overnight. Top with grated chocolate, pomegranate, and pistachios.

Aquafaba Chocolate Mousse