Dark Chocolate Mousse (Dairy-Free!)

Dairy Free Dark Chocolate Mousse

My chocolate cravings are insatiable. I have a hard time keeping them at bay so I must have healthy chocolate options available at all times. At home I keep raw cacao powder and honey on hand to whip up a quick chocolate sauce and I try to have a dark chocolate bar stashed in my purse for emergencies. You never know when you’ll get stuck on an airport runway for two hours. Chocolate helps during these frustrating times.

Sweet potatoes have become one of my staple breakfast items. Back when I began my days with a heaping bowl of oatmeal, I often added cacao powder to get my chocolate fix. So of course I experimented with cacao in sweet potatoes and created the most amazing chocolate mousse ever! Ever. I’m obsessed with it and eat it several times a week now. The sweet potato’s texture is perfectly creamy, reminding me of the dairy version I used to love.

I know raw cacao powder is not something most people have stocked in their pantry. If you want the full nutritional benefits in this recipe though then it’s worth the investment. You could use cocoa powder as a substitution and the taste will be just as rich. What you’re missing out on is the abundance of antioxidants, fiber content and higher amounts of calcium, sulfur, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, zinc and copper.

Cocoa powder undergoes a higher heat process than cacao powder, which decreases it’s nutritional profile.

So don’t feel guilty when you dive into this delicious chocolate mousse. It’s full of nourishing ingredients!

Dairy Free Dark Chocolate Mousse

Dairy Free Dark Chocolate Mousse

Makes 4 servings.

2 cups sweet potato – cooked and mashed
1 tbsp coconut oil – melted
1 tbsp raw cocoa butter – melted
1 tbsp raw honey
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup full-fat unsweetened coconut milk – I use the canned Native Forest brand.
2 tbsp + 1 tsp raw cacao powder – Navitas Naturals has the best quality.

►In a large bowl, mash together all ingredients except the cacao powder. Once well combined, fold in the cacao powder.
►Transfer to a food processor and blend for 3 minutes until smooth.
►Pour into individual dishes and pop into the fridge for 2 hours. Take out 10 minutes before serving and give it a good stir. You want it to have that whipped consistency.
►For a frozen treat, pop this into the freezer for a few hours!

Resource: 
http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/cacao-vs-cocoa-what-you-need-to-know/

Egg Custard with Fresh Plum Sauce

Egg Custard with Fresh Plum Sauce

When I was 11 I made creme brûlée for the first time. It was my absolute favorite dessert and I wanted to prepare it exactly as they did in restaurants. Caramelized sugar and all. As the custard baked, the entire house filled with its sweet aroma.  I proudly served the beautiful creme brûlée to each family member. Then they took their first bite. Silence fell over the room. Yuck! My heart sank. I had switched the salt and sugar proportions. Oops!

My family will never let me live this down. It has become one of our many inside jokes and is now impossible to enjoy creme brûlée without that memory. So here I am, 18 years later, still trying to redeem myself.

Egg Custard with Fresh Plum Sauce

Egg Custard with Fresh Plum Sauce

Makes 3 servings.

Custard:
3 eggs
pinch of Himalayan salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp raw honey
1/2 cup warm water
1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
cheesecloth

Fresh Plum Sauce:
3 fresh plums, skins removed
dash of cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla

►Preheat the oven to 350°F.

►In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and add the salt. Mix the warm water and honey together in a small bowl until the honey is fully dissolved.

►The next part is important! You’ll want to incorporate the eggs and the honey water slowly, or you’ll end up with lumpy eggs. Gross. So add a tablespoon of honey water to the eggs and quickly beat together. Continue this process twice more and then add all of the honey water to the eggs.

►Arrange three ramekins on a baking sheet. Coat each with melted coconut oil. Strain the egg mix through cheesecloth then evenly divide between the dishes. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the custard is just solidified. Check this with a toothpick.

►For the plum sauce, peel and remove the plum skins. Blend plums, cinnamon and vanilla in a food processor for two minutes until liquified.

►Once the custard has cooled, top with fresh plum sauce and serve.