With Valentine’s Day around the corner, there is nothing that says “I love you” or in this case, “I forgive you” more than this rich and creamy, light-as-a-feather, dairy-free chocolate mousse.
The Best Chocolate Mousse…Ever
There is nothing like rich and creamy, light-as-a-feather, dairy-free chocolate mousse to satisfy that chocolate craving. Okay, I realize that it is no longer dairy-free once the whipped cream is piled on, but if you really want to keep it dairy free, I have included a dairy-free coconut whipped cream option as well. My point is that dairy-free enthusiast need not miss out on chocolate mousse any longer. Can I get an amen and a hallelujah?
There are just some recipes so good that they are shared between best friends and prepared on every special occasion to commemorate the gift of friendship. “I Forgive You” Chocolate Mousse is one of those family recipes shared between friends. I have never found another recipe that I preferred more. This chocolate mousse will forever be one of my favorite family recipes…forever.
How I Forgive You Chocolate Mousse Got It’s Name
I love a good story, especially when the story is associated with one of my favorite desserts. I will not name names, but a certain man I am married to will never live this story down. You see, he didn’t always have the sophisticated palette that he possess now. He used to eat to fill his stomach or in this case, to load himself up with caffeine before a long trip. I absolve myself of any responsibility in the following travesty as I did not train him this way. Neither did his mother. All I can say is it must have been a severe lapse of judgement on his part due to the very early departure or the immense distress of having to say goodbye to such dear friends that put, said husband, in such a greedy, gluttonous state.
Chocolate Mousse is not an every day treat
My best friend makes this chocolate mousse for us when we go to her house because she knows it is our favorite. It is one of hers as well. Although it is easy to prepare, there are a few steps. By no means is this an everyday treat. As a fellow woman and chocoholic, the following thought process of my dear friend is completely normal and justifiable. Although the traumatic reliving of the event is a little on the dramatic side. Yes, now she is going to have to forgive me. LOL!
Chocolate Mousse helps alleviate distress
Because this is a special recipe, it is often doubled to assure oneself that there will be extra servings of chocolate mousse for a next day splurge, especially when hosting a family of eight the night before. It is a lot of work hosting a large family for several days. After taking such time and effort to prepare our favorite dessert, my friend deserved to have a treat to help her poor nerves settle our departure. We were set to leave her home at 3 am and drive back down south. Said husband, got up at 2 am and went down to the basement refrigerator and polished-off two servings of chocolate mousse without a breath. His argument was that he needed the caffeine to stay awake for the 12 hour journey.
The “Precious” lost
Upon rising in the morning, my dear friend went down to her refrigerator to count her “precious” only to find there were now only two left instead of four. Her entire family was interrogated for hours over who stole the chocolate mousse. None would confess. For sure it could not have been any of us. We would never have taken advantage of a dear friendship who had housed and fed us for several days.
Chocolate Mousse Confession
And then, said husband, confessed. It was not so much that he had eaten them, although one might have been justifiable, but two? But the fact that he only nailed them for the caffeine was a literal slam to my foodie friend who obviously treasures every last chocolaty morsel. She even uses a spatula spoon to get any trace left in the dessert dish. This was unforgivable! He was raked over the coals for his ignorance. Then he was raked over the coals by me for my embarrassment.
If you need caffeine, get a soda or a coffee along the way. Clearly, said husband, was not in his right mind…or maybe he was. He and, said bestie, have this very interesting brother/sister banter that goes back and forth between them. He probably felt she deserved it after she had baked a mushroom into his favorite cake or spiked his water glass with salt when she passed by his glass. Although toilet papering her entire locked bedroom was kind of up there. We have been friends for over 20 years, for which there are several stories, said friend’s, innocent husband and I have had to endure.
Warning, If Lost or Stolen, May Cause Chocolate Trauma
She did forgive him…but has never forgotten. Now every time we have chocolate mousse, said friend, says, “I forgive you,” and then precedes to tell the unfortunate story working herself into a frenzy all over again. Is is possible to store trauma in the body over chocolate mousse? Maybe. It is that good!
The Recipe
I Forgive You Chocolate Mousse
With Valentine's Day around the corner, there is nothing that says "I love you" or in this case, "I forgive you" more than this rich and creamy, dairy-free chocolate mousse. Light-as-a feather and easy to make, it will be a favorite of yours for all your special occassions too.
Ingredients
- 6 oz bittersweet chocolate baking bars. (I use Guittard 70% bittersweet chocolate baking bars).
- 3/4 cup or 1/2 (13.5 oz can) of coconut milk or cream
- 2 T unsweetened dutch-process cocoa powder. (I use Guittard Cocoa Rouge dutch-process cocoa powder.)
- 2 T Grand Marnier liqueur
- 4 large organic eggs
- 1/4 cup Sucanant sugar or other natural sugar
- Topped with coconut whipped cream (recipe follows)
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream ( or all coconut cream if doing dairy free). See note below.
- 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut cream
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- There are several parts to this recipe. I like to kill two birds with one stone, so I set up a makeshift double boiler using a 4-4 1/2 qt pot filled with 2 cups simmering water.
- In a separate medium-sized bowl, combine the chocolate chips, coconut milk/cream, and cocoa powder and set over the simmering double boiler until melted. When melted, remove from the heat and set aside. Stir in your liqueur (if using).
- In a kitchen-aide mixer bowl, combine the eggs and sugar and whisk togehter. Place over the simmering double boiler and whisk until hot to the touch (about 160° on an instant read thermometer). Make sure you scrape down the sides continually to prevent burning or forming scrambled eggs. The point of this is to dissolve the sugar.
- Remove from heat and attach bowl to the Kitchen-aide mixer. Using the whisk attachment, whip until mixture resembles whipped cream (approximately 5 minutes).
- Gently fold in the egg and sugar mixture into the melted chocolate 1/4 at a time until no streaks remain.
- Pour the mousse into 8 serving size glass bowls or ramekins and refreigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
- Before serving, top with coconut whipped cream, and garnish with fresh berries, a sprig of mint and a dusting of cocoa powder.
- To prepare coconut whipped cream: Pour heavy whipping cream, coconut cream, vanilla, and sugar into your standing mixer and whip on high speed with the whisk attachment until stiff peaks form (approximately 5 minutes). See note below for dairy-free version of the coconut whipped cream.
Notes
If making a dairy free version of the coconut whipped cream, Place a can of coconut cream (I use Nature's Greatest Foods Organic Coconut Cream) in the freezer to separate the liquid from the solid. After it has chilled overnight, scoop out the solid cream into a food processor. Add 1/2 tsp of vanilla and 1/4 cup natural sugar and process until whipped and light. Do not mix the solid with the water in the coconut cream. Otherwise, the cream will not be thick enough to whip properly.
Shop this Post
Natures Greatest Foods Organic Coconut Cream
Pin for Later
In everything you do -eat, play, and, love- may it always be Seasoned with Joy!
This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Unless stated otherwise, I will only recommend products I personally enJOY. See my full disclosure here.