Chocolate Mousse Pie

This recipe was inspired by a great dish on VegFamily called Amazing Chocolate Mousse Pie. To be perfectly honest, I didn’t bother changing anything in the filling because it was perfect just the way it was. The crust, however, was problematic for me. I still find it difficult to add dextrose directly to a recipe while trying to call it healthy. I thought we were trying to avoid that stuff, right? So I experimented using dates and agave nectar instead with mixed results. The crust wasn’t moist enough with my first experiment. While tasty, the crust was more of a “crumble”. The second attempt, I mixed the dates longer in the food processor to make a paste before adding the crackers. I also added water. That worked much better, but I still wouldn’t say it’s the perfect graham crucker crust. If you have a favorite graham cracker crust recipe that approaches healthy, let me know. I’m still on the hunt.

Alas, I was never able to find graham crackers without honey either so while still healthier than traditional mousse pies made with heavy cream and sugar – this one isn’t vegan either. I went to multiple stores including two natural grocers. Someone tell me where to find graham crackers without honey in Denver!

What  you need

Graham Cracker Crust

• 1 cup dates
• 1/2 package graham crackers
• 1 Tbsp agave nectar
• 1/4 cup water

Filling

• 1 package semi-sweet vegan chocolate chips
• 1 package firm silken tofu (the boxed kind)
• 1/4 cup Kahlua (I used cheaper Kamora and didn’t sacrifice on flavor)
• 2 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla

How to make it

We’re going to start with the crust ,so you have something into which you can pour the filling. Preheat oven to 375. Place dates in a food processor and blend until a thick paste. Add graham crackers and process until crumbled. Add agave nectar and water until mixture sticks together.

Lightly spray a 9 inch pie pan or similar size rectangular baking dish. Press the crust into dish and bake for 8-10 minutes, then cool while preparing the filling.

Start your filling by melting the chocolate chips. I don’t have a lot of fancy kitchen equipment like a double broiler. If you do, go for it. If you don’t, just use two medium saucepans on top of each other. Put a couple cups of water in the bottom saucepan over medium-low heat. Place the second saucepan over the first and add your chocolate chips to it. Stir frequently until completely melted.

Meanwhile, add the rest of the filling ingredients to a food processor.When chips are melted, add them to the food processor and blend all ingredients well.

Pour filling into prepared crust. Cover with saran wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. This one can easily be made the night before.

My family and friends were delighted with this dish. Most agreed that the filling resembled a smooth and creamy fudge – sufficiently decadent to be satisfied with just a few bites.

Tags: non-dairy