Vegan Chocolate Mousse with Aquafaba

Vegan chocolate mousse with aquafaba is light, fluffy, and decadent.  This easy chocolate mousse recipe is made without eggs and dairy and is a swoon worthy vegan dessert for any occasion.  Serve it with a dollop of coconut whipped cream for an extra luscious treat.

Chocolate mousse is a dessert that has absolutely stolen my heart over the years.  The texture alone is enough to bring me to my knees, mix that with rich, dark chocolate and I am finished.  Mousse is traditionally made with egg whites and heavy cream, which is far from vegan or allergy-friendly.

When I was the head chef at Rivertown Inn it was my mission to ensure everyone could eat safely from my kitchen.  I often served chocolate mousse as a special treat at the end of our 3-course brunch.  But, I quickly realized that there were many people that were sensitive to dairy and eggs. After lots of research, and few failed attempts, I landed on this recipe which is made with my magical friend aquafaba.  This vegan chocolate mousse with aquafaba is dairy-free, egg-free, and allergy friendly.  Oh, and it still brings me to my knees, just like the regular version always did!

How to Make Vegan Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients and Substitutions

This egg and dairy-free chocolate mousse is made with 5 simple ingredients:

• Aquafaba:  The liquid leftover from a can of chickpeas or cooking water.  Aquafaba is a magical liquid that is used as a substitute for egg whites in this chocolate mousse recipe.  Make sure to use low or no-sodium chickpeas or your dessert will be too salty. One can of chickpeas generally contains ½ cup of aquafaba.  Don't get hung up on whether you have the exact amount, just use what you can get out of a 15-ounce can.  The liquid from cannellini beans can also be used.
• Dark Chocolate: you can use any chocolate you desire here, just be sure to read the ingredients if you need it to be allergy friendly.
• Organic Cane Sugar: Use any other granulated sugar as a substitute.  Liquid sweeteners will not work here as they will deflate the mousse.
• Cream of Tartar - This is used as a stabilizer for the aquafaba.
• Oat milk - This is used to thin the melted chocolate.  Substitute any non-dairy milk in its place.

Instructions

Melt the chocolate and oat milk in a microwave-safe bowl for one minute.  Remove and stir. You will likely be able to get all the chocolate to finish melting just by stirring it. If lumps remain, microwave in 15-second intervals, stirring in between, until completely melted. Set aside to cool. The chocolate should be about room temperature when you add it to the aquafaba meringue.

Add the aquafaba and cream of tartar to the bowl of a stand mixer.

Next, mix on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes until stiff peaks form. You’ll know you’ve achieved stiff peaks when you pull some of the aquafaba up and it does not fall over but stays upright. Very slowly add the sugar to the aquafaba and whip for another 2-3 minutes.

Once the chocolate has cooled enough, add a large dollop of the aquafaba meringue to the chocolate and lightly stir to combine. This will lighten the chocolate and make it easier to mix in to the rest of the meringue. Add the chocolate meringue mixture to the remaining meringue and very lightly fold together to combine. Scoop into serving glasses and chill at least 2 hours before enjoying!

Can I Make Chocolate Mousse Ahead of Time?

This mousse is best eaten the day it is made, but this vegan chocolate mousse can be made up to 2 days ahead of time.  The longer it sits, the less light and airy it will become.  Liquid from the recipe tends to fall to the bottom after a couple days, resulting in a watery mousse.