Add to: Recipe Box | Grocery List | Meal PlannerRecipe submitted by Jeff Mackler
jmackler@student.umass.eduChocolate Tofu MousseIngredients (use vegan versions): 1 package of silken tofu (16oz)
10 oz chocolate chips (preferably barley sweetened)
3 tablespoons maple syrup
fruit (strawberries, kiwi, etc...)
optional: vegan graham cracker crust
Directions:Blend tofu in food processor (or blender) just until smooth. Melt chips over double boiler. Add maple syrup to melted chocolate and combine. Put chocolate & syrup blend into processor and mix with tofu until creamy. Optional: put into a graham cracker crust. Chill. Top with fruit.
Serves: 6
Preparation time: 10 minutes
This sounds great. I think I will add a little vanilla. I'll let you know how it turns out!
Archived comment by: gina
I am not a huge fan of tofu (must be an acquired taste) but I was so elated by the results! I added strawberries but no crust--I thought it would detract from the taste. Simply decadent...rich and thick.
Archived comment by: ariel
this was wonderful! i made it for my mother yesterday, on mothers day, and she loved it! ive been trying to convince her to eat something that i made (she isn't too kean on my veganism) and i has her believing that i made a non-vegan dish for her. she was surprised and i think that she will be much more open minded. (this was also great cos im a total idiot in the kitchen....)
Archived comment by: corny
This is an excellent recipe! I find that it is better to add the maple syrup to the tofu, rather than the chocolate, as that makes the chocolate harder to mix in. Also, the ammount of chocolate can be varied greatly for a richer or lighter dessert.
Archived comment by: erin
This is just Fabulous! Delicious! Anyway, sometimes I try new variations such as using white chocolate instead of dark chocolate, or putting the fruit directly into the mixture to make a less rich, but just as tasty dessert. - Genevieve
Archived comment by: danny
Sounds good. Is it possible do similar things to tofu without a food processor? Fork etc.
?
Archived comment by: heike
I tried once with a fork [and my hands:-)] and it is about impossible to eliminate the grainyness :-(
Archived comment by: lucas
The choc. tofu mousse went down very well as a Christmas dessert. We DID add the vanilla, and like it that way. We also tried it out as an icing substitute on a cake, and it was fine.
Archived comment by: david
Adding the chocolate to the tofu made for better mixing. It was fabulous as a party desert for non-veggies joining us. They wouldn't believe it had no eggs. Thanks.
Archived comment by: maggie
Be sure you are using SILKEN tofu - those people who worried about graininess were probably using regular style tofu. You can get lovely, creamy results using just a hand mixer with silken tofu - it has a smooth consistency like custard. Never tried a fork or fingers, but it could work.
Archived comment by: a.
I was wondering what silken tofu or soft tofu is. I have never seen it in any store. Where can you buy it? I live in Amsterdam, Holland, perhaps it is just not available here. If someone can tell me where to buy that I would be most greatful.
Archived comment by: kyoko
Yummy! I made it with fork+hand instead of a blender. After mixing the choco in there were small white tofu bits in it , but theu couldnīt been tasted and I couldn`t feel them in mouth! I`ll only leave maple syryp out next time, it was just a bit too sweet.
Archived comment by: tiina
This was really delicious! My dairy-loving family gobbled the stuff up! I went with a graham cracker crust and made some raspberry sauce to put on top...mmmmmmmm! I'm thinking I may try a chocolate-peanut butter version in the future if I ever have cravings for my now off-limits favorite candy, Reeses PB cups. Hey, maybe I could make a crust with chocolate Frookwiches?
Archived comment by: krista
This was absolutely wonderful!! Is there a Silken Tofu that is 16 oz.? I used the 12.3 oz. and it worked fine. Also used 1 tsp. vanilla. Perfect for non-vegan guests, they'll never have a clue. Very fancy also!
Archived comment by: sandy
just made this with a fork and it was kinda grainy even with the silken tofu. probably from a combination of the chocolate cooling too fast and the need for a real blender. besides the grit and looking like poop, it tasted great. when i get a real kitchen ill retry it (currently im in a college dorm).
Archived comment by: jason
Did I do something wrong? I just made it and it tasted like raw tofu. The flavors didn't seem to blend together at all.
Archived comment by: patricia
finally got me a blender! this time i tried it with white chocolate and no syrup. its really nice, though a little too sweet. a friend suggested throwing in oreo cookies. anyone else try this? hmmm maybe next time.
Archived comment by: jason
This recipe was wonderful. I have to admit I was a bit skeptical at first, but I really liked it. I left out the maple syrup. I also put the Mousse into custard cups in the freezer for about 45 minutes before putting them in the frig. This will definitely become one of my regular recipes.
Archived comment by: cristy
Hey Kyoko! I don't know if they sell silkened tofu in Amsterdam but its called KINU DOUFU in Japanese. Its the soft tofu, not the hard one. Hey isn't Kyoko a Japanese name?
Archived comment by: nami
Great Recipe!! I didn't have any cocoa powder so I used slim fast. I couldnt believe it, buy it worked very well. My whole carniverous family liked it also!
Archived comment by: chloe
Thanks for the recipie,I have been looking for one for a long time. I am vegetarian and I live in India where tofu is not available easily so I am going to use PANEER which is made from milk and can be made at home.I will post my comments after I make and taste it.
Archived comment by: sandhya
Usually the less expensive store brand dark chocolate chips are vegan (no dairy), just check the ingredients. I use Mori-Nu firm or soft silken tofu which comes in 12.3 oz. package. I like to make this in an oblong dish when I use the graham cracker crust. My variations when I leave out the fruit:
1. Add 1 tsp. vanilla, 1 tsp. cherry flavoring, and garnish top with halved maraschino cherries.
2. Add 1/2 cup peanut butter (or more to taste), 1 tsp. vanilla, and garnish with crushed peanuts.
3. Use a regular pie crust when making in a pie plate. Here is my favorite pie crust recipe.
Archived comment by: renee
slim fast is not vegan
Archived comment by: fraser
OMG, this recipe is amazing! My favorite veg*n restaurant use to buy a vegan tofu-chocolate mousse from a nearby bakery, but the bakery went out of business so I've been without my favorite pie for a while. The restaurant has been trying out other chocolate mousse pies to substitute the old one...none of them compare to this one! Thanks for posting this!
Archived comment by: vegcat
Great! I used this as a cream filling to separate a double-layer chocolate cake. Yummy!
Archived comment by: xemcats
I nuked the choc - much faster and no pot to deal with. Cheaper too! If I don't lapse into a diabetic coma, it will be a miracle. Incredibly sweet as I taste it from the blender - even for someone like me who loves sweet things - but, as someone said, the sweetness can be adjusted. I used Presidents Choice (PC) almond-flavoured dessert tofu made by Loblaws supermarkets - available in Canada - that's the only silken tofu they had - for the first time. It would taste great on its own, if you like custard. Almond, maple, and choc might be overkill for flavouring, but I guess its up to each to decide. I just poured it into two small wine glasses - serves 6? Are you supposed to make little candies out of it or something? Its chillin in the fridge
thanks for a great, delectadeadly diabetes-inducing dessert!
Archived comment by: vegtabella
Although I love tofu in stir-fries,etc. it doesn't usually work for me in desserts, but this was the exception! It had a wonderfully decadent texture and the taste was superb...no odd aftertaste just pure chocolate. My kids even loved it. I also nuked the chocolate which made it even easier and it worked great.
Archived comment by: jennyM
i have a small question. a lot of recipes ive tried that require an entire package of tofu have the god-awful aftertaste of tofu (no offence to those who like it or are now desensitized to it.) Does anyone who has tried this recipe notice a soyish aftertaste? Thanks.
midpaay@yahoo.comArchived comment by: midapay
Good Stuff! I think adding the liquid ingredients to the tofu works well, the choc. has a tendency to cool/harden too quickly. I think it would be good with flavorings,(liqueurs?) or peanut butter. Great consistency after 15 mins in freezer and 45 mins. in fridge. Thanks for the great recipe!
Archived comment by: full_nelson_reilly
This is FANTASTIC! I've been making it on weekends as my little reward to myself, but tonight I tried a variation; my papa is on the South Beach diet. Hes not vegan, but he is very big in health foods and organics. So, I made this for him, only with unsweetened chocolate, then I added a quarter cup of carb-free sweetener. The result was a VERY rich, chocolaty piece of heaven. I topped it with slivered almonds instead of fruit, and vegan whipped cream. It was practically carb-free and probably one of the best mousses of ANY kind I've ever had.
Archived comment by: missAntithesis
I'm not sure what went wrong but this nearly made me puke. I used silken tofu but it was still grainy as all hell and just tasted like tofu even though I used less tofu and more chocolate. I'm not sure how much difference it would have made to add the maple syrup (some people recommended leaving it out), but it is my understanding that maple syrup is not vegan (though they get away with not listing the animal products). Can somebody tell me where to find vegan maple syrup in Australia?
Archived comment by: buzzola
Of course maple syrup is vegan, as long as you buy REAL maple syrup. Its tree sap, boiled for a long time. I make it every year, its fine. Some fake maple syrup contains sugar which might be refined through animal bones to make it white (a silly practice) but even most syrup is vegan friendly at least. Maybe they don't have real maple syrup in Australia... Oh, and if made in a blender, it shouldn't be grainy at all. My super picky grandma loves it, especially just as a mouse sprinkled with peanuts and dried cherries.
Archived comment by: llawson
Actually, REAL maple syrup may be the kind you have to worry about. From the February 2005 issue of Vegetarian Times: Although most manufacturers today use vegetable oil or synthetic defoamers when producing maple syrup, some small manufacturers still use lard. To reduce the foam in syrup, they hang pork fat over the tub of syrup and let the fat drip in. While the amount of lard is minute, its still in there. (p.77)
Archived comment by: sharway
:-) This really had the consistency of mousse. I have tried many other recipies with no avail. I used an unsweetened baking bar (i used about 3 oz.) and 12 oz of silken firm tofu and stevia as my sweetener.
Archived comment by: angelonEarth
Duh, I meant the February 2004 issue. What am I, a psychic?
Archived comment by: sharway
My parents spend several weeks at the beginning of every Spring making about 50 gallons of maple syrup. There is no problem with foam because it is cooked so slowly. They don't use any lard or any type of oil. It is so delicious! I would suggest buying maple syrup from a small seller at a farmers market and you shouldn't have to worry about lard.
Archived comment by: jill
Luckily, the small producers like Jill suggests are more approachable and more likely to give you an answer whether or not they use lard. If you've ever played phone tag or waited on hold to find out what natural flavor means, you know what I mean. I love love love my Vermont maple syrup-- I'm happy and lucky that they don't use it and they were able to tell me so!
Archived comment by: sharway
mmmmmm. i lined the graham cracker crust with a layer of peanut butter before putting in the mousse. so good!
Archived comment by: shinjiko
I make this with a touch of amaretto liquor or almond extract, and it is SO decadent. Pour into graham cracker crust and garnish with almonds.
Archived comment by: leda
I made this tonight and I MUST tell you that even tho I am not a vegetarian, this is just as delicious as any Chocolate Mousse I've ever had! It is smooth and creamy and simply YUMM-O! I put in the graham cracker crust and will top with cherries. Next time I'm going to add a little Franjelico or Hazelnut Schnapps...JEFF: I EMAILED U BUT IT CAME BACK UNDELIVERABLE SO I HOPE U GET TO READ THIS
Archived comment by: hillaryInMI
Delicious!!! Really chocolatey and no taste of tofu! hmmmm...
Archived comment by: mym
I made this and it turned out grainy, WAY dense and WAY too bitter - I used a vegan baking chocolate and silk tofu with maple syrup and blended it in a food processor. Would blending it with a wisk add more air and make it lighter? Help!
Archived comment by: missAntithesis
I used Agave Nectar instead of syrup and added strawberries and it turned out great! I bought the extra firm silken tofu, so I added Rice Dream Vanilla to smooth it out, but it made it a little soupy in the end.
Archived comment by: drbrittany
I made this last night and it was WONDERFUL. To avoid the graininess, all you need is a good blender and soft silken tofu. We used an oreo cookie chocolate crust. My husband LOVED it, and so did I. I added a a tablespoon of vanilla and 3 tablespoons of sugar to get rid of the bitterness, and it turned out great. Thank you!! I had been looking for a good chocolate mousse!
Archived comment by: toadytheeighth
This is for Angelonearth: I hope you see this as I don't know how else to reach you. I saw your remarks about using stevia in this recipe and would love to know how much and what exactly it was that you did. I am trying to cook/bake with stevia as much as possible and am always greatful to learn something new. Thanks.
Archived comment by: aarealskei
This was really REALLY good! Its best in small amounts, though, because I found it very rich, even having used less chocolate (also I didn't have chocolate chips, so I used the equivalent of dry cocoa/sugar/shortening). I used a bit of vanilla and almond extract as well. I also found it dried out my mouth a bit like green bananas... still, very good, I'll definitely make it again
Archived comment by: blush
for those of you concerned about the veganity of maple syrup, get kosher maple syrup (usually has a k or u in a circle). kosher foods cannot contain pork. the standards on kosher foods are generally pretty strict and can SOMETIMES be helpful to vegans.
Archived comment by: saritapie
I made this a second time and found it pretty grainy, though still tasty. The only differences were I used lite silken tofu, and a hand mixer instead of a blender. Not sure which was the culprit there.
Archived comment by: blush
I added vanilla and peanut butter to this and it was delicious! It was chocolately with a hint of peanut butter! Yum!
Archived comment by: persephone
I'm an experimenter and don't follow directions well. I made this recipe twice, with different results. The first I used the full amount of chocolate (extra dark) plus a tablespoon of fresh ground coffee and only one tablespoon of maple syrup. I found that the coffee added is delicious, but adding the maple syrup and coffee to the melting chocolate makes it grainy and pasty. This was a very dense recipe as well. The second time, I used about 7-8 oz of chocolate, instead of the full amount plus a teaspoon of vanilla and the full amount of maple syrup (blended into the tofu before the melted chocolate was added). I found this batch to be much fluffier and not grainy at all. I would reccommend a little less chocolate, since it was not nearly as heavy, as well as melting the chocolate by itself. Overall, I would make this again. Its really easy and quick.
Archived comment by: monkeytonic
straight ground coffee that leaves coffee grounds in the coffee maker? So is that like eating coffee grounds in your pudding and gritty?
Archived comment by: idcgirl
In response to idcgirl: The coffee grounds are just the plain grounds, like what you would put in a coffee filter. They are sort of grainy, but its more like a crumbly nutty sort of texture. It isn't unpleasant, its like oreo crumbles in a pie.
The graininess of that I was referring to was the chocolate being mixed with the maple syrup in the double boiler.
Archived comment by: monkeytonic
Reading some comments I have to add my 2 cents. first, make sure the tofu is blended completely smooth before adding the melted chips - otherwise they chips start to solidify in the cold tofu and can cause graininess. If adding coffee to enhance the chocolate taste (especially if you, like I, use carob instead), you must use instant for it to blend properly. try almond extract in lieu of vanilla. and for some reason maple syrup is the sweetener of choice when combined with tofu - I've tried others but maple works best. And add the syrup after the melted chips. This also good made into ice cream!
Archived comment by: buba
This dessert rocks! I cannot believe that this is tofu! I brought it to a dinner with some friends last night; they are new vegetarians and were blown away by this dessert. I made a no-sugar-added raspberry sauce to go with it. I am going to make this for my friend who is a diabetic.
Archived comment by: slim
This recipe sounds great! I will try it soon, maybe this weekend! For people who have questions/complaints bout graininess: I have made similar tofu puddings and I used to have the same problem. After someone recommended to me to to use a handheld blender it has worked much better. Also I don't squeeze out the moisture from the tofu, or if when you are mixing if it seems too dry just add a little bit of soy milk or water at a time - TINY BIT at a time. Then blend for A LONG TIME all by itself and the tofu has become very smooth and soft like vanilla pudding consistency. Then I add the melted chocolate or whatever else I want like chopped fruit, frozen fruit or whatever. Maybe this will work for you, I have had great results since I have done this - no more little bits of tofu. P.S. if you can't get a handheld blender (it looks like a drink blender that you can hold in a wide mouth shake or smoothie glass) then you could just add a little moisture and blend (try different setting on your blender until one works better) and blend for a while and mix in everything from the sides - may need to stop and start so your spoon does not get destroyed.
Archived comment by: ecodel22
WHY did mine turn out so soupy?
Oh yea, and I'm new to Stevia... how much do you use if you sub it for the syrup?
Archived comment by: m00nf10wer
another honey/maple substitution is agave nectar
Archived comment by: veggiewedgie
Is Domino sugar or any regular sugar an option for this? Real maple syrup is very expensive. I keep hearing regular sugars are not vegan.. is this true? Can anyone suggest something other than maple syrup? Thanks.
Archived comment by: vintagediva
I made grasshopper mousse for a huge family gathering and my family loved it. They didn't have a clue that it was mostly tofu they were eating.
Archived comment by: darkDarkRed
This came out great despite my he'sitation with maple syrup.. I made it twice already and it has gotten rave reviews. For the second time, in addition to the maple syrup I added a half tbsp of Vanilla and about 3 tbsp of instant coffee. Even using lite silken tofu it came out thick rich and amazing. I also used some cocoa powder, maple syrup and hot water mixed together and drizzled it over the pie to make stripes on it, it looked and tasted like a gourmet restaurant mousse. Awesome!!
Archived comment by: vintageDiva
YUM! My canivore husband loved it. I used extra firm tofu so it was pretty dense. I just left it out of a crust but I see how it would make a great mousse pie.
Archived comment by: smurfette2002
This is delicious! It is smooth and creamy. I did not add the syrup, it was sweet enough already.
Archived comment by: jeanjohn721
This was awesome! If you've got one, I definitely recommend using a hand blender. I took the suggestions of some of the other reviewers and made some of the following changes: 1) added vanilla, 2) added the maple syrup to the tofu as opposed to the chocolate, and 3) used lite soft tofu. I used half bitter baking chocolate, so I ended up having to use quite a bit more maple syrup, but it tasted great. It was a little dense, but I don't mind! And neither does my boyfriend, who ate 2 cups of it in one sitting.
Archived comment by: sharway
this recipe is super! i usually put it in the fridge for a few hours before serving. i have made it multiple times, and it is always a crowd pleaser, even among the most notoriously non-veg crowds. sometimes i put the mousse in mini graham cracker crusts (about the size of a muffin tin) for parties or other events. also, i like to save some chocolate chips, then adorn the mousse with berries, melt the extra chips, and drizzle it on top. they look great and people always ask where i bought them!
Archived comment by: jaime
I'm making this again for my parents in a graham cracker crust with vegan whipped cream. I know my mom will love it
Archived comment by: smurfette2002
if it tastes too much like tofu try boiling the tofu in a pot of water for a few minutes then draining and transferring to the blender while hot. it makes the blending process a lot easier and things seem to mix together better. try adding some coffee granules/flavoring or wax orchards chocolate fudge.
Archived comment by: kayti
I have a tip about cooking with chocolate that may prove useful. I looked this up in a food science book after I tried using unsweetened chocolate and adding just a tiny bit of liquid caused the whole pot to freeze up into a rigid, grainy mass. The chemical structure of chocolate is such that when you add water, it crystallizes. To counteract this, it either needs sugar, which surrounds the cocoa particles and de-crystallizes it, or more liquid than you would think to suspend the cocoa. For the cooks who are using more bitter or higher quality chocolate, the little bit of moisture in the tofu is enough to seize up the chocolate but not enough to dissolve it. Maybe try adding some rice/soy milk to the melted chocolate until its smooth (but not watery) before you blend in the sugar and tofu. I tried this the second time and it worked great!
Archived comment by: porshysmorsh
Oh my. This was fantastic. I totally guessed at the amount of chocolate (I was using a little bit of everything) and made it with a hand blender, blending the tofu first until it was creamy and then adding the chocolate. I was surprised by how airy it was-- I was expecting more of a pudding. I will definitely be making this again to fool my omni friends.
Archived comment by: vlyandra
