This is an incredible 2 ingredient chocolate mousse recipe that’s dairy free and vegan. Oh, and it only takes 5 minutes to prepare.
Yup, it’s true. There must be a catch right?
OK yes, you do need a whipping siphon BUT don’t click away right away! It’s a great investment and a fantastic kitchen tool to make anything from light, airy hollandaise to home made lemonade. Using a siphon means that it really is only 5 minutes of work for a great dessert.
How Do You Make a Vegan Chocolate Mousse with 2 Ingredients?
Chocolate mousse usually takes time and plenty of muscle if you’re using a whisk. This method, using a siphon, takes all the effort out and produces a consistent, simple to make and easy to serve dessert.
So how does it work? Aquafaba is very similar to egg whites – it contains many of the same proteins and starches. Put simply, aquafaba is a great emulsifier, meaning that when it’s combined with melted chocolate it creates a thick, very whippable mixture.
By using N2O (rather than CO2, which is used for carbonated drinks), the siphon aerates the chocolate mixture. Thanks to the aquafaba emulsifying the chocolate, it traps air bubbles and creates that mousse texture, just like in a meringue.
So there you go: just 2 ingredients and a whipping siphon are all you need to create this easy vegan chocolate mousse.
How To Make Chocolate Mousse with Aquafaba
Aquafaba, or “chickpea water”, is usually discarded after draining chickpeas from a can. This cooking liquid contains lots of interesting proteins and starches that leach out from the chickpeas when they’re cooked. Aquafaba behaves a lot like egg whites, which means you can make vegan mayonnaise, desserts and more with it. And no, it doesn’t taste like chickpeas.
I love to make hummus with tinned chickpeas for a pre-dinner snack and then use the leftover liquid for this dessert. It’s a great no-waste approach.
So we’ve got our vegan egg substitute – how do you make chocolate mousse with it? It’s really simple.
You just melt chocolate by pouring over hot aquafaba and whisk to combine. Once mixed, pour the mixture into a siphon, charge it with 2 N2O chargers and let it cool down in the fridge.
Five minutes of work and you’re done. Let’s make it.
Note: this recipe produces are very rich and decadent dessert – you won’t be eating bowls of this. I’d advise serving a small amount as part of a multiple course meal.
2 Ingredient Vegan Chocolate Mousse
This is an incredible 2 ingredient chocolate mousse recipe that’s dairy free *and* vegan. Oh, and it only takes 5 minutes to prepare.
- Total Time: 6 minutes
- Yield: 4 portions 1x
Ingredients
- 330g 70% dark chocolate
- 390g aquafaba
- Sea salt, to taste
- Extra virgin olive oil, to taste
Instructions
- Break up the chocolate into small 2cm pieces and place into a heatproof bowl
- Heat-up in the aquafaba (chickpea liquid) in a saucepan and bring to the boil
- Slowly pour the aquafaba over the chocolate and whisk immediately ensuring the mixture is smooth and fully emulsified
- While hot, pour the mixture into a siphon with a funnel
- Close the siphon and charge with 2 siphons, shake thoroughly
- Place the siphon into the fridge on its side for 1.5-2 hours
- When ready to serve, point the nozzle close to your serving dish and slowly press on the lever to release the mousse
- Season with a touch of sea salt and extra virgin olive oil, serve immediately.
Notes
- I strongly recommend using digital scales for this, a slight unbalance in the ratio of chocolate to aquafaba produces a very different textured mousse.
- Adjust the % cocoa chocolate to your tastes. As there’s no dairy, it produces a very rich mousse.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 minute
- Cuisine: French
- Diet: Vegan
Can I Make this Without a Siphon?
Not with this exact method. The recipe is designed for a siphon that whips and aerates the chocolate aquafaba mix with N2O. If you want a no siphon version, you would need a different method where you whip the aquafaba to stiff peaks first, then fold in cooled melted chocolate.
Does it Taste like Chickpeas?
No. Once the aquafaba is mixed with dark chocolate, the chickpea flavour disappears. You just get rich, dark chocolate mousse.
How Long Does This Keep?
The mousse will keep stable in the fridge in the siphon for up to 2 days. Give it a quick shake before serving.
Why Do You Add Salt?
Adding salt to a dessert might seem odd, but it completely transforms a rich, high percentage dark chocolate mousse. The salt softens the slightly bitter notes of the chocolate and makes the flavour much more balanced and moreish.
Can I Use Milk or White Chocolate?
You can, but it probably will not be vegan unless the chocolate is specifically dairy free. Milk and white chocolate are also softer and sweeter, so the texture will change. If you experiment, keep the same total weight of chocolate and expect a looser, sweeter mousse.
Can I Make it Sweeter Without Changing the Chocolate?
The easiest way is to use a slightly lower cocoa percentage chocolate. Adding extra sugar or syrup can throw off the balance of liquid to chocolate and affect how the mousse sets.
My Mousse is Too Runny. What Went Wrong?
A few common issues:
- The mixture was not chilled long enough in the fridge.
- The ratio of aquafaba to chocolate was off, which is why weighing is important.
- The siphon was not properly charged or shaken.
Chill it a bit longer and give the siphon another good shake before serving.
My Mousse is Too Firm or Comes Out in Big Clumps. What Happened?
It may have been slightly over set in the fridge or the chocolate percentage was very high. Let the siphon sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes, shake again and try dispensing a small amount to see if it has softened.
