Plant-Based Chocolate Caramel Tofu Mousse Recipe

Everyone should have the ability to indulge in chocolate, regardless of dietary restrictions (excluding, of course, a chocolate allergy). An especially indulgent chocolate dessert is mousse, which can easily be made vegan with the help of super-soft tofu. Silken tofu is often used in desserts and smoothies because its creamy texture folds easily into mixed and blended foods. We know what you're thinking — and yes, it still tastes like tofu; but being that tofu is practically flavorless, that can be a good thing.

Below, developer Michelle McGlinn walks through the process of making plant-based chocolate tofu mousse. This version has a coconut cream caramel swirled into the mousse and drizzled over top. The result is a quick and easy, totally dairy-free dessert that is just as chocolatey as any cake, pie, or brownie. Oh, and the tofu? Nobody will even know it's there — even you might forget about it after a few luscious spoonfuls.

Being that this recipe is vegan, you'll want to be careful about the ingredients you source to ensure everything is plant-based. For example, you'll need chocolate, but make sure to pick up dark chocolate, which doesn't contain milk products. Otherwise, the ingredients should be pretty foolproof: You'll need silken tofu, white sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract, cornstarch, cocoa powder, and coconut cream. Dutched cocoa powder is a little deeper in flavor than natural process cocoa, but either can be used in a pinch. As for coconut cream, you'll want to be specific about that — this recipe won't quite work with cream of coconut or coconut milk.

Add tofu, cocoa powder, sugar, vanilla, and melted chocolate to a blender.

Blend until smooth and set aside.

In a small saucepan, combine coconut cream, brown sugar, and cornstarch.

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until foamy.

Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring, until thick and smooth, about 5 minutes.

Reserve 1 tablespoon coconut caramel for topping, then swirl the rest into the tofu mixture.

Transfer mousse to ramekins or jars and store in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to set.

To serve, top with Maldon salt, if using, and reserved caramel.

We encourage you to taste and adjust the sweetness of this mousse as soon as you blend it, but remember that it still needs to be chilled before serving. Chilling the mousse not only creates the familiar pillowy texture, but it also helps transform the not-very-pleasant soybean flavor of the tofu. After about an hour, the tofu will have absorbed the chocolaty flavor, masking that soybean-y taste. From there, it's ready to enjoy after dinner alongside prosecco or a sweet sparkling mocktail, or with fruits like strawberries, blackberries, or plums. Just be sure to serve the mousse within 10 minutes of removing from the refrigerator to avoid a melty, pudding-like mousse. 

Conveniently, the required chilling time means this mousse is also a great make-ahead dessert. To store it, simply wrap the jars or ramekins with plastic and keep chilled. Because the mousse is plant-based, it can last a long time — but not forever. For the best results, store for up to a week.

This plant-based caramel is a little different from regular caramel, which is made with butter, cream, and sugar. Instead of dairy, this caramel uses coconut cream, which is sweet and buttery but strongly coconut flavored. In a blind taste test, you'd know the difference immediately — and even looking at the two, you'd easily guess which one is which. It's delicious, but it's not exactly caramel.

Instead, you can always swirl in your favorite store-bought (non-vegan) caramel or caramel alternative. You can also use sweetened condensed coconut milk, which can be made into caramel the same way as sweetened condensed milk. Simply place a can of condensed coconut milk in a saucepan, cover with water, and simmer for 2-3 hours. Once the can is removed from the water and cooled, the contents inside will be caramelized and ready to use (and much less coconut-flavored than the quick coconut cream version in our recipe).