Rich, creamy, vegan and paleo chocolate mousse pairs with a simple coconut crust. Top with juicy fresh raspberries and crunchy hazelnuts for an easy, elegant dessert.
Update: Please see my notes about whipping coconut cream at the end of post.
This Valentine's Day inspired vegan chocolate mousse tart was made for Yummy Hubby, as he loves all things coconut. If you're not much of a coconut fan yourself, feel free to switch up the crust. My granola crust from this lemon tart would be fantastic here, as would a buttery shortbread type crust. For the golden coconut crust I've used unsweetened flaked coconut, Earth Balance, and maple syrup. If you happen to only have sweetened coconut, just omit the syrup. And if you're paleo, you can use coconut butter or oil instead of the Earth Balance. I love the freshness that the raspberries added, and I sprinkled some pomegranate arils as well. Strawberries or blackberries would also be amazing here. Hazelnuts and chocolate are always an incredible pair, and add flavor and crunch to this creamy tart. As you'll see in the video, we added a drizzle of melted chocolate after this tart had it's photoshoot. The chocolate drizzle was my girls' idea, and while it's not completely necessary, it does take it up another notch both in terms of taste and aesthetics.
The trick to fluffy coconut cream chocolate mousse is to keep the cream as dry as possible by spooning the cream out of the can. I learned my lesson the first time I made this tart and dumped the whole can in the bowl. Even after pouring off the liquid the coconut cream was just too wet to whip up. Now I even pat the cream with a paper towel to soak up excess coconut milk. It simply won't whip up into this light mousse if it's at all watery. Once the cream is whipped, and only then, we add the flavorings. This vegan whipped coconut cream also makes a delightfully decadent whipped cream for coffee or dipping fruit.
Before we get to the recipe, lets talk garnishes. I love the way the crescent raspberry topping looks, but this chocolate mousse tart is tastiest with a bit of raspberry and hazelnut in each and every bite. You could cover the entire tart with berries, or if you like the crescent style here, serve more on the side for serving.
I hope you have a sweet Valentine's Day and are enjoying the month of love!
Vegan Chocolate Mousse Pie with Coconut Crust
Published 02/08/2017
Easy coconut cream based chocolate mousse in a coconut crust shell and topped with raspberries and hazelnuts.
Ingredients
- 3 cups unsweetened flaked coconut
- 5 tablespoons softened vegan butter (Earth Balance) or coconut butter
- 5 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 (14 oz.) cans coconut cream, chilled (I used Trader Joe's brand) *See note
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cacao/cocoa powder, plus more to taste
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts
- 1 cup fresh raspberries
- fresh mint, for garnish (optional)
- 1/4 cup melted chocolate for drizzle (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a medium bowl, mix together the coconut, butter, and syrup. Using your hands is the best method. Press coconut mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a tart dish. Alternatively, a 9-inch pie dish could be used. Bake 10-13 minutes, until crust is golden brown. Cool completely.
- Place only the dry coconut cream in the bowl of a mixer. Any added liquid coconut milk will prevent the cream from whipping. Turn mixer fitted with whisk attachment on high and beat for about 3 minutes, until cream has whipped. Add vanilla, cacao, and maple syrup. Beat until combined. Taste and add more syrup to sweeten or more cacao to darken to taste. Spread the chocolate mousse into the cooled coconut crust. Garnish with fresh raspberries, chopped hazelnuts, a drizzle of chocolate, and fresh mint leaves. Refrigerate for two hours or up to one day in advance.
Prep Time: 15 mins.
Total time: 30 mins.
Tags: dessert, pie, vegan, Valentine's Day, chocolate
*Whipping coconut cream: Trader Joe's coconut cream in the can is my favorite and what I used here. If you can't find coconut cream, full fat, unsweetened coconut milk will also work. If using coconut milk, refrigerate overnight, then scoop the solid coconut cream off. Save the coconut milk for another purpose, such as smoothies or curries. Since there will be less cream in the cans of coconut milk than what I used here, please use at least one additional can. This vegan chocolate mousse is easy to adjust, so don't worry about using an exact amount of cream. You can add cacao and syrup to taste once the cream is whipped.