Vegan Chocolate Mousse with Cashew Cream

This vegan chocolate mousse is easier and takes less time to prepare than traditional chocolate mousse made with eggs and cream.  It's made with mostly store cupboard ingredients (avocados are practically store cupboard ingredients in my house), so it can be made on a whim, or when your craving for chocolate just cannot be denied (which is a lot of the time in my house). It's rich and decadent as a chocolate mousse should be so it makes a perfect ending to a light meal, but full of healthful things which means you could even have chocolate mousse for breakfast... not that I know anything about that.



Vegan Chocolate Mousse with Cashew Cream
Serves 4
slightly adapted from here

For the Mousse:
1 large avocado, seed removed and peeled
2 tablespoons almond butter
Pinch of sea salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup rice malt syrup
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup soy or almond milk
2 tablespoons coconut oil
Sea salt flakes to sprinkle

For the Cream:
1/2 cup raw unsalted cashews
1/4 cup water
3 teaspoons maple syrup
Pinch of sea salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Make the Mousse:
Put all the mousse ingredients into a high speed blender and blitz until super smooth.  Divide among 4 small ramekins and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before eating.

Make the Cream:
Put all the cashew cream ingredients into a high speed blender and blitz until super smooth. Spoon into a bowl and refrigerate for at least an hour.

To Serve:
Sprinkle the tops of the mousse with a small pinch of sea salt flakes and dollop with cashew cream.