Vegan Chocolate Cherry Mousse. Incredibly decadent and made without any eggs, nuts or oil! Made from dried cherries, dark chocolate and coconut cream. Just 8 ingredients for this rich, creamy, perfectly textured dairy-free mousse!
VEGAN CHOCOLATE CHERRY MOUSSE
One of the most delicious combos out there is cherries and chocolate. This recipe was inspired from a trip to Paris my husband and I took back in 2008. The photo background used in these photos is actually a photo I took of the Eiffel tower that is hanging in our house and I thought it would be a great idea to incorporate it into these photos.
Forgive the poor photo quality…these were taken with an old, crappy camera back in 2008. Here I am eating that mousse that inspired this recipe, but I gave it my own little twist. Yes, I know I look pretty awful in that photo….that was 2 days with NO sleep and total jetlag. I was totally exhausted and it took me weeks to recover. I have had no desire to leave the country since then, lol.
The greatest highlight for me by a mile was visiting the Louvre Museum and getting to see the Mona Lisa. It was a dream of mine and I was overwhelmed with excitement and practically trembling once I arrived to see it. The MASSIVE amount of people surrounding the area to see it was amazing and impressive. Seeing the painting by Leonardo da Vinci that is 500 years old is an experience that I really can’t just put into words. If you have no interest in art, then you probably don’t care, but I personally LOVE art, love museums and it is a happy place for me. I have been creating my own acrylic and oil paintings in my spare time since I was 18 and fulfilling my dream to see this painting was magical to me. I must have taken 50 pictures just of this painting and I really didn’t want to leave the area.
It is spectacularly protected too after it was stolen in the early 1900’s (later retrieved of course) and after many attempts to damage it by visitors, it is now set behind bulletproof glass (hence the fuzzy photo). Seeing it up close was awesome because you could see how truly old it was, peeling paint and such fascinating detail.
Nobody is getting to that sucker now. People were literally pushing and shoving to get up close, including ME.
This is me in front of the Arc de Triomphe. Super cool monument. I really only had 2 things I wanted to do when going to Paris…seeing the Eiffel Tower and the Mona Lisa. Paris is a very beautiful city, but I didn’t enjoy it as much as I’d hoped, so the tourist sites were the saving grace.
Have you ever had traditional mousse…you know, the egg kind? It is like eating clouds; the texture is straight perfection. Well, I have to say, I nailed this vegan Chocolate Cherry Parisian Mousse! This perfect blend of ingredients resulted in one of the most amazingly, delicious creations I’ve come up with. So indulgent, yet so light. It is creamy and airy even though it is totally egg-free.
This vegan chocolate egg-free mousse is only 6 ingredients (+ a tiny amount of salt)! So easy and such simple ingredients and to die for.
VEGAN CHOCOLATE MOUSSE WITH CHERRIES
Ummmm, would you just look at that texture??
I used an ingredient not probably used before in mousse…..dried cherries. It is THE dried cherries that once soaked completely overnight, give stability and texture to this mousse and a richer, deeper chocolate flavor. When combined with the lots of cocoa powder, a whole dark chocolate bar and 100% coconut cream, it becomes just like the Parisian style egg-filled mousse. Holy cow…tastebuds were dancing! I only use 2 tablespoons of sweetener to keep the rich, chocolate taste and it not be overly sweet.
You have to follow the directions properly to reach this heaven in a glass.
Make these for a party, gathering, your friends, or just for yourself! Then, you have to come back and leave me feedback and tell me what you think. You can also tag me on Instagram with a photo with my tag #thevegan8, I seriously love that too, your photos of my recipes are super duper cool.
Other Vegan Chocolate Desserts to try:
Vegan Chocolate Cherry Mousse
Ingredients
- 1 cup coconut cream (I got exactly one cup from a chilled 13.6 oz can full-fat coconut milk, chilled overnight at least (1-2 days is best)
- 1/2 packed cup (75g) unsweetened dried tart cherries, soaked in 1/2 cup boiling water 8 hours minimum
- 1/4 cup (24g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons (40g) pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
- 90 g 3.16 oz 70-71% dark chocolate bar, finely chopped (I used a 3.16 oz bar)
- Optional toppings: Whipped coconut cream, chocolate chips, fresh cherries, or shaved chocolate
Instructions
- Follow each step closely for a smooth result. First, you will need to make sure your coconut milk has been chilled at least 24 hours prior to beginning. You will ONLY be using the hardened, thick cream at the top of the can, not the water. I use Thai brand which always yields beautiful, thickened cream after being chilled for a couple of days. You will need 1 full cup of coconut cream for this recipe.
- You will also need to soak your dried cherries prior as well. Do this by adding 1/2 cup BOILING water to a large cup or small bowl with the cherries. Let them sit for 8 hours or overnight, the longer the better, so they become really soft. This step is crucial for them to blend up completely smooth. Do not drain the water. Add both the cherries and soaked water to a food processor. Blend for a couple of minutes or so, until completely smooth, you want it really smooth. Literally let it run for 2 minutes, walk away and come back. You will be blending a couple of more times and it will all be smooth by the end.
- Add the cacao, syrup, vanilla, chilled coconut cream (scoop out the hardened cream from the can, discard the water) and salt and blend for a few minutes until completely smooth, scraping the sides as needed. Let it run again for a couple of minutes.
- Lastly, finely chop the chocolate and melt until smooth and add to the food processor. Blend again until completely smooth. I even transferred mine to my Vitamix for one good last run for ultra creaminess, but if you don't have one, just let your processor run until smooth. It should all be totally smooth by this point and no more bits of cherries remaining. Taste and add any more sweetener if desired, but I would use a dry sweetener and not a liquid one. I did not add any more sweetener, as I liked the rich chocolate taste. If your dried cherries were not sweetened, then you will likely need to add some extra sweetener.
- Place in a bowl or container to chill in the fridge for 2-4 hours. It should be thick and well set, but smooth. It will become a little bit firmer the longer it sits, so just let it sit a few minutes at room temperature if desired, or just add a splash of plant milk to it. Scoop into serving glasses and top with coconut whipped cream, chocolate chips and fresh cherries, if desired for presentation. Devour.
I read your postnig and was jealous
This chocolate mousse looks divine! And I love that the recipe has a whole backstory to it. 🙂
Using dried cherries is something I would have never thought of – it’s so creative!
Aww thank you so much Bianca! You are so sweet, thank you so much for reading!
Cheers to another great recipe! This stuff is insanely addicting!!! The texture is on point, the chocolate and cherry flavors are perfectly balanced and its got just the right amount of sweetness that doesn’t overpower the chocolate and cherry flavors. On another note, love the photography and the story behind this recipe.
I’m so happy to hear you loved it so much Nicolle! That makes me happy! Thank you for the compliments! The recipe was worth the long wait, haha!
Such a beautiful post Brandi! Both the recipe and the special memories. I lived in Paris for 6 months a few years back (I studied French & Spanish at university) and loved it there. I guess, like most places, it’s quite different living there to being a tourist.
This mousse really does look to-die-for! I used to always order chocolate mousse whenever I ate out and probably haven’t had a vegan version that’s got quite the same fluffy texture and richness. So interesting that you used dried cherries in here too!
this looks heavenly! I absolutely love the cherry and chocolate combo! totally need to try this recipe 😉 I’ve never actually made a mousse before! pinned! HAPPY WEEKEND girl! 😉