I just want to say one word to you. Like that moment in The Graduate when Mr. McGuire takes Dustin Hoffman aside and whispers one word . . .
Aquafaba. Chickpea water! From that most humble of pulses — the garbanzo bean or chickpea.
Aquafaba whips up as easily as egg whites with the same glistening white sheen. You can achieve the stiff peaks necessary for the lightest mousse. Even the whisk will stand up on its own in whipped aquafaba.
After whipping, gently fold in a ganache of chocolate melted in warmed almond milk and you will discover the lightest, most delicious whipped chocolate mousse dessert. The fact that it is dairy free is not an exclusive vegan secret. The NY Times featured its virtues in this recent article: Vegans Whip Up a Secret Weapon: Aquafaba. Non-vegans will crave it for its incredible texture and taste. Guilt free.
This recipe first came to my attention from the Hedonia blog. Blogger/Writer Sean Timberlake attended an intensive course on pulses at the Culinary Institute of America Greystone where he learned how to whip up this aquafaba chocolate mousse and more. Who knew pulses offered so much pleasure? Plus after draining off the liquid from a can of garbanzo beans, rinse the pulses, toss in olive oil, salt and pepper, and roast in a 375-400 degree oven until crispy like roasted peanuts. Nothing wasted here.
Pour your mousse into small portable Weck mini jars (#760/5.4 ounces each) or small jam jars. Refrigerate for a minimum of one-hour or better still overnight before packing them up for your next potluck. AquaFabulous!
- ½ cup (4 oz.) unsweetened almond milk (unsweetened vanilla flavor adds a nice touch)
- ½ pound chocolate, cut into small chunks or shavings (choose your favorite. I've tried dark, semisweet, and a mix of milk chocolate with dark. It all depends on your preference. However, I recently noticed that if my ratio of milk chocolate gets too high, 50% or greater, the chocolate pots can be runny at the bottom.)
- ¾ cup low-sodium garbanzo bean water (I prefer Eden Organic 15 oz. can which provides exactly ¾ cup)
- Make ganache first by bringing the almond milk to a boil.
- Remove milk from heat.
- Add chocolate chunks or shavings.
- Swirl gently to cover all the chocolate in hot milk.
- Let sit for a few minutes to allow chocolate to melt completely.
- Stir with a spatula until chocolate is fully integrated into milk.
- It should be a consistent color, smooth and glossy.
- Allow to cool to room temperature.
- Once the ganache is cool, using a stand mixer with whisk attachment, whip the drained garbanzo bean liquid on high speed until it forms stiff peaks. This might take 10 minutes. The whisk should stand upright in the foam.
- Add a scoop of the foam to ganache and fold in to lighten the mixture.
- Gently, in three batches, fold the ganache into the foam using the spatula. Take care not to lose too much air. Use gentle and slow strokes to fold the liquid chocolate into the ganache until incorporated.
- Pour or ladle the mousse into clean jars. Cover and refrigerate.
Irresistible blog and such a unique recipe that all can indulge!
Wow this looks amazing!! If you wanted to make it plain , should you just skip the chocolate and maybe add sweetened vanilla almond milk ? thank you!
Ooooooooo…. I love that idea. For a fresh and fruity version, purée chopped strawberries in with the vanilla almond milk and fold the mixture into the ganache, then refrigerate or freeze it for a refreshing summer mousse.
Ohhh myyy I might just have to make this tomorrow morning… I might be dreaming about it all night hahaah
Do you think this would work:
Blend a few strawberries with 1/2 cup almond milk and then fold in to the aquafaba ?
Thank you!
Absolutely Claudia! Please comment back after you try it out to let us all know how it worked out 🙂 Consider putting one in the freezer like a frozen mousse.
Hi! Does the aquafaba out of the can need to be reduced for making mousse? I’ve heard that it should be reduced for macaroons. Is that the case for a mousse recipe as well? Also, does it need to be chilled?
Nope. None of the above are required. Use it right of the can… after straining for the garbanzos of course!
Do you know how long will this last in the refrigerator?
Hi Lisa – My research reveals aquafaba lasts in the refrigerator for one week and also freezes well. Have fun creating new recipes with this magic water. Cheers, Yvonne