Professor Tim Spector, the founder of Zoe Health, has shared a simple yet delicious chocolate mousse recipe that is sure to make your mouth water. Taken from his book, The Food for Life Cookbook, this dessert is packed with numerous health benefits, thanks to key ingredients like dark chocolate and extra virgin olive oil.
Why This Mousse is Good for You
According to Zoe Health, the combination of extra virgin olive oil and dark chocolate creates a polyphenol-packed mousse. Polyphenols are compounds found in plants that boast antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Regular consumption of polyphenols may support heart and brain health, improve gut health, and aid in weight management.
Recipe Details
This recipe serves four people and takes just 15 minutes to prepare, plus one hour of chilling time. It is suitable for vegans and contains approximately 5-10 grams of polyphenols per serving.
Ingredients
- 100g dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa solids), broken into pieces
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 2 tsp maple syrup
- 1–2 pinches of salt
- 140ml aquafaba (liquid from a tin of chickpeas, at room temperature)
- 70g hazelnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
- 150g cherries (fresh or frozen), stoned
Optional Toppings
- Crème fraîche
- Chopped hazelnuts
Method
- Place a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and slowly melt the chocolate, ensuring the bowl does not touch the water. Once melted, remove from heat and stir in the olive oil, maple syrup, and a pinch of salt.
- In a clean, grease-free bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk the aquafaba for about 5 minutes until stiff peaks form.
- Stir a spoonful of the whipped aquafaba into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Then gently fold the chocolate mixture into the remaining aquafaba using a metal spoon, being careful not to deflate the mixture.
- Spoon the mixture into four small glasses and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to set.
- Before serving, top with cherries, a drizzle of extra olive oil, and a pinch of salt. Add toasted hazelnuts or crème fraîche as desired.
Tips and Variations
If you prefer, you can substitute maple syrup with honey or a sugar syrup. For non-vegans, replace aquafaba with egg whites: whisk until stiff peaks form and follow the same folding technique. For more tips, refer to the original recipe.
