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Rich, decadent, chocolatey… and completely vegan! This mousse, which is dairy-, sugar-, and gluten-free, is one of the inspired desserts from a restaurant called Cafe Gratitude. A few unusual ingredients are needed, but oh, it’s worth it! The perfect Valentine’s Day dessert to make for your honey-bunny.
Raw Chocolate Mousse
Adapted from I Am Grateful: Recipes and Lifestyle of Cafe Gratitude
Makes 6 servings
1/2 oz (15 g) dried Irish moss seaweed
2 C. (470 ml) almond milk
1/4 C (66 g) dates (about 3)
1/4 C. (60 ml) agave syrup
6 T. (30 g) cocoa powder
1 T. (15 ml) vanilla
1 T. (12 g) lecithin*
1/2 C. (125 ml) raw coconut oil
After measuring the Irish moss, rinse it 3 or 4 times in water to remove the salt and sand; drain well. 
Cover with filtered water and let sit at least overnight. The Irish moss will double in size and become translucent, at which point it’s ready to use.
Drain the Irish moss and cut into small pieces; put in the blender with 1/2 C. (125 ml) filtered water. Blend on high about 3 minutes, until it’s a smooth, thick gel with no visible pieces of moss left.
Chop the dates into small pieces, discarding the date pits. Warm the coconut oil enough to liquify it.
Add the almond milk, dates, agave syrup, cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt. Blend until smooth.
With the blender still running, slowly add the lecithin. Continue blending, adding the coconut oil in a steady stream.
Pour into a bowl or your serving dishes and refrigerate about an hour until set. Top with berries.
Notes: Lecithin can be made from soybeans or sunflower seeds. Unless you research before you buy, you are most likely to find it made from GMO soybeans using a chemical process. But the good news is, you can get raw, organic sunflower lecithin here that’s gluten-free and vegan.
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Looks delish! I just got Irish Moss yesterday, and prepped it this morning.I’ll be using it every morning in my smoothie, but can’t wait to try this too – I’m sure it would be just as delicious and creamy without the lecithin.
Great, let me know how it comes out. Smoothies are another great way to use the Irish moss…
How essential is the lecithin to the recipe?? And what IS lecithin? Is it a soy derivative?
Liz, I haven’t made this without lecithin, which is a soy product. I will be looking at other versions of recipes in the future that don’t include lecithin, as it is fairly highly processed. You could try agar (see my comment below). Thanks for your comment!
Very interesting recipe. Never cooked with Irish moss either.
I do have all of the other ingredients in my kitchen. I like that you used coconut oil, one of my favorite ingredients for baking.
Thanks Barb. Once you try Irish moss you’ll start finding other places to use it. I’m thinking tapioca pudding next.
You definitely got me interested now. I think I’ll pick some up at our food coop today.
Great site by the way, love that you try to make healthier versions of existing recipes. It’s similar to what I do with some of my own recipes. They’re not all gluten and sugar-free but I take a similar approach.
Have fun! Note that you need to soak it at least overnight before using it, as in the photo. And rinse it like crazy. It’s usually covered in sand, au naturel. Thanks for the kind words. I appreciate it!
Hi again,
Just came back from our local health food store and they only had Irish moss that looked more like dried herbs, not at all like the picture above. Do you think any type of Irish moss would be ok or can I use a different thickener altogether?
Thanks!
Wow, this post is so interesting! I’ve never heard of Irish Moss, does it work a bit like agar agar?
And that mousse looks delicious – plus I can probably it eat it! I’m not vegan or sugarfree but I do have medical problems that cause me to be unable to have a whole lot of fat so it’s difficult for me to adapt regular mousse recipes that are full of regular chocolate. This recipe though, I might be able to work with! Thank you!
xoxo
- Eve
Hi Eve,
Thanks for your comment. Yes, the Irish moss does act a bit like agar, which is also a seaweed. Agar is more like gelatin, firming everything. This stuff creates much more of a fluffy mousse or pudding quality. This is not a low fat dessert because of the coconut oil, but you might be able to use less oil and make it work. Keep me posted!
Best, Stephanie
Hmmm. I would need to do a little bit of internet searching before answering. You could try a very small amount of agar agar (like, 1 t. of agar flakes) cooked with 3 T. water until it swells up. You might end up more with a very firm pudding vs. a mousse.
There is a plant called Irish moss that is completely different, not a seaweed. The seaweed’s proper name is Chondrus crispus.