Valentine's Chocolate Mousse

Happy Valentine's Day! A quick post to share the pudding I made tonight for Valentine's Day; it's such a simple yet scrummy dessert. And the best bit, it's totally vegan so even my son could have it. I wanted to make something that wasn't cake based and required very little effort. I knew I had a can of coconut milk in the fridge, so this immediately came to mind. It takes a whole 5 minutes to make, I kid you not.

Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients:

1 can coconut milk - chilled in the fridge overnight

200g chocolate - milk or dark, your choice. I used dark.

1 dsp icing sugar

1/2 tsp orange extract/essence

Raspberries

Method:

1. Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30 second increments until smooth and glossy.
2. Carefully remove the solids out of the coconut milk tin into a medium bowl, discard any liquid.
3. Using a hand held electric mixer, whip the coconut milk solids with the icing sugar and orange essence until fluffy. Scrap the sides occasionally, this step takes only about 2 minutes.
4. Pour the melted chocolate into the bowl and beat together using the mixer until it is combined and still fluffy. If you over mix, as I did tonight and it hardens, this is very easily fixed by putting the bowl into the microwave for 10 seconds to loosen it up again.
5. Pipe into bowls, or just spoon in if you prefer. Top with raspberries.

Notes:

• This is best made just before serving, or if making it into a pie (as I have posted on my fb page) then allow to set in the fridge.

• You could add peppermint extract instead of orange if you prefer.

• I tend to leave a can of coconut milk in the fridge at all times for occasions such as this. Go for a band that has at least 60% coconut solids in it, 70%+ if possible. You get more solids in your recipe then!

• This is quite rich, so smaller portions are advised, but it is soooo light, honestly, it's like eating a cloud. A chocolate one!