Aquafaba chocolate mousse
Ingredients
Method
- Put the tin of chickpeas in the fridge the day before. Drain it, saving the liquid: this is the aquafaba.
- Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, or in the microwave in 30-second bursts. Add the vanilla and leave to cool until just warm.
- In a spotlessly clean, dry bowl, whisk the aquafaba with the pinch of salt using an electric whisk on full speed. When it turns foamy, add the lemon juice, then gradually sprinkle in the sugar. Whisk for 5 to 10 minutes, until you have stiff peaks.
- Stir a large spoonful of the whipped aquafaba into the warm chocolate to loosen it.
- Add the rest of the aquafaba in three batches, gently folding it in with a spatula.
- Divide between small glasses or ramekins and leave to set in the fridge for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
Notes
An egg-free chocolate mousse that’s just as light and airy as the classic recipe? It’s possible thanks to aquafaba, the liquid from chickpeas that usually goes down the sink. Whipped, it behaves almost exactly like egg whites, and once folded into melted chocolate, you would never guess where it came from. Here is our aquafaba chocolate mousse recipe, with all our tips for getting it to whip up perfectly first time.
What is aquafaba?
The word aquafaba comes from the Latin aqua, water, and faba, bean. It refers to the cooking liquid of pulses, especially chickpeas. The easiest option is to use the liquid from a tin of chickpeas: it’s the water they were cooked in, enriched with the starch and proteins they released.
It’s precisely these proteins and this starch that give it its magic: when whisked, aquafaba traps air and forms a firm white foam, very similar to whisked egg whites. The technique was popularised at the end of 2014 by a French tenor, Joël Roessel, who shared his first chocolate mousses made with chickpea water. The name “aquafaba” was suggested the following year by an American internet user, Goose Wohlt. Since then, the technique has spread around the world of plant-based cooking.
How much aquafaba replaces one egg?
As a general rule, 3 tablespoons of aquafaba replace one whole egg, and 2 tablespoons replace one egg white. A 400 gram tin of chickpeas gives about 100 to 120 millilitres of liquid, enough to replace 3 to 4 egg whites.
A chocolate mousse for everyone
This mousse is ideal in lots of situations:
- For people with an egg allergy, who can finally enjoy this iconic dessert again.
- For anyone avoiding raw eggs, which classic mousse contains: some pregnant women, young children and other vulnerable people prefer to leave them out.
- For a plant-based table: made with dairy-free dark chocolate, the mousse is completely vegan.
- To reduce waste: you’re using an ingredient that usually ends up down the sink. The chickpeas themselves can go into a salad or hummus.
Does it taste of chickpeas?
That’s the question everyone asks, and the answer is no. The strong flavour of dark chocolate completely masks the faint pulse aroma of the aquafaba. A hint of vanilla and a pinch of salt complete the illusion. Try it: serve it without saying a word, and nobody will guess.
Our tips for a perfect mousse
Well-chilled aquafaba
Put the tin of chickpeas in the fridge the day before, or put the aquafaba in the freezer for 15 minutes before whisking. When it’s cold, it whips up faster and firmer.
A clean, dry bowl
As with egg whites, the slightest trace of grease will stop the aquafaba from whipping. Use a spotlessly clean, dry bowl, made of stainless steel or glass.
A pinch of salt and a little lemon
A pinch of salt at the start, then a few drops of lemon juice, stabilise the foam. Some people also use a pinch of cream of tartar, which is very effective.
Whisk for a long time
This is the main difference from eggs: aquafaba takes longer. Allow 5 to 10 minutes with an electric whisk on full speed. It’s ready when it forms stiff peaks on the end of the whisk and you can turn the bowl upside down without it sliding out. A hand whisk isn’t recommended: you’d need a great deal of patience.
Warm chocolate, not hot
The melted chocolate should have cooled until it’s just warm, around 35 to 40°C. Too hot, and it will make the mousse collapse; too cold, and it will seize into little grains.
Fold it in gently
First stir a large spoonful of whipped aquafaba into the chocolate to loosen it. Then add the rest in three batches, using a spatula and folding from the bottom up, never stirring vigorously. The mousse will lose a little volume, which is normal, but it should stay light and airy.
Which chocolate to choose?
Choose a dark cooking chocolate with 55 to 70% cocoa solids. A chocolate that’s too bitter gives a rather austere mousse; milk chocolate is harder to set and contains milk. Check the ingredients list if you want a vegan version: many dark chocolates contain traces of milk.
Variations
Spiced chocolate mousse
Add a pinch of cinnamon, cardamom and ginger and a touch of turmeric to the melted chocolate. You’ll find the warm flavours of our turmeric golden milk, in dessert form.
Chocolate orange mousse
Add the finely grated zest of an unwaxed orange to the melted chocolate.
Chocolate coffee mousse
Melt the chocolate with a tablespoon of espresso. The coffee deepens the chocolate flavour.
Storage
The mousse needs to chill for at least 4 hours in the fridge, ideally overnight, to set properly. It then keeps for 2 days in the fridge, covered with cling film. It’s more stable than many people imagine, but it’s best eaten within 24 hours.
What to do with the chickpeas?
Once you’ve saved the aquafaba, you’re left with a tin’s worth of drained chickpeas. Don’t let them go to waste: they keep for two to three days in the fridge in a sealed container. Use them in a chickpea, feta and cucumber salad, blend them into hummus with tahini, lemon and garlic, or roast them in the oven with a drizzle of oil and some spices for a crunchy snack. That way, a single tin gives you both a dessert and a savoury dish.
Frequently asked questions
Why won’t my aquafaba whip?
Often, the bowl isn’t perfectly clean, or the aquafaba is too thin. If so, reduce it by half over a low heat in a saucepan, let it cool completely, then whisk again.
Can I use the liquid from other pulses?
Yes, the liquid from white beans such as cannellini or haricot beans works too, but chickpea liquid is still the most reliable and the most neutral in flavour.
Can you freeze aquafaba?
Yes, in an ice cube tray. It keeps for several months in the freezer and whips perfectly once thawed.
