Chocolate Mousse Cake Recipe (GF) (LF)

Chocolate Mousse Cake is yummy but a bit different. Similar in texture to cheesecake, you'll love this one if you're lactose-intolerant. Again, amazingly it's also gluten-free and vegan - no animal products here. I used 4 mini-springform pans here but a single 20-24cm springform pan can be used. 

Chocolate Mousse Cake

INGREDIENTS:

For Base:
2 cup ground almonds
1/2 cup ground toasted pecans
1/2 cup almond meal
4 tbsp melted margarine
1/2 tsp baking soda

For Filling:
1 pkt (~320g) silken tofu
2 cups (~340g) vegan chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla essence

For Garnish:
Berries such as blueberries, raspberries, boysenberries etc

METHOD:

For Base:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius.
Lightly oil 4 mini-springform pans [or a single 20-24cm springform pan]
Combine almond and pecan ingredients into a bowl.
Mix in baking soda.
Stir in melted margarine.
Press into springform pan(s) using the back of a spoon.

Pressing in the base...

Bake for 10 minutes.
Remove from oven and leave to cool.

For Filling:
Place tofu and vanilla essence into a blender (or food processor with an 's' blade).
Over a double boiler, melt chocolate.
Add melted chocolate to blender and quickly start whizzing the mixture until smooth.
Spoon into cooled bases in the springform pans and level off with a spatula.

Adding the Filling

Place into fridge for at least 2 hours or until set.

All filled, levelled off and now in the fridge to set

To remove, gently warm the outside of the tin before removing outer ring of the pan.
Serve with a mixture of berries.

Quick Tips:
- I don't have a double boiler so to melt the chocolate I use a glass or metal bowl on top of a saucepan of boiling water - just need to be careful of the steam, I often wear an oven glove on the hand holding the bowl.
 - You can also use a microwave to melt the chocolate by microwaving in stints of no more than 20 seconds at a time (often much less once heated through), stirring in between each stint.
 - Make sure you start whizzing the filling mixture as soon as the melted chocolate has been added because the chocolate will start cooling and solidifying as soon as you add it.
- If you don't have berries, fresh oranges can be used; this is more than just garnish, it helps to cut through the richness of the chocolate filling by giving a refreshing fruity burst.

Enjoy!

New York Cheesecake Recipe

New York Cheesecake is another well-known favourite. Many variations have been created but I reckon this one is pretty good. Served with fresh raspberries, berry couli and chocolate cream, this cheesecake is just irrisistably delicious!

New York Cheesecake

INGREDIENTS:
250g digestive biscuits
65g unsalted butter, melted
1kg cream cheese
2 Tbsp milk
350g caster sugar
3 Tbsp flour
finely grated zest of a lemon
finely grated zest of an orange
5 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 vanilla pod

METHOD:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius
Put biscuits into a food processor or blender and process until they finely crumbed.
Add butter and mix well.
Press biscuit mixture into the bottom of a 22cm round springform pan.
Place onto a baking tray and bake for 12 minutes then remove from oven to cool.
Increase oven heat to 220 degrees celcius.
Using electric beaters, beat together cream cheese, milk, flour, sugar and zests until smooth.
Add eggs one at a time, beating them into the mixture using a low speed.
Beat in the egg yolks.
Split the vanilla pod, scrap out the seeds and beat into the mixture.
Beat until smooth, Be sure to scrap the sides of the bowl to ensure the misture is thoroughly combined.
Pour mix into springform pan on top of biscuit base.
Bake in oven for 12 minutes.
Turn down oven temperature to 100 degrees celcius and continue baking for 1 hour.
Turn off oven and leave to cool in the oven for 1 hour with the oven door ajar.
Remove from the oven and place the springform pan on a cooling rack to cool.
Place in refridgerator for at least 6 hours before serving
Carefully remove cheesecake from springform pan and cut using a heated knife.
Serve with  berry couli, fresh raspberries and chocolate cream.

Enjoy!

Just desserts here