So, do I know my readers? Tofu? Can I hear ewwws out there? Don’t be a naysayer until you’ve tried it.
Right off the get-go, I’ll just share that I’m not a fan of tofu. Back in the day I’d leave the tofu squares at the bottom of the soup bowl at a Chinese restaurant. Still would if I’m eating at a Chinese restaurant (I’m not). Didn’t and don’t like the texture. Tofu, in and of itself, has very little flavor. You know that, right? But that doesn’t make me want to eat it in cubes in much of anything. There is a tofu dip here on my blog that’s actually very good.
This recipe I got at a cooking class many, many months ago. Way back when I was still attending such things. I’m certainly not at the moment. And may not be for a very long time. Sigh. But anyway, Susan had found this recipe on the ‘net, at the Food Network. I’m not sure which type of tofu she used at the class, but it was so runny it hardly seemed like pudding once she whizzed up this dessert. It was more like a sauce. But I liked it. Just didn’t like the thin type texture. So over the last many months I’ve tried it twice. The original recipe called for silken. But I tried it first with firm tofu. It was way too firm, even though I thinned it out with some milk. I asked my neighbor, who is still doing some of my shopping for me (but now I’m able to order online and drive in front of my local market and they put the groceries in my trunk – yeah!), if she’d buy me some silken tofu. Well, Trader Joe’s was the grocery of choice for her, that day, so I got what they had. And funnily enough, the box didn’t say which style tofu it was. It wasn’t as firm as “firm,” but it was still fairly so. Definitely not silken. Perhaps Susan used silken and it was too soft.
The recipe calls for cocoa powder, Dutch processed. I used an extra dark cocoa that I buy from either Penzey’s or King Arthur and it’s not Dutched. It’s richer and darker than usual, but you can easily use grocery-store bought cocoa like Hershey’s. Their extra-dark is actually very good. In this recipe, I can’t imagine the Dutch type is important, so I don’t know why it specifically calls for it.
What I will tell you is that this dessert – that really is more like a pudding than a mousse – is so incredibly easy and quick, you won’t quite believe it when I tell you you can whip it up in 10 minutes or less. It does like to be chilled for awhile, however. When I made this batch (pictured above) it made 6 little cups of pudding. You might eke out 7 if you tried. Even though it’s tofu, it’s rich, creamy, and very satisfying. I used one of my brands of artificial sugar (Lankanto monkfruit, my current fav) and couldn’t tell the difference from using regular sugar.
The chocolate, cocoa, a little bit of water and brandy are heated until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Then you add in the sugar (which cools it down), then you add it to the tofu in a blender or food processor (I used the latter). If you whiz it up for a bit, it makes the texture very pudding-like smooth. See if you like the texture (not smoothness but the thickness). If it’s too stiff, add a tablespoon or two of milk to thin it slightly. Spoon or pour the pudding into little cups and chill for at least an hour. I left them open (meaning, uncovered) in my frig for days and the top never developed a skin.
Susan whipped up real cream. I used the canned type since I had some, and forgot to add the chocolate shavings to garnish it.
What’s GOOD: so easy. So rich, chocolaty and creamy. Loved the texture, even though I know I’m eating tofu, it doesn’t seem like it. Would make a great company dessert. I promise you, no one is going to know it’s tofu. You don’t have to tell them. This is also a GF dessert – no thickening used.
What’s NOT: only that you’ll have to plan ahead and have some tofu on hand. Don’t use silken or firm. Something in-between.
printer-friendly PDF and MasterCook file (click link to open recipe)
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Dark Chocolate Pudding Mousse with Tofu
Recipe By: From a cooking class with Susan V, Feb. 2020
Serving Size: 6
19 ounces tofu — drained (don’t use firm or silken)
4 ounces dark chocolate — bittersweet preferably, high quality, finely chopped
1/3 cup cocoa — preferably Dutch-processed
1/3 cup water
1 1/2 tablespoons brandy
1/2 cup sugar — plus 1 tablespoon
TOPPING (makes a very small amount):
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons chocolate — shaved on top
1. In a blender or food processor, puree the tofu until it is smooth.
2. Put the chopped chocolate, cocoa powder, water and brandy in a saucepan or heat-proof bowl fitted over a pot containing 1-inch barely simmering water. Stir frequently, until melted and smooth. Remove from heat.
3. Mix in 1/2 cup of sugar, a little at a time, until smooth. Add the chocolate mixture to the tofu and puree until smooth and well blended, scraping down the sides once or twice. Taste for thickness – if too thick, add a little bit of milk (1-2 tablespoons) and re-whiz until it’s to your liking. Spoon the mousse into serving dishes, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.
4. TOPPING: Whip the cream with a beater. When the cream is almost completely whipped, add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of sugar and finish whipping. Top each serving with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of chocolate shavings and serve.
Per Serving: 294 Calories; 15g Fat (44.4% calories from fat); 9g Protein; 32g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 14mg Cholesterol; 20mg Sodium; 28g Total Sugars; trace Vitamin D; 348mg Calcium; 7mg Iron; 258mg Potassium; 150mg Phosphorus.
hddonna
said on July 27th, 2020:
I did a chocolate pudding or mousse with silken tofu once–I think it was a Molly Katzen recipe, and as I remember, it was very good. This one looks good, too.
I see you mentioned the book Wesley the Owl. Is that something that would be suitable to read to my 6-year-old grandson?
Oh, absolutely it would be a good one for a 6-year old. There are a few relationship chapters that you could skip over. I gave the book (on kindle) to my grandson who is 12. I’m not sure he finished it, but he said he liked it. . . carolyn t<\em>
hddonna
said on July 27th, 2020:
I made the other comment without rereading your post, forgot what you said in the introduction about tofu. I wouldn’t say “ew,” but I normally wouldn’t go out of my way to eat it, either. I’d be interested in trying the kind that’s pressed, soaked in a tasty marinade, and fried, but it doesn’t appeal to me as a protein substitute simply because meat, eggs, and fish don’t have carbs and tofu does. The mousse I tried was fine, though–as you said, no one would guess it was tofu.
Yes, we’re in agreement, in general, about tofu! . . . carolyn t