This week, Vibe Israel (an Israeli nonprofit) invited me to a farewell cocktail party for a group of visiting vegan bloggers.
If you haven't heard of the organization, its mission is to strengthen Israel's image around the world. In other words, to show people a side of Israel they don't usually see on the news.
To do that, they invited three American vegan bloggers and one Canadian to experience—and, mostly, eat—the incredible variety of vegan food we have here. The group was practically giddy, posting nonstop on social media.
Before meeting them, I decided I couldn't show up empty-handed.
My gift? Homemade chocolate bonbons with fillings like tahini, chocolate espresso, and marzipan. Now that's my kind of project.
I spent the entire weekend tempering chocolate and dreaming up bonbon fillings. By the end, my kitchen looked like a chocolate factory had exploded. (Good thing this was before the Passover cleaning.)
Wow. So much work for one little bonbon. But absolutely worth it. 🙂
After that, my family had a request for the Passover seder (the holiday's ritual dinner): a quick vegan dessert, low in calories and fat. And, if possible, one that wouldn't destroy the kitchen.
Tofu and Rice Cakes for Dessert – Hear Me Out
Yes, this quick vegan dessert contains rice cakes. They give the mousse a little extra volume.
Tofu takes the place of cream, giving the mousse a wonderfully creamy texture along with protein, calcium, and very little fat.
The best part? It took me exactly 5 minutes to make. And 3 minutes to devour.
It's full of rich chocolate espresso flavor, with no trace of tofu flavor. The white chocolate adds an extra-sweet finish.
I don't know about you, but I'll be making this all year long—not just for Passover.
Nutrition information provided by Noam Bachar (an Israeli clinical dietitian and fitness instructor):
Each serving glass of mousse contains 180 calories, 15 g carbohydrates, 5 g protein, and 7.5 g fat.
Skip the white chocolate and you'll save 40 calories.
Looking for another indulgent chocolate dessert for Passover?
Quick Vegan Chocolate Espresso Mousse
Ingredients
- 300 g (10.6 oz) silken tofu or regular tofu, cubed
- 100 g (3.5 oz) dark chocolate
- 4 rice cakes unsalted
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 50 g (1.8 oz) dairy-free white chocolate optional
- 1 cup lungo espresso (a long pull) If serving children, replace the espresso with 1/2 cup soy milk.
Instructions
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Melt the dark chocolate in the microwave or in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water.
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Add the tofu, melted chocolate, espresso, and cocoa powder to a food processor. Blend until smooth.
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Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
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Just before serving, crumble the rice cakes into the chocolate mousse and stir well.
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Divide among 6 serving glasses.
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Melt the white chocolate in the microwave.
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Drizzle 1 teaspoon of melted white chocolate over each glass.
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Serve and enjoy!
