When I went to Paris over the summer, I got to see some famous sights:



    I also got to eat lots and lots of chocolate mousse. It's everywhere! You can find little pots of it in the dairy section of the grocery store, sitting nonchalantly next to the yogurt.

    When I returned to the United States, I was completely addicted to the stuff, but unable to find it in American grocery stores. I wanted to make my own, but the recipes I found contained raw eggs, something I don't eat. EVER. Not even when I'm baking cookies and the raw dough is calling out to me. So I looked on the internet and I found some intriguing recipes that used silken tofu as a substitute for raw eggs in chocolate mousse. This appealed to me, because I had never cooked with tofu before and I was curious to see if it would work. It seemed like the sort of thing someone would challenge you to make in a kitchen duel: Go on, make chocolate mousse with tofu. I dare ya!

    So I made it. And it was good. It wasn't the same as the mousses I ate in Paris, but it was something I would have no qualms about making again.

Ingredients:
*makes about 4 servings
1/2 lb silken tofu, drained in a colander
5 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 oz unsweetened chocolate
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup heavy cream, whipped

In a food processor or with a whisk in a mixing bowl, stir the tofu until it has a smooth, creamy consistency. Melt the chocolate chips and the bittersweet chocolate by microwaving them for about 1 minute, then stirring any unmelted pieces into the hot melted chocolate until they melt. Add this to the tofu and whisk it in until it is evenly distributed. Incorporate the maple syrup, vanilla, and sugar, then fold in the whipped cream gently, just until it is all mixed in. Spoon the mousse into glasses or ramekins, and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before eating. Keep refrigerated for up to 1 day.





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