This Vegan Chocolate Chāi Mousse with Berries is an exclusive recipe from Dr. Sheil Shukla’s new cookbook Plant-Based India. Click here to find out where you can order it.
Table of Contents
About this Vegan Chocolate Chāi Mousse with Berries
This creamy mousse is subtly spiced with chāi flavors. The ground tea leaves give it a slightly astringent and bitter taste that contrasts well with sweet berries. This is best when fresh berries are at their summertime peak. The creaminess comes from silken tofu, available in vacuum-packed containers in the Asian or dairy aisles of many supermarkets. Not only is this dessert delicious, but it’s also nutritious! Dark chocolate and berries are rich in antioxidants. Berries have anti-cancer properties, and dark chocolate plays a role in heart health, too.
What You’ll Need
- 60 to 70 percent dark or semisweet chocolate, chopped
- maple syrup or desired sweetener
- unsweetened nondairy milk (such as oat or soy)
- chāi masala
- black tea leaves, optional
- silken tofu, at room temperature and drained
- vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- Pinch of salt
- Fresh berries, such as raspberries, sliced strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries
How to Make This Vegan Chocolate Chāi Mousse with Berries
Step one: start by boiling the water
Prepare a double boiler with 2 cups (240 ml) water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to low, keeping the water at a simmer. Place a steel or heatproof glass bowl on top. Be sure that it does not touch the water.
Step two: add the chocolate and chāi ingredients
Add the chocolate, maple syrup, milk, chāi masālā, and tea leaves (if using) to the double boiler and stir with a spatula until fully melted, 3 to 5 minutes. Alternatively, in a microwave, melt using 15-second pulses, stirring after each pulse. Be very careful not to scorch the chocolate.
Step three: bring it all together
Pour the chocolate mixture, tofu, vanilla, and salt into a blender, and blend until very smooth. Adjust the sweetener and chāi masālā to taste.
Step four: serve and enjoy!
Divide among 4 to 6 small cups, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Serve with fresh berries on top.
Vegan Chocolate Chāi Mousse Recipe Card
Vegan Chocolate Chāi Mousse with Berries
Ingredients
- 1 cup 150 g 60 to 70 percent dark or semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup or desired sweetener
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened nondairy milk - such as oat or soy
- 1 to 1½ teaspoons chāi masala
- 1 teaspoon black tea leaves - optional
- 12 ounces 340 g silken tofu, at room temperature and drained
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- Pinch of salt
- Fresh berries - such as raspberries, sliced strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries
Instructions
- Prepare a double boiler with 2 cups (240 ml) water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to low, keeping the water at a simmer. Place a steel or heatproof glass bowl on top. Be sure that it does not touch the water.
- Add the chocolate, maple syrup, milk, chāi masālā, and tea leaves (if using) to the double boiler and stir with a spatula until fully melted, 3 to 5 minutes. Alternatively, in a microwave, melt using 15-second pulses, stirring after each pulse. Be very careful not to scorch the chocolate.
- Pour the chocolate mixture, tofu, vanilla, and salt into a blender, and blend until very smooth. Adjust the sweetener and chāi masālā to taste.
- Divide among 4 to 6 small cups, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Serve with fresh berries on top.
Recipe from Plant-Based India: Nourishing Recipes Rooted in Tradition © Dr. Sheil Shukla, 2022. Reprinted by permission of The Experiment. Available everywhere books are sold. theexperimentpublishing.com. Click here to order a copy.
About the Cookbook
“Plant-Based India is packed with over 100 nutritious and authentic recipes drawn from my culinary heritage. I especially thank YOU for joining me along my journey, and I cannot wait for you to see the book in person. This book is for YOU! Each recipe is photographed by me, and I’ve included information regarding the health benefits of the ingredients used throughout. There is also a primer on the Indian pantry, so you’ll be well equipped to finding everything you’ll need to cook the recipes in the book!” – Sheil Shukla
About the Author
Dr. Sheil Shukla is an internal medicine physician, artist, and cook. He lives and works in the Chicagoland area, and he is passionate about plant-based nutrition and its applications to clinical medicine. He is the creator, recipe developer, and food photographer of @plantbasedartist on Instagram with over 60,000 followers. He is also a current contributor here at Best of Vegan. Although he loves exploring new cultures through their foods, his culinary interests are in South Asian and East Asian cuisines including the regional “thali” tradition of Gujarat, India.
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This looks delicious! And so easy to make. Just curious what is meant by “chai masala”? Do you mean a spice mixture? If so, could you break it down for those of us that don’t have a spice blend like that.
Hi! It is a blend of spices but can also sub pumpkin spice or a similar spice blend.
So delicious! I’ll be making this again soon.
Please clarify this for me: chai masala and tea leaves go right in. No straining? What’s going to happen to this mousse with tea leaves inside?
Hi! Yes, the tea leaves get blended in and add a subtle tea flavor/astringency.
I made this on Sunday and loved it! So good. I will definitely look into the cookbook as well. Thanks for the recommendation.