I recently made dinner for 3 other adults, all of whom are lactose-intolerant.  We had been out all day sightseeing, and I was worn out!  Fortunately, I know a thing or two about quick and easy cooking.  However, I soon realized that I don't know quite as much about quick and easy vegan/dairy-free desserts... Most of the ones I've made are a little more time-consuming.  I had plenty of fruit on hand (and cheese, but that wasn't going to work)... Dessert needed a little more something.

So I decided to make a dairy-free chocolate mousse.  It wasn't such a huge stretch since it's a slight variation on a nearly-dairy-free mousse that's in the cookbook (South Seas Chocolate Mousse).   But I have to say, I love my Valrhona chocolate, and those times that a recipe doesn't work out and perfectly good chocolate is wasted...there is no consoling me.  

Fortunately, it worked like a charm.  Here is the recipe, and it was wonderful (and took all but 5 minutes to whip up).   I filled each mini-ramekin with chocolate mousse and put it in the fridge for 2 hours.  Right before serving, I topped it with blueberries and mango.  It was delicious and very satisfying.  I would typically add mascarpone cheese to this recipe, but without it, the texture and taste was still very good.  Vegans and lactose-intolerant folks everywhere can rejoice.  And light coconut milk has a fraction of the calories of heavy cream...even better!

No Moo Mousse

Mousse:
2  bars (7-oz total) dark bittersweet chocolate such as Valrhona 71% Cacao
1 (14-oz) can Light Coconut Milk
2 Tbsp Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum or Malibu Caribbean Rum

Topping:
Any selection of fresh berries or mango

o    Microwave method to melt chocolate: Break up chocolate bars into squares (8 squares for each bar) and place in a small Pyrex bowl.  Microwave for 1 minute and stir.  Repeat with 30-second intervals, stirring after every interval until fully melted and waiting a minute between intervals to let the heat of the bowl dissipate.  Melting 2 chocolate bars should take about a total of 2 minutes.  Be careful not to burn the chocolate.
o    Add coconut milk and rum to your blender.  Pour melted chocolate into the blender and blend right away for about 30 seconds.  Pour or spoon mousse into individual cups and place in the fridge for at least one hour.  If you will be leaving them in the fridge longer than a couple of hours or making it the day before, cover mousse cups with plastic wrap.
o    Top each mousse cup generously with fresh fruit right before serving.

Prep time: 5-7 minutes. Make at least 2 hours ahead of time.
Makes 8 mousse cups