chocolate mousse with a twist

I just realized my last post was over a month ago.  I tried to come up with a good explanation, but I simply do not have one.  I am oh so sorry. One would think I have all the time in the world to cook, now that I am done with my summer job (it's actually been done for over 3 weeks!)  I spend my days in my chaise lounge chair, reading books, soaking up the sun, followed by long bike rides.  I have never, ever, EVER had a summer with days off allowing me to enjoy the sunshine and long afternoons, so I am taking full advantage of my time off now.  I have been doing some cooking and baking here-and-there and meant to share this recipe with you weeks ago when I made it for the first time for my mother's birthday celebration.  I have since made it again and it has officially become the talk of many conversations around here.  My mom and I have been slightly obsessed with the two cookbooks written by Heidi Swanson I purchased in May.  When Mama's birthday rolled around, I wanted to make something special that we had never had before, so I turned to Heidi's books for ideas.  The challenging part was finding a birthday dessert that was gluten free and fit for the chocolate goddess of the house: my mom. While flipping through the pages I saw this Amaretto-spiked dairy-less chocolate mousse, and knew there was no turning back.  I found the perfect recipe for a chocolate lover and it had to be made.  Best part: this mousse is out-of-this-world and impossible to mess up, which creates a perfect combination for a  Laura recipe. 

I must admit, I was slightly concerned about using tofu in a dessert but this fear dissolved immediately after tasting a spoonful of this rich, smooth, chocolate goodness.  I am learning that tofu is tremendously versatile and now keep it on hand at all times.  I am not going to go as far as to say this mousse is healthy, but in comparison to regular chocolate mousse (which is made with whipping cream and eggs) it is a much healthier choice and is NOT lacking in the flavor department!

Amaretto-spiked Chocolate Mousse (Heidi Swanson)
1/2 cup organic chocolate soy milk
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
12 ounces silken soft tofu
1/4 cup amaretto (almond liqueur)
1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
Fine-grain sea salt

Pour the chocolate milk into a small pot and bring to a simmer. Remove the milk from heat and let cool a bit while you melt down the chocolate chips. You can melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler or if you don't own a double-boiler, you can make one using a tiny saucepan set under a larger mixing bowl. Fill the tiny saucepan with an inch or two of water and bring barely to a simmer - place the big mixing bowl with the chocolate chips on top of the tiny saucepan and let the heat come up and gently warm the chips while you stir occasionally until completely melted. Remove from heat.
Add the soy milk and silken tofu to the melted chocolate chips. Process with a hand or regular blender until completely smooth. Stir in the Amaretto and almond extract. Taste and adjust for flavor, adding a bit more extract if needed.  Chill in individual bowls for at least 1 1/2 hours, the longer the better.  Makes 6 individual servings.

***We did not have any amaretto on hand, so I substituted Kahlua.  It was so wonderful, I did the same thing the second time I made the mousse.  I topped the mousse with a dollop of vanilla flavored Greek yogurt, a dusting of organic cocoa powder, slivered almonds and a fresh blackberry, it was Mom's birthday.