This chocolate mousse is so rich and fluffy… it should be terrible for you.
But it isn’t.
In fact, it’s loaded with healthy fats, NO added sugar, and contains a “secret” ingredient–> Irish Moss.
Now don’t give up on this recipe just yet! I know Irish Moss sounds like an intimidating ingredient… which is why, up to this point, I haven’t used much of it, either.
It’s seaweed.
It’s weird looking.
I know… and I get it.
But, seriously, you should try it if you haven’t. It’s now easy to find (with free shipping on Amazon!), and check out it’s potential health benefits:
- Traditionally the main use of Irish Moss is in respiratory illness where it is often the core of prescriptions to treat irritating coughs, bronchitis and many other lung problems.
- It has been used as a food in maintenance diets for diabetes patients.
- Its primary role was in speeding recuperation from debilitating illness, especially T.B. and pneumonia.
- Recent research has shown an anti-viral property against the influenza B and the mumps viruses.
[source]
Really, the only challenge that comes with using Irish Moss is needing a bit of forethought. You will need to rinse it off, then soak it for 24 hours before it’s ready to use. (It can soak for up to a week, though, if you like!)
We can all handle that, right?
Oh, and I highly recommend using a kitchen scale when working with Irish Moss. It’s kind of a weird ingredient to stick in a measuring cup… so a scale is much more accurate!
Okay, now that we’ve gotten that out of the way… let’s make some chocolate mousse! It’s worth it, I promise.
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Sugar-Free Chocolate Mousse
Makes about 2 cups (4 servings)adapted from Sweet Gratitude
Ingredients:
3/4 ounce Irish Moss (soaked at least 24 hours, and dried well)
2 cups almond milk, divided
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
3 dropper-fulls of NuNaturals liquid stevia, or to taste
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
6 Tablespoons coconut oilDirections:
In a high-speed blender, blend together the Irish Moss and 1 cup of the almond milk.
Blend until it is completely smooth, as you don’t want chunks of seaweed in your mousse!
Then add in the other cup of almond milk, cocoa powder, vanilla, stevia, and salt– everything except the coconut oil.
Blend again, until smooth, then add the coconut oil in at the very end, for one final round of blending. The chocolate mixture should be warm from all that blending, letting the coconut oil emulsify smoothly!
Adjust sweetness to taste, if necessary.
Pour the warm mousse into a container, cover and place in the fridge to set for 4-6 hours.
I prefer to make this mousse ahead of time, and let it set overnight so that it gets really cold and fluffy!
See that awesome, fluffy texture? It’s from the coconut oil–> so don’t try to skimp on it! Coconut oil is loaded with healthy fats, that have been thought to aid in weight loss, so don’t be scared of the fat content.
It’s totally worth it.
Blend until it is completely smooth, as you don’t want chunks of seaweed in your mousse!
Pour the warm mousse into a container, cover and place in the fridge to set for 4-6 hours.
See that awesome, fluffy texture? It’s from the coconut oil–> so don’t try to skimp on it! Coconut oil is loaded with healthy fats, that 
It’s totally worth it.But don’t take my word for it… go try it for yourselves! 😉
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Reader Feedback: Have you ever tried using Irish Moss? Any other ingredients you’re intimidated of?
I love Irish moss, I have a huge tub of Irish moss gel in my fridge right now. I wonder what the equivalent of 3/4 ounce is once it’s in gel form…hmm…
What ratio do you use to make the gel? I’ve seen recipes that call for 1 cup Irish Moss (about 2 oz. of moss) + 1 cup water, so depending on how much gel that makes (maybe 2 cups or so?) you could probably figure it out from there!
Um, wow. I want some!
yum! we love irish moss! we made a video making irish moss paste which is how we use it is recipes. never weighed it before.
So need to make this is in mint and vanilla and cinnamon and maca and cherry flavors;)
Mmmm… I think mint chocolate flavor is up next for me! 🙂
I want to make this! I am going to prepare my irish moss tonight!
How much does 3/4 of an ounce dry irish moss equal when soak? (in ounces? or cups?) I’d like to know because 24 hours is a long soaking time and maybe I can make more at once!
Thanks for another great recipe!
I measured 3/4 oz. dry before soaking, just to make sure I would have enough– and I ended up having an extra 1/2 oz. after soaking the 24 hours.
Hope that helps!
Oh I’ve so been wanting to try irish moss, you beat me to it!
*adds to shopping list*
I wasn’t convinced (I rarely plan ahead!) until I got to the photos showing the texture of this mousse – it looks fantastic!
Honestly, I didn’t think I’d be impressed until I tried it the next day (I left it in the fridge overnight)– holy cow. It’s unreal how good it is!!
WOW! I’ve only just heard of Irish Moss but you’ve given me a great reason to try it! Looks like a great little dessert!
This looks soooo good! Do you know of a good substitute for stevia? Maybe a couple of dates?
Yes dates would work, as would some agave or maple syrup! (just reduce the almond milk a bit if you’re using a liquid sweetener)
Never tried Irish Moss and I have no idea what the heck it is….well, before I saw it here!!!! What an interesting mousse, but I like it and want to try!! Thanks lovie!!
xxoo
I learned something new today! Next time I will take a better look at Irish Moss at the store!
looks like an epic recipe! i’m just unsure about the amount if stevia to use, you didn’t mean just 3 drops? stevia is so bitter!
No, not just 3 drops– each “dropperful” is about 12 drops each, so closer to 36 drops for this large batch of mousse, but you can always taste as you go to adjust it to your preferred level of sweetness.
Some brands of stevia are very bitter, or have a strange aftertaste, which is why I specifically named NuNaturals liquid stevia in the ingredient list for this recipe. It’s the best brand I’ve ever tried, and doesn’t have a bitter flavor at all!
I love using irish moss even to nut based meal like dressing or dip and reduced amount of nut then. Thanks for sharing this I have to try it as soon as possible:-)
Awesome! Hahaha.. funnily enough, the day you posted this yuminess I had my own craving for chocolate and made an almost raw vegan sugar-free chocolate mouse too 🙂 i used a little bit of agar agar instead of irish moss. This stuff tastes sinful!
Hello again. I have one more question (sorry to bother you)
When the coconut oil is added, should it be melted? or should it be solid?
Thanks!
I’m not sure it matters if you’re using a high-speed blender. My kitchen is chilly right now, so the coconut oil was solid when I added it– but my blender is powerful enough to heat up the mixture while blending! If you’re using a less-powerful blender, I’d recommend melting the oil first, to make sure it gets well incorporated.
I haven’t tried irish moss…I haven’t found it in stores around here either so I’m thinking it’s time to break down and order some! The mousse looks so delicious!!
I made this last night…first time using Irish Moss…and it did taste a little seaweed-y to me! But I think I was just tweaking myself out because I had been handling the seaweed the day before. But my boyfriend, who doesn’t have the mental block, loves it! So I’ll be making it a lot, and I’m sure my aversion will disappear. I had been looking for a great D4W-friendly recipe for the stuff…so thank you so much!
The first time I ever worked with Irish Moss, I thought it tasted seaweed-y, too. I noticed that the longer it soaks, the more that flavor disappears, so feel free to leave some soaking in your fridge for 48-72 hours before using it next time. Now, I don’t notice the smell or flavor AT ALL… so maybe I just got used to it?
My husband is my go-to taste tester and he couldn’t taste it at all, either. 😉 Hope you enjoy it again soon!
Hi! I have another question about this recipe. Mine turned out like jello (i.e. it wasn’t like your picture, where you can scoop it out like ice-cream…) Do you know what might have gone wrong? I didn’t change the recipe – unless 2 tablespoons less of coconut oil would have done that (I used 4 instead of 6)…
Yes, reducing the coconut oil will definitely affect the texture! The coconut oil is what creates the mousse-like texture, so reducing it even by 2 Tablespoons will affect your results.
Also, the longer you let the mousse set in the fridge, the firmer it will get. I prefer to let it set overnight for best results. Hope that helps! 🙂
Would this freeze well into more of an ice cream texture?
I left mine in the freezer once, and it became very icy– more like a granita than ice cream– but it did thaw back into a mousse texture!
How much xylitol to substitute for the liquid stevia? This looks HEAVENLY.
I have no idea, as I haven’t worked much with xylitol. Perhaps a Google search might come up with some measurements for substituting? When using zero-calorie sweeteners, I usually just start by adding a small amount, and taste as I go! 🙂
wow! i cant wait to try this out! but will the coconut oil be too strong? i once baked a cake with coconut oil as per the recipe and the flavor was too overwhelming. :-O
I think the flavor can vary based on brand and type. I’ve heard that expeller-pressed coconut oil has less of a strong flavor than the cold-pressed version. I don’t think the flavor is overwhelming in this recipe, but I do enjoy the taste of coconut… so I may not be the best judge! If you try it, I hope you’ll enjoy it!
thanks! i’m definitely going to try this. it looks way too tempting 🙂
I am currently doing a sugar detox. This mousse looks heavenly. I am curious, does the Irish moss actually do anything for the mousse? can this recipe be made and successful without the moss? I am interested in the moss because of it’s potential health benefits.
The Irish moss is there for a whipped, light texture. I’ve made it without the Irish moss once, but I had to add extra coconut oil to keep the mousse-like texture.
Oh my goodness! My grandmother and I would collect Irish Moss when it was ripe on our favorite beach in MA and make chocolate custard from the 1930s Fanny Merritt Farmer cookbook (also very New England). I loved to make it with her every year and now…..I am thinking I can dry it out if I find some that is in season when I go and save it for a later time….that would be too cool! I HAVE to make this! My grandmother passed away this year….HAVE to try this when I go to our favorite beach this year….here is hoping I can find some nice white Irish Moss while walking the beach this year!!! Also the quality of the Irish Moss, it is a thickener, gelatin-type substance and can be used in some recipes from what I hear in lieu of gelatin and that is what gives the custard its body, that is probably what happens when you whip it and why it was so different without it. P.S. I have been totally loving your website. Thank you so much for all the wonderful ideas! You are amazing!
I have some powdered Irish moss. Do you know how much I would need if I used the powdered stuff?
This mousse is one of life’s true pleasures. I have enjoyed it at Cafe Gratitude and have made it at home. I like it with 3 dates added and less stevia. I am making it right now after soaking the Irish moss 3 days. Blending it a lot there are still tiny chunks of the moss. Any idea how to get it smoother?
Can’t wait to try this! Since I don’t have a scale, would you guess roughly how many tablespoons of Irish moss in the recipe? Also, is a sachet of Nustevia equivalent to 3 drops of the liquid version?
I want to try this recipe and have been reading through the comment questions that ask how many cups of already soaked irish moss this recipe calls for and there isn’t a clear answer. Would be great if you could please post that for those of us that don’t have food scales 🙂 ie. is it ½ cup soaked irish moss? Thanks!
I’m currently counting calories and working my way down the scale. This recipe is a staple I’ve made probably four times this month. My friends can’t believe how delicious it is. Thank you. Dieting never tasted this good.