Recipe: Cupid’s Whipped Dark Chocolate Mousse
Just when January has frozen all the joy out of our lives, along comes February and the promise of Cupid’s arrow. Valentine’s Day is only a few weeks away and we’re dreaming of love. And boy, do we love chocolate! So why not sweet talk some of the calories out of a chocolate mousse made for two? That’s exactly what we did with Cupid’s Whipped Dark Chocolate Mousse.
This fancy dessert is super easy, with only a few ingredients, a zap in the microwave, and a quick whisk. Enjoy it plain or get creative with your favorite toppings—store bought low-cal whipped cream, berries, or chocolate shavings. Or try our secret ingredient that’s available conveniently close to our Springfield clinic. Guess which ingredient that is from the photo below:
Yes, it’s the Labne, a sort of creamy cheese made from Kefir and packed with protein. It’s optional, of course, but we explain how it’s used in the final steps of the recipe. So more on it and where to find it later in this blog.
The rest of the ingredients are easy to find in your local grocery store, although you may have to move a few of the milk chocolate chip bags to get to the good stuff. You want dark chocolate for this recipe so you get tons of chocolate flavor with fewer sugary chips than it would take with a lighter chocolate. Plus you get the bonus of the antioxidants and other healthier benefits of dark vs light chocolate. And the Lily’s brand we found at PriceCutter has no added sugar.
Start by measuring out 1/3 cup of chips and then melting it slowly in the microwave. We recommend a 50% power setting with pauses every 30 seconds to stir and check it the degree of melting. Remove the chocolate when it’s nearly totally melted and stir well, letting the lingering warmth finish melting the final small bits. Let the chocolate cool only a bit as you measure out the next ingredients. It will harden if left to cool too long.
Add your Greek yogurt, cocoa, pinch of salt and a little artificial sweetener (we used Swerve) to a small bowl or food processor and blend until smooth and fluffy. We found an electric whisk was perfect for this recipe, as it was easy to monitor the blending of the mousse and ensure we didn’t overly whip it, which might have made it watery.
Pro Tip: If your chips do have added sugar (ours didn’t) then omit the sweetener until your mixture is blended, then taste test. Add artificial sweetener only if needed.
Spoon the mousse into two serving dishes and refrigerate until it’s time to serve. Then get creative with toppings. Maybe a sprinkling of toasted almonds? A few Valentine candy hearts? A dab of whipped cream? We went Mediterranean with Labne. Yes, we finally got back to that secret ingredient! Labne packs more protein than whipped cream, adds a slightly exotic twist to a simple dessert, and makes a creamy base to showcase a few very pretty raspberries. You can find Labne in Springfield at the Old Town European Market, 1256 E. Republic, just down the street from Professional Weight Management, but remember that it’s optional. Your mousse will be delicious even plain!
Cupid’s Whipped Dark Chocolate Mousse
Servings: 2
Ingredients:
1/3 cups dark chocolate chips
3/4 cups plain Greek yogurt
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tablespoon Swerve (or artificial sweetener of your choice)
pinch salt
2 tablespoons Labne or low-fat whipped cream
Directions:
Melt chocolate chips in microwave at 50% power. Check and stir every 30 seconds until chocolate is melted and smooth. Let cool slightly.
Place yogurt, cocoa powder, Swerve and salt in a food processor. Add slightly cooled chocolate and blend until combined and fluffy. May also blend in small bowl with an electric whisk.
Divide between two small bowls or parfait glasses, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Each serving may be garnished with a tablespoonful of Labne or low fat whipped cream, fruit, or white chocolate shavings.
Nutrition per Serving: Calories 198 Protein: 8.5g