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Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Even Fruit Bats Like a Little Chocolate Now and Then

I am sorry to have been absent over the last month or two. Summer is in full swing around here and finding things for a bored 5 year old and an inquisitive 2 year old to do does not leave a lot of time for blogging. I have several posts I need to catch up on because I have been very busy in the kitchen!

I stumbled upon a recipe on Facebook a couple of weeks ago for a dairy free version of chocolate mousse. We try to encourage the kids to substitute fruit for a sugary dessert a lot of the time and they do so very willingly. It makes both me and my husband very proud that both of our kids would rather have kiwis or raspberries for dessert than a cookie. In fact, we have nicknamed them the "fruit bats" because they devour it like it is going out of style. But, like all of us, they enjoy having something sweet and decadent once in awhile. This dessert seemed perfect as a "Nate Friendly" dish.

It is called No Moo Chocolate Mousse and it came from a great blog I have recently discovered called 365glutenfree.com. The blogger's name is Andrew Cordova and he is publishing a new gluten free recipe every day this year. There are so many that I want to try in the near future, but this one really caught my eye because it brought back some great childhood memories. My family used to eat brunch every Sunday after church at the Officer's Club on base (my dad was in the Army for many years) and every week I would always look forward to the chocolate mousse they would have for dessert. It was something special that we couldn't get at home and it just seemed so elegant, served in a little glass dish with a dollop of whipped cream.

So, while I didn't have the fancy glass dishes (we used Gerber bowls), I wanted to make an elegant mousse that everyone in the family could enjoy and share in. Andrew's recipe looked quick and easy, which is what every mom or dad who is cooking for children wants to see! I whipped this up after dinner last night in about 10 minutes. I had already refrigerated the canned coconut milk so I didn't have to wait. This step is crucial because if you do not chill it you will not get the rich coconut creme that rises to the top as the water cools.

After scooping out the thick creme into a glass bowl I added the remaining ingredients and whisked it by hand for about 5 minutes. It was definitely not an easy task and I will probably rely on my electric mixer the next time I make this, but it was worth it! The mousse turned out amazingly light and fluffy, almost like a chocolate cloud. Both Nate and his big sister Olivia loved it and devoured every bite. My husband dipped graham crackers into his and declared it a winner.

And, as I am sure my daughter will be ecstatic to hear, you can even dip fruit in it! I think this recipe will become a family favorite. I hope you give it a try and check out Andrew's blog for more gluten free inspiration!



The Fruit Bats posed for a "post mousse" picture

 That smile is all I need to know that I did well!

Time to get ready for a bath!!

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