Chocolate Mousse Pie with Orange Zest

A chocolate dessert that is actually good for you? Believe it! Not only is this chocolate mousse pie delicious, it is also healthy and easy to make.

A word to the newbie vegan baker… don’t be turned off from the tofu ingredient. It adds to the thickness and makes the pie more dense. We use tofu a lot in our dishes. It can be a great substitute for eggs and is full of protein, iron and calcium. Tofu is also low in calories. All good things in our book.

Ingredients

Pie Filling:
10 oz. grain-sweetened chocolate chips (we use the Sunspire brand bought at Whole Foods or Mom’s Organic Market)

1 cup maple syrup

zest and juice of 1 orange

14 oz. extra-firm silken tofu (we use the boxed Mori-Nu brand that isn’t refrigerated bought at Whole Foods or Mom’s Organic Market)

Pie Crust:
Adapted from Mi-Del graham cracker box

1 (8-ounce) sleeve Mi-Del Graham crackers (about 25 crackers)

5 tablespoons Earth Balance buttery spread, melted

2 tablespoons maple syrup

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Pinch salt

1. Preheat your oven to 350° F. Position a rack in the center of the oven.
2. To make the pie crust:  In a food processor, pulse the graham crackers and salt until finely ground. Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Stir in the butter, syrup and vanilla. The mixture should resemble wet sand. Press the crust evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake the crust until lightly colored and dry to the touch, about 15 minutes. Cool completely before filling.
3. While waiting for the crust to cool, start making the pie filling by melting chocolate chips in a double-broiler.
4. Drain the tofu and blend in food processor thoroughly
5. Add chocolate to blended tofu and mix well
6. Zest and squeeze juice from one orange. Place the zest and orange juice in separate bowls.
7. Add ¾ of zest to mixture (save ¼ of zest for top of completed pie)
8. Add juice to mixture and blend
9. Add 1 cup of maple syrup
10. Pour into pie crust
11. Sprinkle remaining orange zest
12. Place completed pie into refrigerator for about 1 hour until firm to the touch

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Tagged: Chocolate, chocolate mousse pie, Dairy-free, Dessert, double broiler, food, Healthy, inch pie plate, Macrobiotic, melting chocolate chips, No dairy, No sugar, Orange, Pie, Sugar-free, Tofu, tofu ingredient, vegan, Vegetarian