Oregon Grape and Chocolate Mousse: Early Fall is Purple

One bite of these silky, light mousses with capture your attention. Velvety chocolate mousse compliments a sharp and brightly-colored Oregon grape mousse. Extra bonus: they are entirely plant-based!

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Early fall has always carried the colors of dusky purple and deep charcoal greys and browns for me. Where others notice orange leaves and pumpkins, I see the wild yeast blush on the elderberries and the lavender brushstrokes of distant mountains. 

Part of this is undoubtedly my synaesthesia. Synaesthesia is a neurological condition where some senses become linked. (It’s absolutely fascinating, and I highly recommend doing more research if it piques your curiosity.) My kinds of synaesthesia bless me with color. Everything has a color - every letter, every word, every name, every sound, touch, smell, etc. Seasons have colors too. And whether it feels “correct” or not, early fall is like walking into a fog of purple. That’s why you’ll see so many of these tones in these posts/pages. I’d love to invite you on a little journey of how I perceive this time of year. 

Settle in and slow down your breathing. The chill in the air is your permission to snuggle up and feel cozy. Picture the light blue-grey blush on late season plums and ripe elderberry clusters, giving both a hazy lavender appearance. Gaze into the campfire at the blue-purple flames where it is hottest, watch the smoke curling upwards in silky grey swirls, temporarily obstructing the view of stars spilled across the sky. Notice the lengthening shadows and the purples that lurk there. See the first frost of the year adorn the woods, giving them shimmers of grey-green and silver, ephemeral previews of what is to come. Sink into the color of distant mountains. Nibble the perfectly glossy drupes of a ripe wild blackberry. Allow the color of dusk to fill you with peace as you sit amongst the lavender in the evenings, earlier and earlier. Let it envelop you, enchant you, delight you, and demonstrate the glorious duality of the midpoint between the longest day and the longest night. Can you feel it? Will you join me? 

Here, a soft blanket of dusk to wrap you in. A spoon for this dessert that is at once light and rich, soft and sharp, summer and autumn. Get lost in the purples with me. You can indulge in all the pumpkins and maple leaves later; in this world, purple is the color of this moment, and it is beautiful. 

Oregon Grape and Chocolate Mousse 

Serves 6-8, depending on the size of your cups

Have the low, holly-like bushes of Oregon Grape caught your eye too? Though this plant is not in the grape family, the lovely blue clusters of berries look absolutely entrancing. Take a little nibble and you’ll be surprised, though - those berries are sour and bitter! Definitely not something you would want to eat on their own. Simmer them down with some lemon juice and sugar and they will mellow out nicely. 

These plant-based desserts are easy to whip up and are high in protein and the antioxidants in both Oregon Grape berries and chocolate. I used this recipe as inspiration, then adapted it to fit both recipes. I hope you enjoy them! Make one recipe at a time so that the first one can set before you layer in the second. I think you will be delighted at the balance of this dessert. The mousses are both airy, filled with little air pockets that pop in your mouth. The chocolate is rich and sweet, the perfect balance to the tart brightness of the Oregon grape mousse. Not too sweet, not too heavy; the perfect end to a purple day. 

Chocolate mousse: 

4 oz dark chocolate 

8 oz silken soft tofu

Pinch of salt 

½ c. soft pitted dates

¼ c. amaretto 

¼ c. aquafaba

¼ tsp. Cream of tartar

Directions: 

1. Soak the dates with amaretto for an hour. 

2. Chop and melt dark chocolate. Set aside to cool slightly (but make sure it remains melted.) 

3. Add the infused dates, tofu, and salt  to a blender on medium speed and blend until smooth. Slowly drizzle in the cooled dark chocolate and blend until everything is combined. Cover the blender and set aside. 

4. Whip the aquafaba until frothy, then add the cream of tartar and beat until it holds stiff peaks. Blend the tofu mixture in the blender a little more, then pour into a bowl. Gently fold in the aquafaba, then spoon into glasses to set for a couple of hours. Once set, you can make the second mousse. Tip: To get a lovely diagonal line, tip the serving glasses on their side and prop up slightly. Pour the mousse in gently and carefully so it is as neat as possible.  

Oregon Grape Mousse 

7 oz oregon grape berries (About 1 ½ c.) 

¼ c. water

1 Tbs. lemon juice 

½ c. sugar (or more if you are sensitive to sour flavors) 

1 tsp. Agar Agar  powder

8 oz silken tofu, at room temp

¼ c. aquafaba 

¼ tsp. Cream of tartar 

Directions: 

1. Add the oregon grape berries, water, and lemon juice, to a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook until the berries have softened, about 20 minutes. 

2. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve to extract the juice. You should have about ½ c. of juice. Measure it to be sure (adding water to make up ½ c. if you don’t have quite enough), then return the juice to the saucepan. Whisk in the sugar until it is dissolved, then whisk in the agar agar powder and bring to a boil, then simmer for 3 minutes. 

3. Add to the blender with the tofu and blend until smooth and creamy. Set aside, keeping the mixture covered and in the blender. 

4. Whip the aquafaba until frothy, then add the cream of tartar and keep whipping. It should be stiff. Blend the berry mixture for a few more seconds, then pour into a large bowl. Add the whipped aquafaba and gently fold in. Pour into the serving dishes and let set for at least an hour. 

To serve: Melt and temper* some dark chocolate and spread onto a nonstick baking sheet. Let harden, then paint with edible pearlescent paint. Break into shards and top the mousse with the shards and maybe an edible flower or two. Serve immediately. 

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