Free from Friday’s: Toasted hazelnut, coconut and chocolate mousse with Cinnamon spice

It’s egg free, dairy free, gluten-free, and can be nut free too. You thinking really? Yes well why not? Desserts after a meal are enjoyed by all they should be enticing, appealing and eaten with your eyes before you even taste it, so what if you have allergies? Surely you don’t want to miss out on indulging desserts. This recipe was a on the spot recipe when I had some coconut milk left over in the fridge, previously used a few spoons to make curry and the rest, well it was a shame to waste it so it turned into this delicious tasting dessert. If you want a quick, easy but big on flavour dessert then this ticks all the boxes, you might even want to keep some coconut milk in the fridge, especially when it meets the dietary needs for those who are allergic to dairy. Although I have added nuts, you can omit these completely, you can also add different nuts perhaps roasted almonds or pistachios. If you are not keen on the taste of coconut, then I reassure you with the dark chocolate you can hardly taste the flavour of coconut. A dessert that can be made in advance, enjoyed by adults and kids and with no sugar added now that’s a treat . An indulging smooth, velvety chocolate mousse, with added crunch from toasted hazelnuts and coconut, hmmmm a combination that can never fail 🙂

 

 

 

Toasted hazelnut, coconut and chocolate mousse with Cinnamon spice- Gluten free, Eggfree, Dairy Free, No added sugar

Preparation time:20-25 minutes
Chilling time: overnight or 8 hours
Serves: 4-6 dependent on serving size

Ingredients:
2 x 400ml can of rich and creamy coconut milk (I used Natco)- do not use light. Place cans in fridge to chill overnight. This allows the water to separate from the cream.
2 Tsp Splenda or alternative sweetener
200g Dark chocolate 3/4 Tsp ground cinnamon
30g Hazelnuts- optional, omit if making nut free or choose alternative
4 Tbsps desiccated coconut
Raspberries for garnish

Method:
1. Take your chilled coconut cans, turn them upside down and open. Once you open them you will see water has separated and come to the top, discard this water.
2. Empty the thick cream into a bowl together with splenda, using electric whisk, whisk on high speed for a bout 1 minute. Place the bowl in the fridge to chill.
3. Whilst the cream is chilling, break dark chocolate into equal pieces, place in a microwave safe bowl and melt in microwave in 30 second bursts until the chocolate has melted completely. Stir in ground cinnamon into the melted chocolate leave to cool down till just warm.
4. Now in a pan on low heat toast desiccated coconut and then toast hazelnuts.
5. Once hazelnuts have cooled down, roughly pound them in a pestle and mortar. Leave 1 tablespoon of chopped nuts aside for garnish.
6. Remove the chilled whipped cream from the fridge, pour int he melted chocolate and whip the cream and chocolate together. Once all mixed, stir in the toasted hazelnuts.
7. Scoop the mousse into dessert glasses, garnish with coconut, hazelnuts and raspberries. Chill the dessert glasses in the fridge until required.