Guilt-free chocolate mousse pie

A gluten-free, vegan no-bake treat!

Oh, desserts, how I love you. Cakes, pies, cookies, ice cream – I really am enamoured of you all. I try not to overindulge but there are times when the allure of dessert is almost irresistible. The holiday season is one of those times, so I’ve put together a few tips to help indulge one’s sweet tooth without regret-inducing excess. Before we get to this great guilt-free pie (which also happens to be gluten-free AND vegan AND no-bake!), here are a couple of calorie-cutting suggestions:

  • When rolling pie crust (whether homemade or purchased), try to roll it a little thinner than you normally would. Believe it or not, this small gesture will cut quite a few calories from each serving of pie. This is more easily accomplished if you roll out your crust between two sheets of parchment paper.
  • Consider smaller pie pans, which lead to smaller servings. For my family, I like to make pies in a 6 or 7 inch (15 to 17.5 cm) pan. It’s the perfect size for us each to have one generous serving, and then the pie is GONE, removing future temptation. Little 4 inch (10 cm) pans are ideal for two small servings.
  • Ditch the crust! While I am a huge fan of pastry, many people prefer the filling portion of the pie. You can make a delicious up a batch of homemade pie filling by cooking up your favourite fruit with just a little bit of water, spices and a splash of maple syrup. For example, peel and core two apples, then cut into small pieces. Put the apple in a small saucepan with 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of water plus 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) each of powdered ginger and cinnamon. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until apples are softened. Add a tablespoon (15 mL) of maple syrup and let cool. Make several parfaits with vanilla yogurt and the apple pie filling, topped with a drizzle of honey or cinnamon balsamic.

As promised, here’s the guilt-free pie recipe. Enjoy. Have seconds.

For crust:

  • 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) raw almonds soaked overnight in water
  • 10 Mejool Dates, pitted
  • 1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) ground cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon (15 mL) maple syrup

For filling:

  • 3 medium sized ripe avocados
  • 1/2 cup (125 mL) good-quality cocoa powder
  • 2 tablespoons (30 mL) maple syrup (or to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon (5 mL) vanilla extract
  • fresh raspberries, to garnish

Method

  • Make the crust by draining the soaked almonds then grinding them finely in a food processor or sturdy blender. You may need to stir the mixture in the blender for even grinding.
  • Add the dates, cinnamon and maple syrup to the ground almonds then continue to blend; the mixture should start to stick together in a coarse dough-like consistency.
  • With your fingertips, press the crust mixture into the bottom or sides of a pie plate.
  • Make the filling by halving the avocados with a sharp knife and removing the pits. Scoop out the flesh and put in a clean food processor or blender. Add the cocoa, sweetener and vanilla and blend until thick and smooth, scraping down sides of blender a few times. Taste and add more maple syrup if you like. The filling should not be overly sweet.
  • Spoon the filling into the nut crust and level out the top.
  • Put in the freezer for about an hour to firm up then garnish with berries before serving.
  • If kept in the freezer for more than an hour, be sure to remove pie at least an hour before serving.

 

Makes one 9 inch (22.5 cm) pie.

Author: Paula Roy

Welcome to my kitchen! I love simple dishes prepared with passion and am always seeking to find new methods to make food as fun and flavourful as possible. If you enjoy this space be sure to check out my Rogers TV Ottawa cooking show, Paula Roy's Favourite Foods, available on local cable, streaming and a dedicated playlist on Rogers TV's YouTube channel.

4 thoughts

  1. so what went wrong? On first bite it tasted fine for a second, but then came a really strong aftertaste of guacamole. Frankly, it was horrid. My whole family each tried it and the response was unanimous…straight into the garbage can!!!

    1. I am so sorry to hear that the pie was not appealing to you. I cannot account for its unpleasant taste as my 10 taste testers all enjoyed it. Perhaps your avocados were overripe? I appreciate the feedback, and hope you have a better experience with other Constantly Cooking recipes.

  2. Just made this for pie day and it was delicious/simple to make. In lieu of almonds (ran out), I subbed 3/4 cup soaked cashews and 1 cup oats with 1/4 cup melted coconut oil then popped crust in 350 oven for 12 min to get that baked pie taste. Once cooled, added chocolate mousse to cooked crust. We added a bit more maple syrup to the mousse to please those with sweeter palates but I would have been happy with amount listed in original recipe as well. I enjoyed it for breakfast, too!

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