Chocolate Mousse Sweet Potato Pie

Chocolate lovers rejoice! This Valentine’s Day, enjoy our deliciously decadent chocolate mousse pie. It is a no-bake, gluten-free, vegan (if desired), healthy dessert option that still delivers big on tasty goodness.

Sweet potatoes replace cream and eggs to create a nutrient-dense filling that stays true to the rich flavors and velvety, silky smooth texture we all love from chocolate mousse. The oat-nut crust adds the perfect crunchy contrast to the creamy mousse while boosting the fiber and protein. We have also replaced the refined sugar with a few dates, a little maple syrup, and the natural sweetness from the potatoes to create the right balance of sweetness that enhances the chocolate decadence.

So this Valentine’s Day, let’s celebrate and cherish the ones we love (including ourselves) by enjoying and sharing this good-for-you irresistibly luscious dessert.

Chocolate Mousse Sweet Potato Pie

Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

Crust

• 1 cup, old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups roasted nuts (my favorite for this recipe is hazelnuts. I like to buy them already roasted so I do not have to remove the skins)

Filling

• 2 cups mashed sweet potatoes (approximately two medium-sized sweet potatoes).  If you have extra mashed sweet potato you can add it to whipped cream.
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 6 dates, soaked for 10 minutes in boiling water and drained
• 2 tablespoons milk of choice (I used hazelnut milk)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup dark chocolate, melted

Directions 

Sweet Potatoes

1. Prepare the sweet potatoes by either roasting them or boiling them. Roasting creates more sweetness, while boiling is faster but still flavorful.

To roast: preheat the oven to 375°F. Wash the sweet potatoes and dry them. Place the sweet potatoes in an oven-safe pot or baking dish with a lid, then roast in the oven until extremely tender, approximately 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours; remove from the oven, uncover, and allow to cool. Once fully cooled, peel off the skin and discard, then mash the potatoes.

To boil: peel the sweet potatoes and chop them into 2-inch pieces. Place potatoes in a pot and fill with cold water to cover potatoes by approximately 2 inches. Bring the water to a boil over high heat and cook for 18 to 20 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork. Strain the potatoes and run cold water over them to cool them down, and then mash.

Crust

While the sweet potatoes are cooking, prepare the crust.

1. Place all ingredients for the crust in a food processor or high-powered blender and blend until it comes together. You may have to scrape the sides down and blend again. The crust should hold when you press it together.
2. Press the crust evenly into a 9-inch pie pan or tart pan. Ensure that the crust goes all the way up the side.
3. Place the crust in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.

Filling

1. Remove the pits from the dates and place them in a cup with hot water. Soak for 5 minutes, drain water and set aside.
2. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pot with a small amount of simmering water (a double boiler), or in the microwave in 20 second increments until chocolate is melted, stirring after each 20 seconds to ensure the chocolate does not burn. Then, set aside.
3. Combine the cooled, mashed sweet potatoes, cocoa powder, soaked dates, milk, vanilla, and salt in a food processor or high-powered blender and blend until smooth.
4. Add in the melted chocolate and blend until well combined.
5. Remove the crust from the refrigerator and top it with the filling, spreading it evenly. I like to use an offset spatula to smooth the top of the filling.
6. Place the pie in the refrigerator and set it for at least 5 hours or overnight.

Serving

1. For easy cutting before serving, place the pie in the freezer for 20 minutes. Don’t worry if you don’t have the time; the pie will still cut beautifully and hold its shape. Make sure to wipe the knife after each cut.
2. Decorate your pie with your fruit (or fruits) of choice. My favorites are strawberries, raspberries, pomegranate seeds, or cherries.
3. You can also top the pie with chopped nuts and serve it with whipped cream (dairy or non-dairy). If you have leftover mashed sweet potato, you can incorporate it into the whipped cream for added flavor. To prepare the sweet potato-flavored whipped cream:
   • Start with 1 cup of heavy cream (dairy or non-dairy).
   • Whip the cream until it forms soft peaks.
   • Add 1 teaspoon of maple syrup or honey and 2-3 tablespoons of mashed sweet potatoes to the whipped cream.
   • Continue whipping until the mixture reaches firm peaks.

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