Pomegranate-Blueberry Mousse

By FreeEats

New Year’s resolutions?  I have a rule.  I don’t make them.  Committing to a New Year’s resolution would definitely be a “set-up” for me to feel like I fell short.  So instead, I try to incorporate life goals a little at a time.  Baby steps.  If I practiced yoga 6 times last month, I try to do it 7 times the next.  This is what works for me.  But I realize that for some people, the beginning of the New Year is a time to take stock, re-evaluate, and make changes.  It can be a time of cleansing, reconnecting with our bodies and trying to improve our eating habits.  All good things.

As a pastry chef I have spent years creating things that are a direct facsimile of what I’m craving.  This is a profession where you actually try to make food that’s seductive enough to make people break their New Year’s resolutions.  So when I was approached by the editor of Stuffed Pepper (an awesome new gluten-free website) to contribute a “detox” recipe for their January theme, I was excited.  This was a chance to create a gorgeous, delicious dessert that is healthy for you.  A dessert that allows people to feel indulged, while their bodies are reaping the benefits.  Full of beneficial antioxidants from pomegranate and blueberries, and with no refined sugar, this dessert requires no guilt, and no broken New Year’s resolutions.

This recipe is easy to prepare and so creamy and light that you won’t believe there isn’t dairy in there!

Pomegranate-Blueberry Mousse

  • ½ cup fresh blueberries
  • ½ cup pomegranate juice (such as POM)
  • 1 ½ tablespoons light agave syrup
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (I use Frontier brand or homemade for corn-free version)
  • 14 ounce can organic coconut milk, unsweetened (I use Thai Kitchen brand)
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons agar agar powder (click here for where to buy)
  • additional pomegranate arils and blueberries for garnish

Place the blueberries, pomegranate juice, agave syrup, vanilla extract and 1 ½ cups of coconut milk into a blender or food processor.  Blend until very smooth (you could strain the mixture through a fine sieve if you want a perfectly smooth mousse, but this was a bit too labor intensive for me).  Set aside.

Combine the remaining ½ cup of coconut milk with the agar powder in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Stirring constantly with a whisk, allow the coconut milk to come to a simmer and the agar to melt.  About 3-5 minutes.  Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool for 5 minutes.  Then carefully add to the other ingredients in your blender.  Securely cover the blender and blend on high speed for about a minute.

Place the blender in the freezer for 30 minutes or until the mixture is well chilled (it will begin to look quite thick).  Blend on high speed for about two minutes or until mixture looks like it’s getting lighter and fluffier.

Pour into 4 dessert glasses and chill for at least 1 hour before serving.  Garnish with fresh berries and pomegranate arils.

18 thoughts on “Pomegranate-Blueberry Mousse”

  1. Happy New Year Terris! What a nice recipe to start off 2012! This mousse looks beautiful! I was shopping with my mom today and my mom said she wants to eat pomegranate – but I wasn’t sure what to cook with it. She loves blueberries so this looks like something she might want to eat. I have to show this tomorrow morning. =) Looks lovely!

    • Happy New Year Nami! That’s great that your mom is still here! I hope you guys are having great meals and fun times together. :)
      Pomegranates are such a lovely fruit. We have been eating them in this mousse, on salads and sprinkled on roasted brussel sprouts. Just can’t seem to get enough of them.

  2. Yummy! This looks great! Congratulations on the Stuffed Pepper offer! I certainly need detoxing this year from the Holidays…

    Jeannine

  3. Oh MY! I love the colors…it’s just a beautiful dessert. This would be a great dessert to serve at a dinner party – beautiful and YUMMY!

  4. This is a wonderful mousse and I love the flavor and light consistency. I tasted it and it’s one of my favorites. Great dessert with out the guilt and oh, so pretty in the martini glass!

  7. Oh, my! That is so beautiful I can’t believe it! Talk about making something you’re craving! Wowza! I have to say – this is probably one of my favorite posts that you’ve done and I could just DIVE into the pics!

    • Thank you for your kind comment Ann! One of the best aspects of this dessert is that it’s not only pretty to look at and delicious to eat….but it’s easy to prepare!

  10. I feel the same exact way about New Year’s Resolutions. With 3 kids and a husband who’s deployed, I often can’t complete what I want because everyone else has to come first. Then I just feel bad when I don’t get to follow through on them. I try to just make broad goals!

  11. Me too about the resolutions. No point, since I always break them anyway and too weak. What’s the point if you can eat well and gorge out on delicious desserts like this mousse? Fabulous flavours in there and the colour is just so vibrant. Love the pomegranate jewels, too. Happy, Healthy New Year to you!

  13. How did I miss this initially? Looks simple enough for even me to try (do you remember when we made pumpkin muffins at your house one time, and you were aghast at my measuring technique? I think of that every time I bake…), and I cannot get enough of pomegranates this season! Thanks!

    • What a fun surprise to have you drop by the blog! I almost died laughing reading your comment. I TOTALLY remember that. Have things improved? ;) Because I know you KNOW me, I love giving you a hard time. Wishing we still lived close enough to have some of those moments together again. I could fill a book with the insanely funny moments! Hugs, T

  14. This is such a great recipe! I will definitely make this. I’ve made dairy-free mousse with avocado, but I never thought of using coconut milk as a base. Genious!