virtual vegan potluck

Today is no ordinary Saturday. Today is the Virtual Vegan Potluck! An absolutely awesome blog linking phenomenon where bloggers the world over unite and join hyperlinks to share an onslaught of divine vegan recipes with each other and the inter-web at large.

I am once again a participating blogger and have created a special, and borderline festive, dessert for you! Ladies and gents, allow me to introduce my Chilled Chocolate Pastel Peppermint Parfait! What the fuck is that you ask? A mouthful in more ways than one!

This pretty in pastels dessert is all about embracing winter colours and flavours. Dark chocolate, cream and peppermint combine blissfully through three creamy layers. Did I fail to mention that this creamy parfait tastes like a mint-chocolate explosion? Well it does. Boom.

Seriously, who doesn't like mint and chocolate? Or mousse for that matter? Well if you are anti-mousse, pop this cup of bliss in your freezer for an hour and this mousse parfait transforms into a rich 3-layer ice cream cup! Bonus points for versatility.

Speaking of versatility -- this dessert is hiding some unexpected healthy ingredients. Would you guess these layers are made mostly of coconut milk and avocado? That's why the middle layer is a natural and delicate shade of green.The layers are naturally sweetened with low-glycemic coconut sugar and a touch of maple syrup. Oh and that pink layer on top? It started out pure as snow but made a date with some raw beet slices and voila! Pink peppermint cream (with no beet aftertaste and no food coloring in sight). Why did I use beet? Because this year's potluck included a contest for best use of a secret ingredient: beets!

I wish I had more nice things to say about this chilly, mint-chocolate dream in a cup. Oh wait, I do! This delicious dessert is vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, Paleo, naturally sweetened, easy to make and actually gets better after a day or night in your fridge or freezer! What's not to love!

I hope you have enjoyed visiting Baking Backwards today! Please vote for my recipe for Best Dessert! I hope that you come back and visit my blog, follow me or subscribe for more great gluten-free, vegan and healthy desserts and meals! Enjoy your journey on the potluck trail! Or if you haven't been making the rounds, click here to discover more great recipes starting from the first Virtual Vegan Potluck entry.

Please use the arrows below to either go forward to Coconut and Berries blog, or go back to In Vegetables We Trust blog.

Chilled Chocolate Pastel Peppermint Parfait

ASSEMBLY

Makes 2 parfaits.

Chilled Mint Mousse (recipe below)
Chilled Chocolate Mousse (recipe below)
Chilled Pink Peppermint Cream (recipe below)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp coconut milk
1 tsp maple syrup

Once all your mixtures have chilled, whip each separately in its own bowl with an electric mixer.

For the peppermint layer, beat in 1 tsp baking powder and 1 tbsp coconut milk and 1 tsp maple syrup.

Layer each mousse in clear glasses (chocolate mousse on the bottom, mint mousse in the middle, pink cream on top). Chill the glasses after you add each layer. Serve chilled with small spoons.

Mint Mousse

(vegan, gluten-free, paleo)

Makes 2 servings of the MIDDLE layer of the Peppermint Chocolate Parfait

Flesh of 2 large hass avocados
pinch pink salt
⅛ tsp peppermint oil or ½ tsp peppermint extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
5 tbsp maple syrup
2.5 tbsp dark brown coconut sugar
¾ cup full fat coconut milk

Add all ingredients to food processor and blend until creamy and smooth. Transfer to a bowl and chill in freezer while you make the other layers.

Chocolate Mousse

(vegan, gluten-free, paleo)

Makes 2 servings of the BOTTOM layer of the Peppermint Chocolate Parfait

Flesh of 2 large hass avocados
2 pinches pink salt
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp virgin coconut oil
5 tbsp 100% cocoa powder
6.5 tbsp coconut cream
4.5 tbsp dark coconut sugar
4 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp evoo (or other oil of choice)

Add to food processor and blend until creamy and smooth. Transfer to a bowl and chill in freezer while you make the other layers.

Pink Peppermint Cream

(vegan, gluten-free, paleo)

Makes 2 servings of the TOP layer of the Peppermint Chocolate Parfait

Part I

6 tbsp chilled coconut cream
½ beet, sliced

Part II

1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp coconut sugar
a drop or two peppermint extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp evoo (or other oil of your choice)
tiny pinch salt

Stir Part I ingredients together in a mixing bowl until the cream looks pink. Discard the beet slices.

Add Part II ingredients to the pink cream and chill five to ten minutes in freezer.

Remove from freezer and beat with an electric mixer until it resembles whipped cream. Chill in freezer 10 minutes before layering your dessert.

Duze

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