Mini Chocolate Mousse Pecan Tarts (Vegan Gluten-Free)

These Mini Chocolate Mousse Pecan Tarts made the best seasonal no-bake dessert and they are vegan, gluten-free and wholesome. A no-bake nutty tart case filled with the creamiest chocolate mousse studded with pecans.

There is something about this time of year that makes me crave pecans so much. They are sweet, nutty, crunchy yet slightly soft and creamy. They taste like autumn in every bite and are so great with chocolate. When I was approached by HU chocolate, who have just launched in the UK, to create a whole-foods plant-based recipe, I knew I was in for something delicious. These Mini Chocolate Mousse Pecan Tarts are the results!

These Mini Chocolate Mousse Pecan Tarts are:

• Easy to make
• Naturally vegan and gluten-free
• Packed with wholefoods, plant protein and fibre
• Rich and moreish
• Chocolatey and nutty
• Smooth and creamy
• Crunchy and crave-able

These make a great dessert, afternoon tea snack or nibble any time of day and as they look so cute, they are an impressive recipe, too. If you are already convinced, head on down to the recipe card, or, let’s see what goes into these tarts.

What ingredients do we need for these Mini Chocolate Mousse Pecan Tarts?

The tart bases are simple and come together in a blender:

• Oats: these are the base for the dough and use gluten-free certified oats where needed.
• Pecans: these add such a delicious sweet and nutty taste to the bases. Other nuts will work like walnuts, almonds, or cashews. For a nut-free option, use all oats or use seeds here.
• Cashew butter: this is my favourite nut butter to use for desserts as it has a naturally sweet taste and is usually really smooth and creamy. You could use almond or peanut butter or try a seed butter for a nut-free option.
• Maple syrup: this helps the base bind together and you can use another sticky syrup like agave, date or vegan honey.
• Coconut oil: this also helps to ensure the tart bases retain their shape. I don’t recommend swapping this for anything else.

Now let’s talk about the chocolate mousse filling:

• Chocolate: I used a salted dark chocolate from HU Kitchen but any dairy-free chocolate will work. Dark chocolate makes a really rich mousse filling.
• Silken tofu: don’t worry, this won’t make your mousse taste like tofu satay. Unlike extra-firm tofu, silken tofu is very mild and so soft which makes it great for fillings. When blended it turns silky smooth and it is like eating a chocolate cloud.
• Pecans: save some extra pecans for decorating these Mini Chocolate Mousse Pecan Tarts.

That’s all for ingredients and as for method it’s very easy. For the bases, just blend together all the ingredients to a sticky dough and then place into silicone cupcake cases or a tray. Then chill before making the filling and piping this mixture into the cups.

How do I make these Mini Chocolate Mousse Pecan Tarts perfect?

This is a really simple recipe but pay close attention to making the tart cases. They need to be compact and as neat and even as possible. It is much easier (and recommended) to use a silicone cupcake tray or cases to make the tarts as you can pop them out more easily. If you do use a metal tray, you will need to grease the tins and add strips of parchment in the holes in order to left out the cups. Also be patient and do allow the tarts and the mousse to chill properly before moving onto the next steps.

Troubleshooting:

• My tart cases won’t come out of the holes. Use a palette knife to gently work your way around the inside of the cupcake case to ease the tart case out.
• My tart base broke when I lifted it out. As these are no-bake and fairly pliable, simply press the cups back together.
• My filling is too soft to pipe. Chill the mousse in the fridge until it is firm but still pipe-able.

Are these Mini Chocolate Mousse Pecan Tarts gluten-free?

Yes, make sure you use gluten-free certified oats.

Can I make these nut-free?

They will no longer me Mini Chocolate Mousse Pecan Tarts but yes, you can swap the pecans in the base for extra oats or sunflower or pumpkin seeds. You can use a seed butter like tahini or sunflower seed butter in the base and top with seeds or extra chocolate to decorate.

How long will these tarts last?

As these are no-bake, they last longer than baked tarts and will keep for up to 1 week in a sealed container in the fridge. You can freeze the un-filled tart bases for up to 1 month but the filling is best made fresh and un-frozen.

I hope you will love making and eating these Mini Chocolate Mousse Pecan Tarts, your teeth just sink into them! If you are looking for more no-bake ideas, how about my:

• Mini Mocha Cheesecakes
• Salted Chocolate Coconut Caramel Slice
• Almond Butter Chocolate Fudge Cups
• Ferrero Rocher Cake Balls
• Chocolate Orange Mousse Tart

I look forward to hearing what you think of these Mini Chocolate Mousse Pecan Tarts so please let me know in the comments below. If you do make these tarts, I’d love to see them so please tag me in your no-bakes, I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I’m also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest  – please say hello!

With no bake pecan chocolate love x

The orignal recipe was made with Hu Chocolate, but this blog post is not sponsored and all opinions are my own. The chocolate is amazing!