Generally more associated with breakfast, avocado isn’t the most common fruit used in preparing desserts. Given the fruit’s versatility, however, avocado works particularly well with chocolate, in a number of recipes, such as this vegan chocolate and avocado mousse.
Although the dessert has been popular on the health food scene for a few years, many will still have concerns over the seemingly strange pairing of chocolate and avocado. Yet the avocado’s typical creamy, buttery texture is highlighted particularly well in this chocolate and avocado mousse, without need for dairy or eggs. Avocado also has a number of health benefits. In addition to being 100 percent cholesterol-free, avocados contribute almost 20 vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients, with just one serving offering eight percent of the daily value of fibre. Avocado also has less than one gram of sugar per ounce, containing the least amount of sugar per serving of any fruit. Moreover, the dark chocolate used in this recipe masks most of the avocado’s taste, instead championing its texture. Not only is the overall result delicious, it’s also vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, and Paleo.
While traditional chocolate mousse recipes can be difficult to get right, requiring various processes and ingredients, this chocolate and avocado mousse couldn’t be easier to make at home. Simply melt the chocolate, blend the avocados in a food processor, then pour in the melted chocolate and additional ingredients before pulsing until completely combined. The chocolate and avocado mousse can be eaten straight away, but it tastes even better when chilled for at least two hours.
This chocolate and avocado mousse recipe is also highly adaptable, based on which ingredients you already have, or can easily get hold of. By nature it’s vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free, but almost every ingredient can be substituted. If you don’t have dairy-free dark chocolate (and aren’t vegan), you can use any dark chocolate, or even milk chocolate – although the results will be extremely rich. Although I recommend oat, almond, or coconut milk, any milk or milk substitute can be used, while agave is a suitable substitution for maple syrup.
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