Chocolate mousse has long been one of my favourite desserts – because it’s rich & chocolatey, yet smooth and light. At first I was a little disheartened to realise that it’s classically full of sugar and dairy and generally made with little nutritional value, but then I learned of the versatility of avocado. That’s right. The major ingredient of this dish in its native state, is green.

You may really dislike the idea of eating avocado for dessert (it is a fruit remember!), but I urge you to try this  if you’re looking for a more nourishing alternative to the chocolate mousse you know. The richness of the raw cacao* overpowers most of the avocado taste, and I find it tastes best if you can find a pretty firm avocado (as it will tend to have a milder avocado flavour). Remember too that avocado is packed with nutrients and antioxidants, rich in fibre, high in mono-saturated fats, and they’ve also been proven to combat/lower our ‘bad’ cholesterol levels. 

Lately I always have at least 1 little pot of this mousse in the fridge. A spoonful here and there is rich enough to stave off any little sugar/pudding urges, and it’s also fun to play ‘guess the unexpected healthy ingredient’ with friends over for dinner.

Have a play around with the amount of cacao and sweetness until it suits your taste. Here’s my version. 

*Is there a difference between cocoa and cacao? Yes! Cacao is the less-processed version of cocoa, thus more of a ‘raw’ product and therefore retains more antioxidants and nutrients. Also, generally, cacao is organic whereas cocoa often isn’t.

Fills 2 medium ramekins

ingredients

  • 1 large firm avocado
  • 2-3 Tbsp raw organic cacao (I use 3 Tbsp)
  • 1/4 cup good quality coconut milk/cream (look for 100% natural (i.e. just coconut & water) with a high % of coconut in the ingredients)
  • 2 tsp (liquid) coconut oil – optional. (I find using this “sets” the mousse a little stiffer. Otherwise it’s more ‘pudding’ like)
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • sweetness to taste, depending on your preferences (my preference for taste and overall nutritional value is 2 Tbsp coconut sugar but I don’t have a very sweet tooth. I assume most people will like twice this sweetness, as outlined below):1/4 cup raw honey/dark organic maple syrup (most readily available), OR
    • 4 Tbsp coconut sugar (very low GI), OR
    • 2/3 cup brown rice malt syrup (fructose free), OR
    • 1/2 tsp stevia powder (fructose free and doesn’t raise blood sugar at all).
  • good pinch Himalayan pink salt

method

  1. Put avocado, cacao, coconut milk/cream, coconut oil & vanilla in a blender and blend well until all the avocado is unidentifiable and mixture is velvety smooth.
  2. Add half a pinch of salt and half your chosen sweetener and blend well to combine.
  3. Taste, and adjust salt and sweetness to your taste.
  4. Spoon into serving bowls & serve straight away, or put in fridge for a few hours/overnight to “set”.
  5. Garnish with a pinch of cacao and salt.
  6. Lasts covered in the fridge for a week.