Chocolate Avocado Mousse
Ripe avocado blitzed with cacao and soaked dates into something dark and cold that hides what it is made of.
Why it works
Avocado fat already sits in a fine emulsion inside the fruit, so a blender turns it into a mousse with no cream, eggs or setting time — but only if the fruit is properly ripe, since underripe flesh stays grainy and reads green through the cocoa. Soaking the dates in just-boiled water lets them purée smooth instead of leaving chewy flecks, and that water goes back in as the liquid.
Method
- Tear the dates open, drop them into a mug and pour the just-boiled water over. Leave 5 minutes while you do everything else.
- Halve and stone the avocados and scoop the flesh into a blender. Press the stem end first: it should give under your thumb; firmer than that needs another day.
- Add the dates with all their soaking water, then the cacao, milk, maple, vanilla, cinnamon, chipotle and salt.
- Blend for a full minute, stopping twice to push the mixture down the sides. It is ready when it climbs the blades in one glossy piece with no speckle left.
- Spoon into four small glasses. Grate the chocolate over, add the orange zest and serve cold; it firms further given ten minutes in the fridge.
For the toddler
Blend everything but the chipotle at step 4, spoon a couple of tablespoons into a small dish for them, then blitz the chipotle into what is left. There is no honey here and the dates do all the sweetening, so nothing needs changing. Keep the grated chocolate off the top and loosen theirs with a splash of milk if it is very thick. A couple of spoonfuls is a portion; it is rich.
How the toddler notes workChef’s notes
Oat or almond milk for dairy. A ripe banana in place of two dates makes it softer and sweeter.
Soak the dates before you clear the main course and this is four minutes of work.
Small cups of strong coffee, or orange segments with a pinch of chilli salt.
Keeps 2 days with film pressed onto the surface; air browns the top without harming the taste. Do not freeze.