One of the many goodies that I took home with me was a small container of chocolate mousse from a catering company. I was really after their beet, goat cheese and pecan salad, but when the man in front of me started raving about the mousse I had to try it out for myself. It was rich without being heavy, and had a darker more intense flavour that I really liked. Then I read the accompanying ingredient list on the container's lid. It didn't strike me as odd to read that the dessert was made with avocados (I'd heard of it before, and have even made chocolate pudding using tofu, so it didn't bother me at all). Some of the other ingredients, however, seemed bizarre and piqued my curiousity, so I hung on to the lid and later did a quick google search, not expecting to find anything.
Except that I did. And this afternoon I whipped up a small 'practice' batch, since I plan to serve it over Christmas and want to be sure that nothing goes awry. Avocados are such a marvel. This recipe, like the Mexican tofu chocolate pudding from last year, is definitely a keeper. I may not even tell anyone what it's made of.
Vegan Chocolate Mousse
Recipe:
1 ripe avocado
4 Tbsp. maple syrup (or agave nectar)
1 Tbsp. coconut butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp. tamari (a thick soy sauce)
Mix ingredients well in food processor. Add 1/2 cup sifted cocoa powder. Process until blended. Add more sweetener if necessary (mine needed an extra Tbsp or so).
Chill in refrigerator to set for a firmer dessert or eat right away. Garnish with berries, fresh mint leaves, or even a dash of Mexican chili powder for a spicy kick.
image source: What Katie Ate
