Chocolate & avocado mousse

Name: Chocolate & avocado mousse
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 300 g quality dark chocolate (70%); 2 large ripe avocados; 2 heaped teaspoons cocoa powder; 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste; 3 tablespoons maple syrup; 1 x 160 g tin of coconut cream; fresh fruit such as oranges, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries to serve; amarena cherries in syrup to serve, optional; white chocolate to serve, optional

With a homemade Easter egg shell

“This is the most deliciously indulgent chocolate mousse, made using the humble avocado. Plus, I’m sharing my genius avocado shell hack, so you can make your very own homemade Easter egg halves filled with fresh fruits and luxurious sweet cherries. If you’re looking to go all-out this Easter, this incredible dessert is all you need. ”

Serves 4

Cooks In20 minutes plus cooling & setting time

DifficultyNot too tricky

Easter treats Puddings & desserts

Nutrition per serving

Calories 337 17%
Fat 24.9g 36%
Saturates 15.3g 77%
Sugars 20.7g 23%
Salt 0.2g 3%
Protein 4.4g 9%
Carbs 22.6g 9%
Fibre 5.5g -

Of an adult's reference intake

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Ingredients

300 g quality dark chocolate , (70%)
2 large ripe avocados
2 heaped teaspoons cocoa powder
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 x 160 g tin of coconut cream
fresh fruit such as oranges, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries , to serve
amarena cherries in syrup , to serve, optional
white chocolate , to serve, optional

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Method

Snap 80g of dark chocolate into a heatproof bowl and melt over a pan of gently simmering water until smooth, stirring occasionally (or gently melt in the microwave). Remove the pan from the heat, keeping the bowl over the pan.
Meanwhile, halve and destone the avocados and scoop out the flesh into a food processor. (Try to remove as much of the flesh as possible, but a little left in the shell is fine).
You’ll now have four empty avocado skin halves. Using a clean pastry brush, brush the inside of the avocado shells with a layer of melted chocolate until evenly covered. Transfer to a tray and place in the fridge for 10 minutes until set. Repeat this process two more times, until you’ve applied three layers of chocolate. Return the tray to the fridge for half an hour, or until set completely.
Meanwhile, place the pan and bowl back on a low-medium heat, snap in the remaining dark chocolate and leave to melt.
Once melted, add the chocolate to the food processor with the cocoa powder, vanilla bean paste, maple syrup, coconut cream and a pinch of salt, and pulse for a few seconds to combine. Scrape down the sides with a spatula, then pulse again, until smooth. Scrape into a bowl, cover and leave in the fridge until needed (but no longer than 2 hours).
Once the chocolate shells are set, gently peel the avocado skins away from the shells and discard. Heat a tablespoon in a jug of boiling water for a few seconds.
Now it’s time to get a bit creative with your presentation: using the hot spoon, roll up 1 tablespoon of the chocolate mousse for each serving plate (you will end up with about half of the chocolate mixture leftover, please see tip below). Press the chocolate shells onto the mousse, filling each with a little fruit (I used halved strawberries and blueberries, orange segments and a couple of amarena cherries). Drizzle with a little of the cherry liquor, and some melted and grated white chocolate to finish, if you like.

Tips

GO VEGAN
To make this vegan-friendly, use vegan dark chocolate, and leave out the white chocolate garnish.

HELPFUL HACK
Use the leftover chocolate mousse to make truffles. Simply scoop a spoonful of the cold chocolate mixture and roll it in desiccated coconut, cocoa powder, crushed nuts, your favourite blitzed chocolate bar – or anything else you fancy. Decorate with melted white chocolate drizzled on using a cocktail stick, if you like. Then package up in pretty tins and give to lucky friends or family.