This chocolate, avocado, and coconut mousse is a sweet, but not too sweet, dessert that’s just enough to satisfy after dinner. Avocado purée, dark chocolate, honey, coconut milk, and a squeeze of lime juice are just about all it takes to whip up this stunning little beauty.
Adapted from The Silver Spoon Kitchen | The Italian Bakery | Phaidon Press, 2021
☞ Contents
Chocolate, Avocado, and Coconut Mousse FAQs
What temperature coconut milk should I use in chocolate mousse?
When you mix the avocado and coconut milk with melted chocolate, it’s important that the ingredients are at the same temperature to prevent the chocolate from hardening. It’s best, therefore, to use purée and coconut milk at room temperature.
What’s the best way to melt dark chocolate?
When melting chocolate, remove the heatproof bowl from the saucepan of hot water while there are still a few small pieces of unmelted chocolate left in the bowl. The residual heat means that the chocolate will continue to melt but prevent the chocolate from overheating.
Chocolate, Avocado, and Coconut Mousse
Ingredients
For the mousse
- 7 ounces bittersweet (dark) chocolate finely chopped
- 14 ounces (about 3) ripe avocados
- 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
- 1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons honey preferably acacia or wildflower
- 1 1/2 ounces shaved fresh coconut flesh (or substitute coconut flakes or chips) for serving
Directions
- In a bain-marie set to warm, or using a double boiler, melt the chocolate over gentle heat, stirring with a silicone spatula. When the chocolate has melted, pour into a bowl and set aside to cool slightly.
- Cut the avocados in half, remove the pits, and use a spoon to scoop out the flesh into a bowl. Use an immersion blender to purée the flesh until it is smooth and creamy.
- In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the avocado purée with the lime juice, and mix to incorporate. Press a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of the avocado puree and stash in the refrigerator.
- Mix the melted chocolate with the remaining avocado purée, add the coconut milk and honey, then blitz with the immersion blender for a few seconds to make a mousse.
- Divvy the mousse equally between individual glasses or ramekins. Chill in the refrigerator until the mousses are thickened, about 30 minutes.
- When ready to serve, decorate each mousse with a little of the reserved avocado purée. Garnish each mousse with coconut immediately before serving.
Show Nutrition
If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #LeitesCulinaria. We’d love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
As a huge fan of chocolate and coconut, this chocolate, avocado, and coconut mousse certainly satisfies a craving. Overall it was quite rich, although it was slightly too sweet for my taste.
The melting of the chocolate didn’t take as long as I had expected which was fantastic and the mixture of avocado and coconut cream gives it a great, thick, smooth texture. To take this to the next level, I would cut the amount of honey in half, maybe replace it with maple syrup, and add in a bit of cocoa powder to balance the sweetness. I would definitely make it again.
Originally published December 15, 2021
HUNGRY FOR MORE?
If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #LeitesCulinaria. We'd love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Alison Rosenblum
I always appreciate recipes that expand my dessert repertoire—with a favorable ratio of effort to enjoyment! This chocolate, avocado, and coconut mousse does just that and can please the dairy-free and vegan people in my life. I, myself, was surprised to discover how fond I was of the avocado-chocolate marriage, as I am a passionate dairy eater and not a chocoholic! It is just one of those surprising combinations that exceeds expectations.
While a classic dessert at its core, the garnish of tangy avocado “cream” and coconut livens this recipe up, adding brightness and a hit of exoticism. It can easily be adapted with dairy-free whipped cream and chocolate shavings for a more classic mousse presentation.