For those of you who made it past the unexpected title, welcome! You are in for a treat. One of our favorite restaurants to visit on special occasions is The Stinking Rose. They are famous for menu items like their 40-clove garlic chicken, but since we are both vegetarian, we choose from the array of garlicky pasta selections on the menu. The meal officially begins when the server delivers bagna cauda to the table: a hot iron skillet sizzling with roasted garlic which spreads onto crusty slices of baguette like smooth butter. If you still have room after the main course, you cannot leave without trying their famous garlic ice cream with caramel molé sauce. As odd as it may sound, it is actually quite delicious, and from this eclectic eating experience we have learned to not judge a dessert by its title. While some of you may think that mixing avocado and chocolate is sacrilege, let us assure you it is quite the opposite. In fact, if you didn’t know there was actually avocado in this chocolatey dessert we are sharing today, you would probably never guess. With just eight simple ingredients, this creamy no-bake pudding is here to shock your mind and your mouth.
Adapted from Donal Skehan’s new cookbook, Fresh, this sweet dessert is smoother than pudding, darker than night, and just so happens to be healthy too, making it totally ok to enjoy by the gallon. We recently had the pleasure of meeting Donal at a Feedfeed event here in Los Angeles, and he is as charming in person as he is on television. His youtube channel is filled with helpful cooking videos and recipes that will make your mouth water, including a favorite of ours, this one-pot pasta which has an astounding 2.5 million views. We have been eagerly anticipating the US release of Fresh for months, as it was published in the UK in late 2015. While we want to make practically every recipe in the book, we had to start somewhere, and this luscious treat was calling our names. We had heard about people using avocados in brownies and chocolate cakes, and were intrigued by this unusual combination. This was our first time trying it, and it certainly won’t be the last. Here, fresh avocados are simply combined with cocoa powder, espresso powder, coconut milk, vanilla, and sweetened with honey. Tossed with cacao nibs for more chocolate flavor and a hint of crunchy texture, this ultra-velvety pudding is perfect for those looking for an intensely rich chocolate experience. If your willpower is slightly greater than ours, and you are able to save some after making a batch, try testing it out on a friend to see if they can guess the secret ingredient.
This is one of the quickest recipes we know. You toss everything in a food processor, and in a few seconds it blends into the creamiest chocolate pudding. It is ideal for dinner guests or even big parties, because you can make it ahead and keep it in the fridge until it’s time for dessert! Served in a pretty glass bowl, and topped with a sprinkle of cacao nibs and flaky sea salt, this pudding is surprisingly easy to make, and an elegant way to end a delicious meal. Plus, since it’s vibrantly healthy—raw, dairy-free, egg-free, grain-free, refined-sugar-free, and packed with antioxidants from the pure cocoa—it means that everyone can enjoy a richly indulgent dessert with none of the guilt.
Chocolate Avocado Pudding
adapted from Fresh by Donal Skehan
serves 4 to 6
3 to 4 avocados (510g total)
heaping 1/2 cup (50g) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon espresso powder
1/2 cup (118ml) honey
3 tablespoons coconut milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cacao nibs
For garnish:
flaky sea salt
cacao nibs
Cut the avocados in half, remove the seeds, and scoop the flesh into a food processor. Add the cocoa powder, espresso powder, honey, coconut milk, vanilla, and salt. Blend until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the cacao nibs. Spoon the pudding into the serving cups, cover with plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to a day. Just before serving, top each pudding with a pinch of flaky sea salt and a sprinkle of cacao nibs, and enjoy!
note:
— To make this recipe vegan, substitute a vegan sweetener for the honey, such as maple syrup or agave syrup.