Monday, October 01, 2012

Avocado Orange Chocolate Mousse Vegan Mofo day 1


Since I'm a huge huge fan of vegan mousse, I thought it was apt to kick start Vegan MoFo 2012 with this mostly raw Avo-Orange Chocolate Mousse. As I mentioned in an earlier post, my theme for MoFo this year is Super Scrumptious Four Course Meal. Recipes for one course of a meal each week and my first week's course is Desserts! :)

Avocado Orange Chocolate Mousse

Because of the chocolate, the mousse is only about 70% raw. If you'd like to make it completely raw then use raw cacao powder and eliminate the alcohol and orange essence/extract, but be warned that it will compromise the taste and texture quite a bit. Also, I find the sweetness from the chocolate bar to be sufficient but if you like it sweeter, then you could add 2 or 3 soaked, pitted dates or a few spoons of sugar (I would not recommend jaggery as its flavour will overpower the others). You could use raw agave nectar but even though it's raw it's a highly processed product so you're better off using a small amount of sugar instead.

I found this delicious 74% Dark Chocolate with Orange Peel at Brown Tree and love to use that in my avo-orange-choclate mousse. Rs.120 is a fairly good price for a bar of 100 gms (3.5 oz).

Trumpf Vegan Dark Chocolate from Brown Tree on Church Street, Bangalore

Even though I usually prefer actual dark chocolate, with a *minimum* of 74% cocoa content, I have to admit that this mousse tastes pretty delicious even when it's made with the cheaper, more commonly available Morde 45% "Dark" Chocolate. I've seen those at Nilgiris, MK Retail and Metro, among other places. But watch out for the Morde Dark Compound (different from Morde Dark Chocolate) and DO NOT even consider touching it with a ten foot pole because it is pumped with all kinds of disgusting processed crap and hydrogenated fats which are horrid for health (even if they are technically vegan). Not that I never have processed foods, but the compound is worse than most processed foods and it doesn't taste good either (yep, I tried it once long ago, before I knew how bad for health it was).

Morde 45% Chocolate

If you have ripe avocados at home, this mousse can be whipped up very quickly. It's almost as if a genie said, "yes master" *poof* and there it is, your delicious vegan mousse! :oP

I prefer to melt my chocolate using the double boiler method because somehow the texture seems better that way. But you can further reduce the preparation time by melting the chocolate in a microwave. Just place the chocolate in a micro safe glass dish, heat for 30 seconds, stir, heat for another 30 seconds and stir again and repeat until the chocolate is completely melted.

Avocado Orange Chocolate Mousse


150 gms (1 1/2 Bars) Vegan Dark Chocolate with Orange Peel
1 large, ripe Avocado
1/4 - 1/2 C Raw Cashew or Almond Mylk
1/8 tsp Orange Extract/Essence or 1/4 tsp Dried and Powdered Orange Peel
Pinch of Salt
Sugar or Soaked Pitted Dates (optional)
A great, big splash of Scotch or Rum
Cocoa or Cinnamon Powder for dusting

To melt the chocolate using the double boiler method:

Break the chocolate into chunks and place in a medium sized, heat proof glass or ceramic bowl (steel is fine too but I find glass/ceramic easier to clean).

In a small pan, heat a cup of water and place the ceramic bowl on the pan (it should cover the mouth of the pan completely so no steam escapes).

Keep the heat on low so as not to allow the water at the bottom to boil and stir the chocolate with a spoon or small whisk.

When the chocolate is half melted, turn off the heat and keep stirring until completely melted.

Take the ceramic bowl off the pan and keep aside to cool for a few minutes.

For the mousse:

Scoop out the avocado flesh into a blender jar, add the melted chocolate and salt and blend to a creamy consistency, using a little almond or cashew mylk at a time.

Add the rum/scotch and the orange extract/essence/peel powder and blend well.

Taste and add the sugar or dates if required.

Blend again and transfer to a glass dish (I use the same bowl that I melted the chocolate in).

Whip for a couple of minutes with a wire whisk.

Tastes good at this point, tastes great after chilling in the fridge for at least half an hour and tastes amazingly awesome after sitting in the fridge for a day because the flavours ripen nicely.

Serve with cocoa powder or cinnamon dusted over it.

Enjoy! :)

13 comments:

  1. I just got a new pc and the colors of your blog and photos are just beautiful. I dig desserts with avocado base and am especially fond of chocolate paired with orange. Great way to kickstart MoFo 2012! Can't wait to see everything you come up with.

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    1. Oooohhh congrats on your new computer Gi. :) I can't wait to see your MoFo posts too!

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  2. Ooooh! I think it's time I finally make an avocado based mousse! I somehow can't get myself to put chocolate and sugar into my avocado but this recipe (and hundred other variations) is sooooo tempting!

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    1. My favourite way to enjoy Avos is as Guacamole, Chinmayie. But I like the occasional Avo based sweet dish too. I think you might enjoy this mousse. Make it with that Trader Joe's Pound Plus Bar you have. :)

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  3. What a great idea for a "theme!" And a great recipe with which to start it off. Looking forward to it all coming together.

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  4. yummers! start mofo with chocolate.. cant get any better!

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    1. You know how we start off with a little Ganesha prayer before beginning any festival or Pooja or other auspicious events? Well chocolate has got to be the Ganesha of food (only difference is that she's a woman). :op

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  5. I've never tried an avocado based mousse before - what a clever idea! Can you taste the avocado, or is it for texture?

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    1. Joey, the Avo taste is dominant on the day the mousse is made but after its allowed to sit in the fridge for a day, the flavours meld together beautifully and no one can guess the mousse base is Avo. :)

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  6. This looks great! Love the chocolate & orange together!

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  7. i had made an avocado chocolate mousse recently and i simply loved it. next time i will try adding citrus flavors to the mousse.

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