Chocolate avocado mousse tart

The motivation for this was purely and simply the fact that the avocados available in St. Lucia now are beyond delicious and luscious and amazing! I’ve always thought of them as the double cream of the plant world. The creaminess in this mousse is achieved only from the avocado and because it has such a mild flavour, and cocoa such a strong one, all you taste is the lovely chocolaty richness. I was also striving to create a desert for my daughter Stephanie’s boyfriend who is dairy intolerant. So, this baby is not only dairy free, but also gluten and sugar free. There is no compromise though. Remember when vegetarianism first hit popularity? It was all about creating something that mimicked meat. This is not a mimic. It is stand alone and be counted delicious! How cool is that?

A word of caution though, it is still quite high “glycemically” because of the dates which bring the sweetness in the base and the small amount of syrup in the filling. So as ever, do enjoy this. Make it and share, but don’t go crazy. As Cusho (my uncle) used to say….”moderation in all things.”

the Base

150g (1 c) raw, unsalted almonds

150g (1.5 c) raw, unsalted pecans

200g pitted dates

1/2 tsp salt

the Mousse

200g local St. Lucian cocoa or raw cacao

360g fresh avocado

100ml virgin coconut oil

100ml maple syrup (or agave)

2 tsp vanilla bean paste (or pure extract)

Place all the ingredients for the base in the food processor and blitz until the mixture will happily stick together and a little oiliness is beginning to show. I once overdid this part and needed a hammer and chisel to cut the base, so don’t go too mad. Press very firmly into your awaiting pie dish, and please take your time with this. Try to envisage when you cut out the slices. You want the base and the sides to be an even thickness. Its very useful if you have one with a removable base, but not the end of the world if you don’t. Put the base into the freezer while you get on with the mousse.

If you’re using a cocoa stick, then grate it as finely as possible. I do this in my food processor (natch). Add the rest of the ingredients and blitz until it is as smooth as you think it will get. Because the cocoa (cacao) is raw you will not get the absolute smoothness of the processed sort.

Smooth the mousse into the now very chilly base and place back in the freezer until about an hour before you want to serve it, but for at least an hour and a half. Greatness takes time, so don’t be too much in a hurry or you will end up with slippy, sloppy slices.

I have found that you have to know your audience. Kirsty asked me the other day why I had made a desert which was very different to what I normally do, in that it had sugar and cream. My response was “you have to know your audience” In other words, what’s the point in making something all healthy and yummy if the person you’re serving it to won’t “get it” I believe you have to start small. So maybe you make the dish you know they will eat and change elements of it rather than the whole thing. Maybe don’t use sugar but a more natural unprocessed option such as maple syrup or agave syrup. Use wholegrain instead of finely processed. You take my point. Just each time up the health ante on what you use. Next thing you know, you’re flying unadulterated SUN TEMPLE.