Dark Chocolate Avocado Mousse with Raspberry and Sea Salt
This is the recipe people refuse to believe until they taste it. The avocado vanishes completely into a cloud of whipped dark chocolate; there is no green tint, no avocado flavor, nothing that betrays its secret ingredient. What you get instead is a mousse that's impossibly silky, deeply chocolatey, and rich enough that small portions genuinely satisfy. We serve this in small ramekins with a few fresh raspberries and a pinch of flaky salt, and every single time, someone asks for the recipe, and every single time, they make a face when we say the word "avocado." Make it. They'll get over it.
- VGT
- GF
- DF
- PF
Estimated macros per serving
Calories ~380 · Protein ~5g · Carbs ~36g · Fat ~27g
Ingredients
For the mousse:
- 2 very ripe large Hass avocados
- 4 ounces dark chocolate (70% cacao or higher), melted and cooled slightly — for the dairy-free tag, choose a bar with no milk ingredients on the label (many dark bars contain milk solids)
- ¼ cup raw cacao powder
- 3 tablespoons raw honey (or maple syrup for vegan) (a lightly sweet result — add up to 2 more tablespoons to taste if you prefer a sweeter mousse)
- ¼ cup full-fat coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of fine sea salt
For serving:
- 1 cup fresh raspberries
- Flaky sea salt
Method
- Melt the dark chocolate using a double boiler or in 20-second microwave intervals, stirring between each, until smooth. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes. It should be warm, not hot; blending scorching chocolate can affect the flavour and begin to cook the delicate avocado flesh.
- Halve the avocados, remove the pits, and scoop the flesh into a food processor or high-powered blender. They must be very ripe; firm avocados will leave chunks and make you question this recipe.
- Add the melted chocolate, cacao powder, honey, coconut milk, vanilla, and fine sea salt.
- Process for 1–2 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides twice, until completely smooth and glossy. You should not be able to detect any avocado texture. If it's still grainy, keep processing.
- Taste and adjust: more honey for sweetness, more cacao for intensity, a pinch more salt to deepen the chocolate flavor.
- Divide the mousse among 4 ramekins or small bowls. Press plastic wrap directly against the surface of the mousse, not just over the rim of the ramekin, to minimize browning. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, and up to overnight — the longer it chills, the firmer and more mousse-like the texture becomes.
- Serve topped with fresh raspberries and a generous pinch of flaky sea salt.
Variations & Notes
- Orange chocolate: Add the zest of 1 orange and ½ teaspoon of orange extract for a Terry's Chocolate Orange situation without the Terry's.
- Mint chocolate: Swap the vanilla for ½ teaspoon of peppermint extract. Go easy: peppermint is aggressive.
- Extra Hungry: Top with toasted coconut flakes and chopped almonds for more substance.
- Make-ahead: Keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days, covered tightly. The surface may darken slightly: stir or top with raspberries and nobody will notice.
- Kid note: Our daughter loves this. She doesn't know about the avocado and we intend to keep it that way as long as possible.