The Secret Ingredient You Should Be Adding To Your Mousse

Thanks to its star power as the main ingredient in specialty toasts and guacamole, we've been conditioned to think of avocado as produce best suited to the savory side of a meal. So when we're told that its rich, buttery flesh can be used as a base for desserts like ice cream and smoothies, we might be forgiven if we think, "Say what now?"

Cooking sites like Chow Hound are on board with the vegan trend of using avocados to make desserts creamy and nutritious. But even when they stand on their own, avocado-flavored desserts are most definitely a thing, particularly when the buttery flesh is blended with honey, agave, or maple syrup. And because avocados have a mild flavor when they are at their peak ripeness, this green superfood is happy to lend its texture to more robust flavors like chocolate or lime, which can then occupy center stage as the star of a showstopping dessert.

Wonder How To says there is no specific rate of substitution for avocados to ingredients like butter or cream, especially because the size of avocados varies greatly. It's best, then, to start with one, and then adding more as the dish demands. But it is important to use avocados that are just ripe — because overripe avocados (like aging divas) could end up competing with the flavor it is meant to complement, and underripe avocados are not only far less creamy — they can have a crunch and an attitude that won't lend itself well to a good dessert either.

Even non-vegans aren't likely to tell when desserts use avocado in place of cream in a mousse-like chocolate. The key to this substitution is to blitz an avocado (or two) in a food processor or high-powered blender first, and mix it well before adding other ingredients to ensure everything is mixed thoroughly before it is either poured into serving dishes (in the case of a mousse) or placed in a pie crust (when avocado is used as part of a pie filling). Then, you'll of course want to chill it before serving. Don't worry — we promise not to tell your guests that dessert isn't only nutritious, it's vegan too.