desserts
AVOCADO KEY LIME PIE
Can’t get key limes? You can make this recipe with regular limes, but it won’t be quite as tart. You can also use bottled key lime juice, but don’t skimp on the fresh lime zest.
MAKES ONE 9-INCH PIE
For the crust:
1½ cups finely ground graham cracker crumbs (from about 10 squares)
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 pinches of sea salt
⅓ cup coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted
2 cups smashed avocado, fresh or frozen and defrosted (see this page)
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed key lime juice (from about 5 limes)
½ cup sweetened condensed coconut milk
4 teaspoons key lime zest (from about 2 limes)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of kosher salt
• To make the graham cracker crust, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker, sugar, and salt. Add the coconut oil and stir until the crumbs are evenly coated. Press the crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of a standard 9-inch pie dish using a spoon or the bottom of a measuring cup. Bake the crust until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Remove the pie crust from the oven and cool it on a rack in the dish for 15 minutes, and then refrigerate until well chilled, about 1 hour.
• This crust can be tightly wrapped in its dish and frozen for up to 2 weeks. Thaw before using.
• In a blender, blend the avocado, lime juice, condensed milk, lime zest, vanilla, and salt until smooth and silky. Spoon the mixture over the graham cracker crust. Cover and refrigerate the pie for at least 2 hours and preferably overnight.
AVOCADO TRUFFLES
Think you need heavy cream for velvety truffles? Think again. Silky smooth avocado puree does the trick just as well.
MAKES 1 DOZEN TRUFFLES
4 ounces 70 percent dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons pureed avocado, fresh or frozen and defrosted (see this page)
Pinch of sea salt
⅛ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
• In a double boiler over a pot of boiling water or in a bowl over warm water, melt the chocolate. Stir in the avocado and salt. As you stir it should thicken to a frosting-like texture.
• Cover and chill the bowl until it thickens, about 25 minutes. Using a melon baller, scoop bite-size pieces of the ganache, and roll them in your hands to form into balls. If the balls just aren’t forming, refrigerate the ganache for 30 minutes more.
• In a small bowl, place the cocoa powder, and then roll each of the truffle balls in the cocoa powder to coat. Store them in a cool spot or in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
TIP: Try adding a couple of drops of mint or other flavored extract (or booze!) to the warm ganache. Truly awesome.
AVOCADO BRÛLÉE
This is a fun dish to serve in the avocado shell, but only if your avocados are small or you split a single brûlée between two (or more!) people. A little of this rich custard goes a long way.
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
1 cup smashed avocado, fresh or frozen and defrosted (see this page)
½ cup sweetened condensed coconut milk
½ cup unsweetened almond milk or milk of choice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch of kosher salt
About ¼ cup superfine sugar
• In a blender, puree the avocado, condensed milk, almond milk, vanilla, and salt, until completely smooth and thick.
• Divide the mixture between four 4-ounce ramekins and cover them with plastic wrap. Chill the custard for 30 minutes or up to overnight.
• To serve, sprinkle each ramekin with a tablespoon of the sugar. Move a kitchen blowtorch flame evenly across the sugar until the sugar melts and become slightly browned. Let the brûlée sit for a few minutes to firm before serving.
NOTE: You can skip the brûlée step entirely if you wish; the custard is delicious enough on its own!
CHOCOLATE AVOCADO CAKE
This cake is almost as easy as a box cake, with just a bit more measuring and a lot fewer preservatives, and this chocolate avocado frosting rivals some of the best I’ve ever tasted. It goes onto your cake like a dream. The recipe makes one very rich, flat cake (or about a dozen cupcakes), so if you want layers, be sure to double it!
MAKES ONE 8- OR 9-INCH CAKE OR 1 DOZEN CUPCAKES
1¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
⅓ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup warm water
½ cup avocado, fresh or frozen and defrosted (see this page)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon distilled white or apple cider vinegar
For the Chocolate Avocado Frosting
1½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 cup smashed avocado, fresh or frozen and defrosted (see this page)
3 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 to 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted (optional)
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line the bottom of an 8-inch square or 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper, or a twelve-cup cupcake tin with paper liners, and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
• Using an immersion blender in a medium bowl or a blender, puree the water, avocado, vanilla, and vinegar until smooth. Fold the avocado mixture into the dry mixture until thoroughly combined.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Let the cake cool completely before frosting and serving, about 2 hours.
• You can make the cake the day before you need it. Cool the cake completely, and then wrap it in plastic wrap, and store it in the refrigerator. To freeze the cake, place the cooled, unfrosted cake on a baking sheet, unwrapped, in the freezer until firm, about 30 minutes. Then wrap it in plastic wrap so that it’s airtight and store it in the freezer for up to several weeks.
• While the cake is cooling, make the frosting. In a blender, blend the powdered sugar, avocado, cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt, scraping down the sides occasionally, until you have a thick and creamy frosting. Since the water content of avocados can vary, if your frosting seems a bit too thin, blend in 1 to 2 tablespoons of melted coconut oil. Transfer the frosting to an airtight container and chill it for at least 20 minutes. As the frosting chills, it will thicken. You can store the frosting in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Spread the frosting on the sides and top of the cake, and serve immediately. Leftover frosted cake can be stored in a cake keeper in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
AVOCADO & CREAM PALETAS
It may seem strange to have avocado in an ice pop, but avocado pairs surprisingly well with cinnamon and cream. While you can make these with any avocado variety, try fruitier versions like Choquette or Bacon if you can. Paletas are typically made in rectangular metallic ice pop molds, but you can use any type of mold in this recipe.
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
1 cup whole milk
¼ cup granulated sugar
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
¾ cup crema (Mexican salted cream) or crème fraîche
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, divided
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup water
1 tablespoon avocado honey
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ cup diced avocado
• In a medium pot over medium heat, add the milk, granulated sugar, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture comes to a gentle boil. Simmer for 5 minutes more.
• Transfer the milk mixture to a medium bowl. Add the crema, powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon of the lemon juice, and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the vanilla. Chill the mixture until cold, at least 15 minutes and up to overnight.
• Fill each ice pop mold with 1 inch of the crema mixture. Freeze until the mixture begins to set, about 30 minutes.
• While the crema mixture is freezing, in a small pot over medium-low heat, place the water, honey, cinnamon, and the remaining 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and warm until you have a smooth syrup. Remove the pot from the heat, and gently stir in the avocado to coat. Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes.
• When the ice pops have started to set, divide the avocado among the molds, and then evenly pour the remaining crema mixture into each mold, stopping at least ½ inch from the top of the mold. Use a skewer or chopstick to gently disperse the avocado around the pop.
• Place the lids over the ice pop molds, insert the sticks, and freeze until the ice pops are solid, at least 4 hours.
CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Avocado is a miracle worker in baked goods, like these chocolate chip cookies. By replacing half of the butter with avocado, you’ll get a cookie that stays thick and chewy in the center (but still crisp on the outside).
MAKES ABOUT 2 DOZEN COOKIES
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
½ cup smashed avocado, fresh or frozen and defrosted (see this page)
⅓ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup turbinado, coconut, or raw sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
7 to 8 ounces chocolate, chopped
Flaky sea salt, for garnish
• Preheat the oven to 360 degrees F, and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer or using a handheld electric mixer, cream the brown sugar, butter, avocado, granulated sugar, and turbinado sugar on medium until light, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the eggs one at a time, mixing until well combined between each egg. Mix in the vanilla. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and kosher salt.
• With the mixer on low, use a small measuring cup to add small scoops of the flour mixture to the butter-sugar mixture until just combined. Do not overmix. Fold in the chocolate.
• Scoop out the cookie dough in 1½- tablespoon rounds, and place them on the baking sheets with at least 2 inches between each cookie. Give each round a gentle pat, and sprinkle it with the sea salt.
• Bake until the cookies are golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes. Remove the baking sheets from the oven and let the cookies sit on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring the cookies to a cooling rack.
TIP: Don’t bake all of these cookies at once, unless you are taking them to a function. You’ll die from cookie bliss. Instead, bake just a few. Then scoop the rest onto a baking sheet and freeze them. Once frozen, pop them into an airtight container and store them in the freezer, for ready-to-bake cookies anytime.
