Ahead of National Dessert Day on Saturday 14th October, the World Avocado Organisation is adding a green twist to your traditional sweet treats. While avocados are often enjoyed in savoury dishes, their smooth, buttery consistency makes them a great guilt-free secret ingredient for desserts. From rich, chocolatey creations to traditional recipes, avocados can elevate any dessert to a healthier yet delicious option.
With their distinguished green colour, unique texture, and incredible versatility, avocados lend themselves fantastically to an array of tasty recipes that everyone will enjoy. Aside from their great taste, avocados are also packed with important nutrients, including healthy monounsaturated fats, fibre, vitamins, and minerals.
Whether you’re a regular home cook or new to baking, the World Avocado Organisation has put together some of the most delicious recipes for you to indulge in with your family and friends.
Avocado brownies
- Servings: 12 pieces
Ingredients
- 100g Coconut oil
- 3 Tbsp honey
- 2 Ripe avocados
- 1½ Tsp vanilla extract
- 3 Eggs
- 70g Coconut flour
- 50g Cocoa powder
- 1½ Tsp baking powder
Equipment
- Stick mixer
- Brownie or baking pan (18 x 28 cm), lined with parchment paper
Recipe tip
- Sprinkle 25g pecans over the batter before baking.
- For a sweeter taste, add an extra tablespoon of honey.
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC. In a saucepan, melt the coconut oil with the honey. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Halve the avocados, remove the pit, and peel off the skin. Cut the avocado into pieces. Use the stick mixer to blend the avocado until smooth.
- Using a fork, mix the oil-honey mixture, vanilla extract, and eggs into the avocado puree. Gently fold in the coconut flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the batter with the back of a damp spoon.
- Bake the brownie in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes until browned and cooked through. Allow the brownie to cool, then cut into 12 pieces.
Avocado lemon cake
Credit: The World Avocado Organisation
Servings: 12 people
Ingredients
- 75g Unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 200g Sugar
- 2 Lemons
- 1 Ripe avocado
- 4 Eggs
- 200g Flour
- 1 Tsp baking powder
Equipment
- Food processor or mixer
- Grater
- Sieve
- Greased cake tin (25 cm)
Recipe tip
- Top with raspberries or other berries.
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Beat the butter with the sugar in a food processor or mixer until soft and creamy.
- Scrub the lemons well and zest. Halve the avocado, remove the pit, and peel off the skin. Mash the avocado with a fork.
- Add the lemon zest to the butter mixture, the juice of half a lemon, and the mashed avocado. Mix in the eggs one at a time.
- Sift the flour with the baking powder and add to the avocado mixture. Mix until smooth. Spoon the batter into the cake tin and smooth out the top. Bake the avocado lemon cake in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes or until golden brown.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Remove from the tin and leave to cool completely on a rack. Cut the cake into 12 slices.
Chocolate mousse
- Servings: 4–6
Ingredients
- 50g Dark chocolate, roughly chopped
- 2 Avocados, pits and skins removed
- 50g Cocoa powder (+ extra for dusting)
- 2 Tsp vanilla extract
- 50ml Maple syrup
- Pinch of sea salt
Equipment
- Food processor or hand whisk
Method
- To melt the chopped chocolate in a bain-marie, put the chocolate in a small bowl and place the bowl over a saucepan of hot water, ensuring that the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Simmer the water on a low heat while stirring the chocolate until it’s melted and smooth.
- Blend the melted chocolate with the rest of the ingredients in a food processor until super smooth, or alternatively, use a hand whisk (this will take a bit longer). Spoon the mousse into 4 or 6 serving glasses or little bowls, then cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. I recommend martini glasses for an impressive presentation.
- To serve, use a small sieve to dust some cocoa powder over the top of the mousse.
