If there’s one thing I love, it’s a good raw foods dessert. I talked about my introduction to them in this post, and while I really do enjoy them, I rarely make them at home. I don’t have a dehydrator, for one thing, and the ingredients can be pretty expensive depending on what you’re making. They also sometimes involve soaking nuts over night, which I usually don’t have the foresight to do ahead of time. When I get a craving for something, I want to make it right away.
After seeing an inspiring raw foods cooking demonstration a couple months ago, I found myself wanting to dabble in raw foods again, and I dusted off my copies of “Raw Food, Real World” and “Living Cuisine” to see if I could find some approachable dessert recipes. While both books contain recipes that are more advanced and require equipment like a dehydrator, there are plenty that are really simple to prepare and don’t demand a ton of time or planning.
One such recipe is for the aptly named “Perfect Chocolate Mousse” in “Living Cuisine”. It calls for avocados, which might seem like an odd addition, but don’t be put off. The finished product is a rich chocolate pudding that is incredibly creamy and delicious. I love a good pudding, and I couldn’t stop going back to the fridge for just one more spoonful of this amazing chocolaty heaven.
I wasn’t quite as crazy about the “Vanilla Whip” that can be used as a topping or layered with the pudding to create a parfait. It makes the whole think look pretty, but the pudding is so amazingly decadent and delicious that I think it can stand on its own.
Both recipes call for non-alcohol vanilla extract, but all I had on hand was my trusty Nielsen-Massey. I didn’t notice an alcohol taste in the chocolate mousse, but it was pretty pronounced in the Vanilla Whip. So much so that I definitely wouldn’t make it again without different vanilla (can anyone recommend a good alcohol-free vanilla extract?). Until I can figure that out, I hope you enjoy my version of the chocolate mousse recipe!
Almost-Raw Chocolate Pudding
adapted from Renee Loux Underkoffler’s “Perfect Chocolate Mousse”
1/2 cup pitted soft dates
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon cold pressed coconut oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract (non-alcohol, if you have it)
3 medium avocados
1/2 – 3/4 cups high quality cocoa powder
Soak the dates in fresh water for 5-10 minutes. Drain the water, but you’ll want to save it in case you need it to thin the pudding.
In a food processor, blend the dates, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla and avocado. Blend until smooth, scraping the sides as needed. Now you can add some of the water you soaked the dates in if it’s too thick. Add the cocoa powder and blend again, adding more water if needed. The mousse will keep in the refrigerator for several days.
Notes: The original recipe calls for carob, which you can certainly substitute for some of the cocoa powder if you’re a fan. I’m not, so I left it out. I used regular cocoa powder, which means this recipe isn’t totally raw, so you might not want to use my variation if that’s important to you. I didn’t give an exact measurement of the cocoa powder so that you can adjust the level of chocolate flavor to your liking. You may need more or less depending on the quality of your cocoa powder. One thing to be aware of is that while this is better for you than regular desserts, it still contains fat and calories, so you should think of it as a treat rather than a staple food – and then you should tell me to listen to my own advice so I don’t eat it all in one sitting!
