Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine (September 2015) and taken from In the Mood for Healthy Food by Jo Pratt
This rose-scented mousse is rich and creamy, yet far healthier than standard chocolate mousse. Instead of cream, Avocados are used, which give a thick, creamy texture and also make this dessert dairy-free, much lower in saturated fat and loaded with antioxidants and omegas. As for the chocolate, providing you use a high cocoa solid chocolate (such as 70 per cent), you’ll consume less sugar, and more antioxidants, iron and magnesium than other types of chocolate. I think that makes this delicious dessert guilt-free!
Serves : 4
Ingredients:
75g dark, bittersweet chocolate (70% cocoa solids), roughly chopped
3 egg whites
3 tblsp agave syrup
1 ripe small-medium avocado, peeled and pitted
1/4 tsp rosewater, plus extra to taste
1 tblsp pistachio nuts, roughly chopped
A pinch of dried rose petals, optional
Step One : Gently melt the chocolate either in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, or on a low heat in the microwave. Once melted, leave to cool to room temperature.
Step Two : In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Add the agave syrup and continue whisking until they form firm peaks.
Step Three : Blend the avocado and rosewater with a hand-blender until completely smooth, then mix into the chocolate. If the avocado isn’t smooth enough, you can pass it through a sieve or fine mesh strainer using a spatula to remove any lumps. Mix in one spoonful of the egg whites to loosen the mixture, then gently fold in the rest.
Step Four : Spoon the mousse into glasses or dishes. Chill in the fridge for about 2 hours, then scatter with chopped pistachios and rose petals, and serve.
Tip : If you want to try something other than rosewater to flavour the mousse, you could add: grated zest of 1 orange, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, a few drops of coconut extract or a pinch of ground cardamom seeds.
