Chocolate Velvet

Recipe contributed by: Vesanto Melina, MS, RD
Food Photo by: Meredith Hink, MS, RD
Makes 1 1/2 cups (6-8 servings)
      

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This sensuous and creamy dessert comes from “The Raw Food Revolution Diet” by expert raw chef Cherie Soria and registered dietitians Brenda Davis and Vesanto Melina (The Book Publishing Company, 2008). It will feed the soul of every chocolate lover and can be served as a sauce or pudding. The secret ingredient, avocado, makes it thick and rich, yet avocado cannot be detected in the flavor, so you can play a guessing game with tasters.

Ingredients

  • 1 ripe avocado
  • 6 tablespoons unsweetened raw cocoa powder or carob powder
  • 1/4 cup agave syrup
  • 2 tablespoons evaporated cane juice
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of ground cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons water plus 1/2 cup water

Instructions

  1. Combine the avocado, cocoa powder, agave syrup, evaporated cane juice, 2 tablespoons of the water, and all of the vanilla extract and cinnamon in a food processor fitted with the S blade and process until smooth.
  2. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of water and process again until well blended. The more water you add, the thinner the sauce will be. (If you prefer to use a blender rather than a food processor, be careful not to process the mixture too long. If too much air is beaten into the sauce it will become too fluffy.)
  3. Stored in a sealed glass jar in the refrigerator, Chocolate Velvet will keep for up to 1 week.

Variations

Chocolate Frosting or Filling: Use only 2 tablespoons of the water and omit the remaining 1/2 cup.

Chocolate Mousse: Use a blender instead of a food processor and use only 1/4 cup of the water to create a fluffy consistency similar to a classic mousse.

Frozen Fudge Bars: Freeze the mixture in popsicle trays.