Savory (and Healthy) Dark Chocolate Mousse

For this blog post, we will be putting away the garlic press and olive oil, and instead will be focusing on a savory dessert recipe that recently caught my attention for two reasons – the health facor and the unique ingredients.

Lately, I’ve been having some interesting dietary conversations with both my pal Mike (aka The Gluten-Free Paisan), with whom I’ll be collaborating on a delicious recipe very soon, and my good friend Jessica, who has had inspiring and successful results as of late with the Keto diet. While I am fortunate to not personally be dealing with any dietary restrictions, I still find it both fascinating and intriguing to speak with those who have made necessary and successful adjustments to their diets and lifestyle. When I came across the recipe that I am sharing with you today, I knew that it would be a fun opportunity to experiment with a healthy alternative for a dessert that is normally both sweet and rich. I also happened to have some ripe avocados on hand – which happens to be a key ingredient – so here we go! But before I get into the actual recipe, there are a few things that I feel should be explained about the initial ingredients and the substitutes that I have made.

Regardless of what dietary path a person follows – whether it be gluten-free, Keto, the Mediterranean Diet, or even Weight Watchers – one of the key ingredients that you are encouraged to kick to the curb is sugar. I am not going to reinvent the wheel by preaching to you about the negative impacts of sugar. There is already a ton of research available online. If you are interested in reading up a bit on sugar, I do suggest checking out the following healthline.com article by Jillian Kuala, MS, RD: 11 Reasons Why Too Much Sugar Is Bad for You.

As I mentioned earlier, what really turned me on to this recipe was the unique combinations of ingredients. I would never have imagined chocolate and avocado working together as a pair. When I saw that these were the two key ingredients in this recipe, I knew that I had to give it a try. While doing my research, I came across a few variations of this recipe, which all used 100% natural cocoa powder mixed with puréed avocado, vanilla extract, coconut or almond milk and a natural sweetener (like stevia) to help cut the bitterness of the cocoa. This version is actually vegan-friendly.

The key ingredients: dark chocolate and avocado.

Cacao 101: What Do the Numbers Actually Mean?

Before we move any further, let’s do a a quick review of cacao percenatges and what the numbers actually mean. The following information was gathered from a greatist.com article by Anisha Jhaveri: Does the Percent on Your Chocolate Bar Really Mean It’s Healthier?

Simply put, the percentage of cacao listed on a chocolate bar tells you how much of that bar consists of actual cacao bean product. That cacao bean product is made up primarily of chocolate liquor, which refers to a combination of cocoa solids (ground cocoa powder) and cocoa butter (the naturally occurring fat in the cacao bean). Extra cocoa butter (and sometimes, extra cocoa solids) is often added to make the chocolate creamier or more intense in flavor.

If you’ve got an 80% cacao bar, 80% of that bar will be made up of that chocolate liquor + added cocoa butter and/or solids combination, with the remaining 20% made up of fillers—mostly added sugar.

Bars with 50% cacao: 50% chocolate solids + cocoa butter, 50% filler ingredients (sugar, lecithin, vanilla, etc).

Bars with 85% cacao: 85% chocolate solids + cocoa butter, 15% filler ingredients (sugar, lecithin, vanilla, etc).

Bars with 100% cacao: 100% chocolate solids + cocoa butter, 0% added sugars or flavorings (this probably wouldn’t taste very good, which is why you don’t see them often, but you can add 100% cacao to smoothies and desserts)

Still not sure which bar you should be reaching for? Strip it down to one basic rule: If you’re looking to get the cardiovascular and anti-inflammatory benefits of cacao’s flavanols and polyphenols, look for chocolate with at least 70% cacao content.

Now that we have all of the formalities out of the way, let’s get back to the recipe. As I mentioned earlier, the original source recipe used 100% cocoa powder and natural sweeteners to boost the flavor. While I did have 100% cocoa powder on hand, I also had a 3.5 oz bar of organic 73% dark chocolate that I decided to use in place of the cocoa powder. Because the bar was already made up of 27% filler that contained sweeteners, I would cut back on the additional sweetener that would be added for taste. The actual amount of sugar coming from the bar would be less than 27%, because I was only using 2/3 of the bar in the recipe. [Note: the math is getting pretty deep here, so let’s just say that we are compensating wherever possible to keep the sugar to a minimum.]

Melting the chocolate in a bowl sitting over a pot of simmering water…known as a bain-marie.

Another adjustment that I would have to make would be to cut back on the almond milk. The original recipe called for 1/4 cup of milk, but that was to originally be mixed with the cocoa powder. Because I was using a solid bar, I would have to melt in down instead of grinding it to a powder, which would turn it into a liquid form on its own. Adding too much milk would make the recipe too thin and liquidy, so I adjusted the milk measurement to 1/8 cup.  I kept the same measurement for the vanilla extract for flavor, and I added a dash of cinnamon to the mix to give it a bit of a savory taste. 

All of my ingredients were now in place and it was time to mix up some mousse. The real secret to this recipe is to make sure that your avocado is puréed completely to a smooth consistency. If any chunks of avocado are detected in the recipe, the mystique of the dish will be gone. So, I make sure to purée the avocado, then I added the melted dark chocolate, vanilla extract and cinnamon. I then added the milk a little a a time to make sure that the consistency wasn’t too thin, and then added a bit of sugar to taste. I did end up using sugar as my sweetener because I did not have any sweetener substitutes in the house. But I’m sure that sweetener substitutes would have worked just as well with my version. Just be sure to add slowly and adjust accordingly to your taste. 

When I first came across this recipe, I was intrigued and curious…mainly curious on how chocolate and avocado would work together. I will now tell you straight up that this dessert is REALLY GOOD. Looking at the ingredients individually, it is a bit baffling. But once they come together, they make a very creamy, rich and satisfying chocolate dessert. And it is not so bad for you, either! If you keep the ingredients a secret, I guarantee you that those who try it would never, ever guess that the base to this dessert is puréed avocado. Both of my daughters tried it and gave an honest thumbs up…and this is coming from two people who know their sweets!

So, if you are looking for a healthier alternative to a rich and decadent dessert, give this one a try. And again, you can make this as healthy as you wish by using a higher percentage dark chocolate or pure cocoa powder, and balancing the taste with a tiny bit of sugar or sugar substitute of your choice. I have included both my version, which uses a 73% dark chocolate bar, and the original version, which uses 100% raw cocoa powder and a natural sweetener (which is also a vegan option). You can even kick it up a notch by topping it with crushed almonds, fresh berries, granola or shredded coconut.

Special thanks to Jessica Brasch for the inspiration and guidance!

Dom’s Savory Dark Chocolate Mousse
(Serves 2)

Original Recipe (courtesy of Nicola Jane Hobbs)
www.mindbodygreen.com

Oh, Fudge! Dark Chocolate and Zinfandel Fudge

I once had a friend tell me that wine plus dark chocolate equals heaven. Being a fan of both, I have no problem agreeing with this statement. There is something magical about the pairing of a crisp, fruity, complex wine with the creamy, lush texture of dark chocolate. And according to an interesting article in the Huffington Post, there are also health benefits to this decadent combination!

If you are looking for some last minute ideas for home made goodie gifts for the holidays, and if your family and friends are fans of wine and chocolate, give this fudge recipe a try. The recipe is very simple and doesn’t take much time to make, yet your family and friends will be impressed! You can add nuts or maraschino cherries for additional texture and flavor. Just be sure to keep this sweet treat out of the children’s reach, because the alcohol does not fully cook down. To make a kid-friendly version, simply eliminate the wine.

Cheers to you and yours!

Dark Chocolate and Zinfandel Fudge

1 20-oz package of dark chocolate morsels
7-oz sweetened condensed milk (1/2 can)
1/2 cup Red Zinfandel

Place all ingredients in a sauce pan over medium-low heat. Stir often until the chocolate morsels are almost melted. Remove from heat, continue to stir until completely melted. Carefully pour the batter into an 8″x8″ pan lined with parchment paper and lightly sprayed. Smooth out the batter to evenly fill the tray. Let cool in the fridge until the fudge sets completely. Cut into small squares to share.

Be sure to wrap the fudge in wax paper, then store the fudge in an air-tight package or container. The fudge will have longer shelf life if stored in the fridge, just be sure to let it return to room temperature before serving.

Grilled S’mores Sandwiches

Now that we are officially into the summer season, and the warm temperatures are quickly kicking in, it’s hard to not think about food that is prepared outdoors on a grill. For this post, my daughter Julianna and I will show you how to grill up one of our favorite summer desserts….grilled s’mores sandwiches! This is a very quick and easy alternative to the popular autumn fire roasted treat, using the same three classic ingredients (chocolate, marshmallows and graham crackers).

Instead of the traditional cooking method of roasting the marshmallows on a stick over an open fire, we are first going to stack all of the ingredients as a sandwich: one piece of chocolate and one marshmallow, sandwiched between two graham crackers. Next, you’ll want to wrap the sandwiches in aluminum foil, so they look like little tin bricks.

All that’s left is to carefully place the wrapped sandwiches on a heated grill for about 3 minutes. Carefully remove the wrapped sandwiches, and let them sit for a minute. Then remove the foil, being careful not to burn yourself with the melted marshmallow or chocolate. You’ll then have the gooiest, tastiest grilled dessert sandwich imaginable.

This works well on either a gas or charcoal grill. You can also do this in the oven any time of the year!

Chocolate Cherry Bread

This weekend we spent the day with some of our oldest and best friends at their new house. It was the perfect opportunity to try out a recipe that I came across as part of their housewarming gift – chocolate cherry bread. As I’ve said many times before on this blog, I am not a baker. However, I have been wanting to dabble in bread baking for a while and this recipe was one that sounded like a unique winner. The cherry and chocolate add just the perfect amount of sweetness and tartness, without going overboard. I would say that it is a perfect breakfast or dessert bread, topped with just a bit of butter.  It’s also a very simple recipe to follow, and it easy to make…as long as you have a Kitchen Aid mixer and dough hook. And I’m glad to say that it got thumbs up from everone who tasted it. Glad you enjoyed it, Jackie and Dan…and all the best in your new house!

CHOCOLATE CHERRY BREAD
Originally printed in the cook book Ratio, by Michael Ruhlman

20 ounces bread flour (approx. 4 cups)
12 ounces water
2 tspn salt
1 tspn active yeast
3 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup dried cherries

Preheat oven to 450˚ approximately 45 minutes before you are ready to bake the bread.

Place flour in mixing bowl. Add water and salt. Add yeast over the surface of the water to let it dissolve. Using the paddle attachment, mix on medium speed to combine all ingredients. Switch over to the dough hook and blend on medium speed, until dough is smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes). About mid-way through mixing, add the chocolate and cherries.

Remove bowl from machine, cover with plastic wrap and let rise to twice its size. Push a finger into the dough. It should give some resistance, but not bounce back. If it springs back, let it rise longer.

Turn dough on a floured surface and knead to expel  excess gas and redistribute yeast. Shape into a ball, cover with a towel, let sit for 15 minutes.

Shape dough by pushing it back and forth in a circular motion on floured surface into shape of a round, smooth ball. Cover the dough with a towel and let it rise for about an hour. When ready to bake, slice an ‘X’ into the top of the loaf to help it expand. Bake at 450˚ for 10 minutes. Lower the temperate to 375˚ and bake for another 45 minutes.

Wrapping courtesy of my wife!