CHOCOLATE AVOCADO TRUFFLES

I love chocolate and I cannot lie! I feel like I should sing that song while biting into these chocolate avocado truffles! Just perfect for the last week of my #AvocadoAugust theme. Avocado is proving to be a very versatile fruit that has found its way into yummy desserts, an excuse to indulge in decadent chocolate. Truffles originated in the region of Savoie in Chambery, France. My dream destination! A chocolate truffle is a confectionary that is traditionally made with a chocolate ganache center coated in chocolate, cocoa powder or chopped toasted nuts which include coconut, hazelnuts and almonds. Swiss truffle is made by combining melted chocolate into a boiling mixture of dairy cream and butter poured into molds to set before sprinkling with cocoa powder. French truffle is made with fresh cream and chocolate then rolled in cocoa or nut powder. European truffle is made with syrup and a base of cocoa powder, milk powder, fats and other ingredients to create an oil-in-water type emulsion. American truffle is a half egg shaped chocolate coated mixture of dark or milk chocolate with butter fat and hardened coconut oil. Belgium truffle or praline is made with dark or milk chocolate filled with ganache, butter cream or nut paste. Vegan truffles can have any shape or flavour and are adapted to vegan diets by replacing dairy with nut milk and butters. Now that we know the different kinds of truffles, let's get onto how to make them with a simple basic recipe below

INGREDIENTS

1 Cup Dark Chocolate
1 Avocado mashed
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Essence
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Cup Cocoa Powder

METHOD

Melt the dark chocolate. Place chocolate in a heat proof glass bowl over a pot of simmering water, don't let the bowl touch the water. Stir until chocolate has melted and remove from the heat. Set aside and let the dark chocolate cool slightly. I didn't have a glass bowl so I used a smaller pan with handles that held it over the simmering water

Add in the mashed avocados. You can mash them finely if you want, but I wanted little chunks of avocado in my truffles

Add salt

Add vanilla essence

Stir the mixture until smooth and fully combined

The mixture should be smooth but not too wet that its sticky

Place the mixture in the refrigerator to firm up for 15-20 minutes

When the chocolate mixture has stiffened, take it from the fridge, use a small cookie scoop or small spoon to scoop approximately 1 tablespoon chocolate mixture 

Roll the chocolate in the palm of your hand until round balls are formed

Ready to be dipped into the cocoa powder

Take one of the avocado chocolate balls

Dip the chocolate balls in the cocoa powder

Roll the balls in the cocoa powder until completely covered

Repeat for all the other balls

I love the contrast between the plain chocolate balls and the fully coated balls

Place the truffles back in the fridge to set again for 15-20 minutes

These are perfect little go to snacks for lunch or even midday snack

You can see the little chunky pieces of avocado. I wanted to bite into the smoothness of avocado amidst all that chocolate

Such a simple recipe with delicious results. These will be your new favourite treat!

CHOCOLATE AVOCADO TRUFFLES

Recipe by Mulunga Alukwe

Prep time: 45 Minutes
Cook time: 0 Minutes
Total time: 45 Minutes
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients

• 1 Cup Dark Chocolate
• 1 Avocado
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Essence
• 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
• 1 Cup Cocoa Powder

Cooking Directions

1. Melt the dark chocolate. Place chocolate in a heat proof glass bowl over a pot of simmering water, don't let the bowl touch the water. Stir until chocolate has melted and remove from the heat. Set aside and let the dark chocolate cool slightly
2. Add in the mashed avocados. You can mash them finely if you want, but I wanted little chunks of avocado in my truffles. Add salt and vanilla essence, stir until combined
3. Place the mixture in the refrigerator to firm up for 15-20 minutes
4. When the chocolate mixture has stiffened, take it from the fridge, use a small cookie scoop or small spoon to scoop approximately 1 tablespoon chocolate mixture. Roll the chocolate in the palm of your hand until round balls are formed
5. Dip the chocolate balls in the cocoa powder. Roll the balls in the cocoa powder until completely covered