Choc-avocado mousse

While this may feel like you’re eating dessert for breakfast, this mousse is a fantastically healthy start to the day.

Choc-avocado mousse Credit: Chris Middleton

• makes

  4

• prep

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 60 g (2 oz) fresh (medjool) dates, seeded and roughly chopped 
• 3 bananas
• 1 avocado, stone removed 
• 35 g (1¼ oz/⅓ cup) raw cacao powder 

To serve 

• crunchy citrus toasted granola (see note) 
• fresh berries
• edible flowers 

Instructions

Put the dates in a small heatproof bowl and cover with warm water. Leave to soak for 10 minutes. Drain, discarding the water, and transfer the dates to a food processor with the banana, avocado and cacao powder. Whiz until smooth. 

Serve the mousse into bowls and top with the granola, berries and flowers. 

Note: 

•  To make the crunchy citrus toasted granola, preheat the oven to 130°C/265°F (fan-forced). Line two baking trays with non-stick baking paper. Combine 225 g (8 oz/2½ cups) rolled (traditional/porridge) oats and/or rolled barley with 50 g (13⁄4 oz/1 cup) flaked or shredded coconut, 70 g (2½ oz/½ cup) slivered almonds, 150 g (13⁄4 oz//3 cup) pepitas (pumpkin seeds), 45 g (1½ oz/¼ cup) linseeds ( flax seeds), 40 g (1½ oz/¼ cup) sesame seeds, 2 strips each orange, lemon and lime rind, shredded, and 1 tablespoon mixed spice in a large bowl. Add 115 g (4 oz/⅓ cup) honey and 50 g (13⁄4 oz) melted butter and mix until well combined. Spread the mixture over the trays, keeping little clumps of mixture together for extra texture. Bake for about 50 minutes, stirring gently after 25 minutes, until just starting to brown. Remove from the oven and cool on trays (the granola will crisp as it cools). Gently stir in 75 g (23⁄4 oz/½ cup) dried 

apricots, and 2 dried figs, both thinly sliced. This recipe makes about 750 g (1 lb 11 oz/8 cups). Store in an airtight container for up to 2–3 weeks.

This recipe is from Breakfast Bowls (Smith Street Books). Photography by Chris Middleton. 

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.