Chocolate Guacamole

This recipe may disgust some of you. Others may be intrigued. But let me say that I have been obsessed with this dessert since August. I wanted to hate it but I kept tasting, and tasting, and I had to admit to myself that it was strangely delicious. If you too find this recipe curiously appetizing, experiment with different flavors and ingredients to change things up. I've tried it with bananas and with coconut manna. I've also considered adding cherries, nuts, orange oil, cinnamon, nut butters. It's endless because there are so many things that taste great with chocolate.

Looking at the recipe below, you might call it chocolate guacamole. If you call it that, those that you serve it to will surely turn up their nose or ask for tortilla chips. Instead, let's just call it chocolate pudding and see if anyone can tell the difference. Can you tell its a dairy-free pudding that uses the creaminess of avocado to trick you into thinking you're eating an unhealthy dessert? Use a (nearly) fructose-free sweetener like coconut syrup, and you'll have a real Paleo-friendly dessert. To boost nutrition further, add a few tablespoons of coconut oil or coconut manna and the results are light and fluffy like a chocolate mousse.

I should warn you: this tastes terrible when you first mix it together. Unless you like the bitter, harsh taste of pure cocoa, you need to let the pudding refrigerate several hours before you dig in. Once chilled, the harsh cocoa flavors mellow and you're left with something closer to the chocolatey richness we all know and love.

Chocolate Pudding

3 very ripe avocados

3 tblsp cocoa powder

3 tblsp coconut syrup

1 tsp vanilla

pinch of salt

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Refrigerate pudding for at least 6 hours or longer to mellow flavor and improve texture.