This "buttercream" frosting has no butter or cream, yet it tastes like a chocolate fudge dream. So what's the mystery ingredient to this frosting? It's one that vegans and vegetarians may have guessed by now...avocado.
If you've never used avocado as a substitute for butter in baking, I can tell you that it's a lot of fun to play with. This week, I'm doing frosting, but stay tuned because I'll be sharing more recipes with avocado taking the place of butter (and, yes, there will be a beautiful spring-green recipe in time for St. Patrick's Day). Until then...
Here are a few reasons to consider
replacing the butter in your
chocolate frosting with avocados*...
1. Less calories: Avocados will lighten up your frosting by reducing calories. 2 tablespoons of avocado flesh is 50 calories compared to 200 calories for the same amount of butter.
2. Less fat: 3.5 oz. serving of butter contains 81 g of fat while the same serving of avocado contains 14.66 g of fat.
3. Better fat: Avocados will replace unhealthy animal fat with healthy vegetable fat. Avocados contain heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. This kind of fat can lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and maintain HDL (good) cholesterol, while decreasing belly fat.
4. Better for you: You'll find 20 essential nutrients in avocados, including fiber, potassium, Vitamin E, B-vitamins and folic acid.
*Source of nutritional info: California Avocado Commission
As for the brownies in my photos today, I shared that bonus recipe last week. If you missed it, you can download it now by clicking here for the printable PDF.
To see more of my recipes from A Brew to a Kill, click here. And now for today's recipe...
Cleo Coyle's
Chocolate Fudge
Avocado Frosting
To download this recipe in a PDF document that you can print, save, or share, click here.
For every 1 cup of frosting, you will need...
Ingredients:
1/2 cup mashed Haas (aka Hass) avocado (1 medium or 2 small)
1/2 cup natural, unsweetened cocoa powder
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar (aka confectioners' sugar)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
pinch of salt
Directions: Cut, pit, and scoop the flesh out of a ripe avocado.
NOTE #1 on the avocado's ripeness : The avocado should not be over-ripe. Do not use avocado flesh that is brown, bruised, or mottled. Conversely, do not use flesh that is under-ripe and hard. For tips on choosing a perfectly ripe avocado with soft, green flesh, watch the video below. For tips on quickly ripening an avocado (or a banana) that is still too green and hard, click here.
Mash the avocado with a fork or puree it in a blender or food processor until the flesh is completely smooth and without even small chunks or lumps. It's important to be sure you've pureed it well. You'll need 1/2 cup of this so measure it out. If it comes up short, your avocado was too small and you'll need to process another.
Place the 1/2 cup avocado, 1/2 cup cocoa powder, 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, and pinch of salt into a bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat the ingredients.
At first, the mixture will seem very dry and powdery but continue beating the ingredients. DO NOT ADD LIQUID. As you beat the mixture, the avocado will penetrate and moisten the dry ingredients until, almost magically, a silky smooth chocolate frosting forms.
NOTE #2: If you live in a very dry climate, and the frosting is too dry after a reasonable amount of beating, then add a very small amount of liquid (1 teaspoon at a time). What liquid you use is your choice--try milk or coffee or you can add a touch more vanilla and even complement the vanilla by using another extract such as almond, hazelnut or rum.
* Q. Will I taste avocado?
A. No. This is a delicious, chocolate fudge frosting that closely resembles chocolate buttercream in flavor and texture. If you properly puree the avocado making sure there are absolutely no clumps or lumps and follow the recipe directions, you will not taste avocado.
* Q. Can I use another kind of avocado?
A. I would not. I use Haas (aka Hass) avocados because they are richer and creamer than Florida avocados. I'd stick with Haas/Hass.
Q. How much frosting will I need for my cakes, cupcakes, brownies?
A. This recipe will make 1 cup of icing, which will frost...
- 1 pan of brownies, including my Black Bean Brownies
(those are the brownies you see in my photos today) or
- 12 cupcakes or
- the top of a 13 x 9-inch sheet cake.
To frost a 2-layer cake, I would double or even triple this recipe (because I hate to get stuck with less frosting than I need).
Q. Can I make a glaze instead of a frosting?
A. Yes! And here's how I do it...
For a looser chocolate glaze (like the one in my photo below), simply add more liquid to the frosting until you get the consistency you like. Start with 1 tablespoon of milk or coffee or rum or a liqueur (e.g. Kahlua, Amaretto, a chocolate liqueur). Add more if needed to reach the glazing consistency you like, and...
To see more of my recipes from A Brew to a Kill, click here. And now for today's recipe...
 |
| Cleo Coyle, who likes to play with her food, is author of The Coffeehouse Mysteries |
Chocolate Fudge
Avocado Frosting
For every 1 cup of frosting, you will need...
Ingredients:
1/2 cup mashed Haas (aka Hass) avocado (1 medium or 2 small)
1/2 cup natural, unsweetened cocoa powder
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar (aka confectioners' sugar)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
pinch of salt
Directions: Cut, pit, and scoop the flesh out of a ripe avocado.
NOTE #1 on the avocado's ripeness : The avocado should not be over-ripe. Do not use avocado flesh that is brown, bruised, or mottled. Conversely, do not use flesh that is under-ripe and hard. For tips on choosing a perfectly ripe avocado with soft, green flesh, watch the video below. For tips on quickly ripening an avocado (or a banana) that is still too green and hard, click here.
-----------------------
----------------------
Need some additional tips on properly
cutting open, pitting, and slicing an avocado?
Just click here.
cutting open, pitting, and slicing an avocado?
Just click here.
Mash the avocado with a fork or puree it in a blender or food processor until the flesh is completely smooth and without even small chunks or lumps. It's important to be sure you've pureed it well. You'll need 1/2 cup of this so measure it out. If it comes up short, your avocado was too small and you'll need to process another.
At first, the mixture will seem very dry and powdery but continue beating the ingredients. DO NOT ADD LIQUID. As you beat the mixture, the avocado will penetrate and moisten the dry ingredients until, almost magically, a silky smooth chocolate frosting forms.
NOTE #2: If you live in a very dry climate, and the frosting is too dry after a reasonable amount of beating, then add a very small amount of liquid (1 teaspoon at a time). What liquid you use is your choice--try milk or coffee or you can add a touch more vanilla and even complement the vanilla by using another extract such as almond, hazelnut or rum.
Avocado Frosting FAQs...
* Q. Will I taste avocado?
A. No. This is a delicious, chocolate fudge frosting that closely resembles chocolate buttercream in flavor and texture. If you properly puree the avocado making sure there are absolutely no clumps or lumps and follow the recipe directions, you will not taste avocado.
* Q. Can I use another kind of avocado?
A. I would not. I use Haas (aka Hass) avocados because they are richer and creamer than Florida avocados. I'd stick with Haas/Hass.
Q. How much frosting will I need for my cakes, cupcakes, brownies?
A. This recipe will make 1 cup of icing, which will frost...
- 1 pan of brownies, including my Black Bean Brownies
(those are the brownies you see in my photos today) or
- 12 cupcakes or
- the top of a 13 x 9-inch sheet cake.
To frost a 2-layer cake, I would double or even triple this recipe (because I hate to get stuck with less frosting than I need).
Q. Can I make a glaze instead of a frosting?
A. Yes! And here's how I do it...
CHOCOLATE
BUTTERCREAM
BUTTERCREAM
First, let me assure you that the buttercream version of this recipe produces a thick, smooth icing, like a typical chocolate frosting (as in my photo above)...
************
MAKING
CHOCOLATE GLAZE
CHOCOLATE GLAZE
For a looser chocolate glaze (like the one in my photo below), simply add more liquid to the frosting until you get the consistency you like. Start with 1 tablespoon of milk or coffee or rum or a liqueur (e.g. Kahlua, Amaretto, a chocolate liqueur). Add more if needed to reach the glazing consistency you like, and...
May you eat
(and read) with joy!
~ Cleo Coyle
New York Times bestselling author of
The Coffeehouse Mysteries
 |
Yes, this is me, Cleo (aka Alice).
Friend me on facebook here.
Follow me on twitter here.
Visit my online coffeehouse here.
|
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