Healthier Avocado Chocolate Truffles

Change things up this Valentines day with these rich and deceptively healthier avocado chocolate truffles.

This year, I’m all about making some healthier tweaks wherever possible. While I’ll leave my grandma’s buttery Scottish shortbread cookies alone, chocolate truffles are perfect for trying out some healthy swaps. Despite being lower in calories and total fat than traditional chocolate truffles, these are still just as creamy and rich-tasting thanks to avocado.

While it may seem like a strange combination of ingredients, the flavor of the avocado is undetectable thanks to the strong dark chocolate. Once you get over the idea of adding mashed avocado to your truffles, the rest is straight forward truffle-making. For anyone without experience in melting chocolate, there are a few tips for ending up with smooth melted chocolate rather than a clumpy mess.

• Tip 1: Use chocolate bars rather than chocolate chips. Yes, chips will still melt, but when the chocolate starts to harden, melted chocolate chips won’t be as glossy and pretty as the chocolate bars.
• Tip 2: Slowly melt chocolate over boiling water. While you might see recipes call for a double-boiler, you can simply place a heat-resistant bowl over a pot of gently simmering water.
• Tip 3: This is probably the most important: do not let any water touch the chocolate! When water, even a small drop, gets in the chocolate as it melts, the chocolate will seize. So instead of smooth melted chocolate, you’ll end up with a thick mixture, almost like hardened frosting.

As these contain avocado, the truffles will only stay good for about 3 days. So, if you’re doing your holiday baking ahead of time, I’d leave these for the last minute.

Ingredients:
6-oz dark chocolate bar
1/3 cup mashed avocado (about 1 small avocado)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch salt
~1/4 cup Cocoa powder (enough to roll truffles in)

Instructions:

1. Place chocolate and vanilla extract in a double broiler over medium-low heat (see notes in post about double broiler options). Stir chocolate as it slowly melts.
2. Once chocolate is melted, stir in mashed avocado and pinch of salt. Place mixture in the fridge for 20 minutes, or until slightly hardened.
3. Pour cocoa powder into a shallow dish and cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove mixture from fridge.
4. Using a tablespoon, scoop out batter and roll into a ball. Gently roll ball in cocoa powder then place truffle on the parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough (note: your hands will get messy!).
5. Place truffles in fridge for another 10 minutes before serving. Truffles are best served at room temperature, but should be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Servings: 12 |  72 Calories per Serving

Nutrition for 1 truffle: 72 calories; 6 g carbohydrate; 1 g protein; 5 g fat (3 g sat); 2 g fiber; 2 mg sodium