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Should you use avocado in desserts?
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It’s time to start using avocado in desserts. Guac is great…but have you tried avocado ice cream?
It’s avocado season here in California! We love a good guac as much as the next guy but lately, we’ve been using avocado in desserts, like California Crème Fraîche Avocado Ice Cream.
Avocados? In ice cream???? Here’s why you should use avocado in desserts.
Before you start rolling your eyes, hear us out. Avocados have a rich creamy texture, and are naturally full of healthy fats. If you think about it, they’re the perfect base for healthy frozen treats.
Why should you chose California Grown Avocados?
California farmers grow 90% of the Nation’s avocados. The Central and Southern coasts offer plenty of sunshine, warm days and cool nights – ideal conditions for California’s favorite fruit (yes, avocados are a fruit). When you buy California avocados, you’re supporting local farm families and their farming teams – and enjoying the highest quality avocados available. That’s a win-win in our books.
Learn more about how avocados are grown in California!
How can you tell if an avocado is ripe?
Our friends at California Avocados shared the easiest way to tell if an avocado is ripe and ready to enjoy. Gently squeeze the fruit in the palm of your hand. A ripe avocado should be firm, but will still yield to gentle pressure. If your avocados aren’t ripe yet, simply leave them on the counter and they’ll ripen within a few days
Love using avocado in desserts? Try these fabulous frozen treats…
Love California Crème Fraîche Avocado Ice Cream? Try these healthy(ish) desserts next.
Avocado Coconut Strawberry Semifreddo
Here in the Golden State, summer corresponds to the height of avocado and strawberry seasons. And, when they’re in their prime, we use both as often as possible.
The traditional frozen Italian dessert, semifreddo, gets a decidedly California twist from our friends at Salt & Wind thanks to the combination of avocado, lime, and strawberries! This Avocado Coconut Strawberry Semifreddo recipe will for sure become one of your favorite desserts!
Avocado Chocolate Mousse
Our friend Jerry James Stone is on a mission to eliminate food waste. He developed this delicious avocado chocolate mousse as a way to use up avocados that are bruised or browned.
Homemade Avocado Ice Cream
Think about it…California avocados are irresistibly creamy, and full of healthy fats. Why wouldn’t they make a delicious base for a frozen treat? Homemade Avocado Ice Cream from California Avocados is about to become your new favorite summer snack.
No-Churn Avocado Pistachio Ice Cream
No ice cream maker? No problem. You can still whip up a batch of this No-Churn Avocado Pistachio Ice Cream!
Mint Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwiches with California Avocados
No churn mint ice cream sandwiched between two dark chocolate cookies? Count us in. We’re obsessed with these Mint Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwiches from Husbands that Cook.
Let’s make California Crème Fraîche Avocado Ice Cream!
California Crème Fraîche Avocado Ice Cream
Equipment
- Ice Cream Maker
Ingredients
- 3 ripe California avocados peeled and diced
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup Real California crème fraîche
- 1/4 cup Real California whole milk
- 1/4 cup cup honey
- Optional: chopped pistachios cocoa powder, pomegranate molasses, and
- chili/lime seasoning such as Tajin or Stardust for garnish
Instructions
- Put avocado, lemon juice and vanilla in a food processor and mix until smooth. Add crème fraîche, milk and honey and continue mixing until smooth.
- Pour mixture into ice cream maker and churn until desired texture (about 20 minutes for scoopable consistency in standard machines).
- Freeze finished ice cream for 1 hour for a more solid ice cream.
Notes
Nutrition
Make your avocado ice cream “extra”….
Let’s talk toppings. More is more, folks. Load your avocado ice cream up with all the California Grown goodness. Pistachios, Pomegranate Molasses, and Tajin (or our current fave, Stardust seasoning from our friends at Rancho Gordo). Enjoy!
Get on the Crème Fraîche train –
Lemon Balm and Crème Fraîche Ice Cream
If you think using avocado in desserts sounds crazy, have you ever tried adding herbs to your ice cream? If not…take one bite of this Lemon Balm and Crème Fraîche Ice Cream from The Bojon Gourmet. You’ll be adding savory herbs to everything in sight.
Avocado FAQs
Avocados should not be stored in the fridge until they are ripe. To speed up the process, place your avocado in a brown paper bag. Store at room temperature until the avocado yields to gentle pressure.
Pro-tip: Need your avocados to ripen as quickly as possible? Try adding an apple or kiwi to the bag. They give off ethylene gasses that will speed up the process.
Our friend Jerry James Stone shared this genius hack for keeping cut avocados fresh for a week!
California Avocados have a bit of a cult following. Don’t believe us? There are over 13 million uses of #avocado on Instagram…and that’s not even counting any other related hashtags. But which avocados are the best avocados? In our humble opinion, the best avocados are California Grown avocados.
Hundreds of different avocado varieties exist, but only seven are grown commercially in the Golden State. Hass avocados are by far the most widely grown, accounting for almost 95 percent of all CA Grown avocados. Learn more about other varieties of avocados grown in California.