Chocolate Dessert Cups with Avocado-Mint Ice Cream

This dessert is like the frozen version of a thin mint. I was completely curious when I saw this post for avocado mint icecream- avocado and mint?! - and then thought, what with all the thin-mint recipes going around, and after making my vegan mini creme cakes, how good it would taste in a chocolate crust. And these little chocolate mint cups were born!


Adapted from Giro Vegando in Cucina's Avocado Mint Icecream
Serves 2-4 depending on serving container size
Ingredients:
Ice cream:

• 1/2 large ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
• 1/8 package silken tofu
• 1.5 tsp lemon juice
• dash of vanilla powder
• 2 packets stevia
• 1 Tbsp agave syrup
• 1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla soy or almond milk
• 1.5 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 15-20 mint leaves 

 Crust:

• 6 medjool dates, pitted
• 1 Tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup walnuts
• 1/4 cup oats
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Steps:

1. Chill a bowl in the freezer.
2. In a small saucepan, heat 1 tsp of the lemon juice, along with the brown sugar, dash of vanilla powder (if you have it), and 2-3 mint leaves. Stir until the sugar is dissolved, then remove from heat and remove the mint leaves; set aside.
3. In food processor, blend all the other ice cream ingredients until smooth. Add in the sugar sauce from the saucepan and blend well. Check for sweetness and minty-ness; add more sweetener and/or mint to desired preference.
4. Transfer the ice cream mix to the chilled bowl and place back in the freezer. After 30 minutes, whisk well and return to freezer again; repeat this another 2-3 times, OR, you can just freeze and place it back in the food processor prior to serving. (You will need to thaw for about 15 minutes if you freeze for more than a few hours).
5. To make the crust, place all ingredients in a (cleaned) food processor. Shape into serving container of choice, such as mini drink glasses, shot glasses, mini tart pan, or a mini spring form pan. 
6. Scoop the ice cream into the mini cups, and store in the freezer. Thaw for about 15 minutes prior to serving (or in the fridge for an hour if you've frozen overnight), and garnish with small fresh mint leaves.

Notes:
I love serving these as little mini desserts; it makes for a nice wow-factor, both for the eyes and the palette! I also recommend adding a few fresh mint leaves on top. Delicious!

When I was making the ice cream, I halved the original recipe, since I wanted to save half an avocado for lunch; so, for more volume, I added the tofu. Because of this, I think I could have easily have not halved the sweetener in the original recipe, since I ended up adding more of my own sweeter to off-set the tofu-taste (agave, stevia), and the original recipe's lemon and brown sugar sweetening sauce is so yummy. Either way, though, the end result came out awesomely delicious. You don't taste avocado and you don't taste tofu; you taste that hint of mint in a rich-seeming dessert. Keeper! Now the question is, do I serve these at my Mad Men premiere party, or something else? . . .