Sometimes When You Paleo, You Fail
02. Dec, 2009 
5 Comments
I love to bake. Putting on a pretty apron, measuring out the ingredients, creating a whirlwind in the kitchen, the smell, the licking of the bowl after…I love everything about baking. However, Paleo baking (PB) is a whole different world. With traditional baking I can follow recipes and know with confidence that the end result will be delicious and pretty. This is not the case with PB.
When PB-ing there is a certain level of risk taking, guessing, and playing with new ingredients. There is also the food processor factor. To really get into paleo cooking or baking you need a food processor. My knock off magic bullet processor is not cutting it. Sure, for single serving things it is fine. (Especially because I’m single and I typically am only cooking for one.) But really, one needs an adult-sized food processor to get into the good stuff of paleo life. I’ve informed my family that this, above the perfect decorative serving tray for my ottoman which I’ve been searching out for months, is what I want for Christmas.
Up until this point pretty much everyone has had great success with their paleo recipes. This was especially delightful during our TLSP dinners and get togethers. However, that winning streak would have to come to an end at some point. This Thanksgiving that end was me. Miss Baking Betty met Paleo Fail in what was an attempt to create a chocolate pie substitute. Introducing the Avocado Chocolate Pie. FAIL!
It was the most unattractive thing I’ve ever baked. You can see the uncertainty in my face. I really only brought it as a joke because surely something so ugly (and full of avocado lumps) couldn’t be tasty. The nibbles we all had would support that theory.
Please don't make me eat this...
However, the hypothesis was incorrect! Yay! Sort of…it wasn’t great and it wasn’t bad. The coconut based crust was what saved the entire thing. At the very least it was edible; Team TLSP ate the entire thing over two days of TLSP dinners.
Not as bad as it looks
If you have a grown-up food processor, here’s the recipe:
Chocolate Avocado Pie:
Crust:
1 cup pitted dates
2 cups desiccated coconut
Process crust ingredients until sticky dough is achieved. Press into pie pan & put in fridge to set.
Filling:
2-3 avocados
1/2 cup coconut butter
10 tbspns raw cacao
2 cups dates
1 tbspn coconut (optional)
Process all filling ingredients into smooth state & pour into crust. Serve immediately or put in fridge to serve later.
Author Info
Georgia~
UM ..I LOVED your Avocado lump pie:) I even snarfed the piece I took home…same night. One persons “bake fail” is another persons happy tummy:)
Yeah I liked it too! The crust totally made that pie. Best crust ever.
Ask for a Vita-Mix…the single best piece of kitchen equipment that I own! It’s a little pricey, but you can do EVERYTHING with it. From grinding almonds for almond flour, to guacamole, to smoothies; it can do it all.
A food dehydrator and vacuum sealer are the items on my Christmas list. Just in case anyone out there is listening…
That crust was awesome Georgia – I’m planning to make a batch and eat it for dessert post dinner – the only trouble knowing me is that I’ll eat the whole batch in one sitting.
I have failed a lot in my Paleo baking too … luckily, TLSP will eat anything once!