Can you get any more Southern Californian than an avocado tart? The first time I learned about this recipe was at the Canyon Crest Athletic Club. I had begun working out before going to my job and ended up meeting a group of wonderful women. 

This group of fitness friends (Kelly, Amber, Cindy, and Lisa) morphed into a book club where I would host dinner parties to discuss the books. The challenge was that Lisa didn’t eat sugar or processed food. So, when it came time for her birthday, I dug deep and found a recipe that fit her healthy eating preferences. (I substituted the wafer cookies with a crust made from hazelnuts for Lisa, but used the original recipe here.) In a land where avocados reign supreme, this is my nod to a somewhat healthy dessert for the fitness crowd.

Charlotte March For Sunset Magazine

Ingredients

• ½ C Unsalted roasted pistachios
• 6 oz (28) dark chocolate wafer cookies (Famous Chocolate Wafer Cookies)
• 2 t Granulated sugar
• Kosher salt
• 5 T Unsalted butter, melted
• 2 Medium soft-ripe avocados
• 8 oz Cream cheese, at room temperature
• 6 T Powdered sugar
• 2 t Lemon juice
• 2 t Vanilla extract
• 4 oz Dark chocolate (60 to 64% cacao), chopped
• ½ C Heavy whipping cream

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350° F.  Pulse pistachios in a food processor until coarsely ground; reserve one tablespoon. Add cookies, granulated sugar, and a pinch of salt to the remaining nuts and whirl until finely ground. Add butter and whirl until mixture is just combined. Press over the bottom and up sides of a 9- to 10-inch tart pan with a removable rim. Bake until fragrant, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack.

• Scoop avocados into a cleaned food processor. Add cream cheese, powdered sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, and a pinch of salt; whirl until smooth. Spread filling in tart crust, preferably using an offset spatula. Chill while making ganache.
• Put the chocolate in a small heatproof bowl. Heat cream in a small saucepan until bubbles form at the edge of the pan. Pour cream over the chocolate and let stand for one minute. Whisk until smooth. Cool ganache until just warm to the touch (95°), which will take five to six minutes.

• Pour ganache over avocado filling and gently spread to cover, preferably using a clean offset spatula. Sprinkle with reserved tablespoon of pistachios. Chill at least two hours before serving.