Avocado chocolate souffle baked in the avocado shells

Choose avocados that are firm but yield to gentle pressure; ripen in a plain brown paper bag at room temperature for a couple of days.

Cut each avocado lengthwise around the pit and open; scoop out the flesh, leaving a thin layer to strengthen the shells for molds.

Pass the flesh through a sieve and blend smooth; add lime zest and the seeds of one vanilla bean.

Put the dish of salt in the oven to heat.

Add a dash of cream of tartar to room-temperature egg whites; whip with a tablespoon of sugar, raise to high speed and add the remaining sugar a little at a time until the peaks stand straight up.

Stir the meringue with a rubber spatula, fold a couple of cups into the avocado, then half of the remaining meringue.

Set the shells on the hot salt, fill each halfway, add a few pieces of dark chocolate and pipe the rest of the avocado mousse on generously.

Bake at 450F about 8 minutes. Fill ramekins with any leftovers.

Dust with powdered sugar and serve right away in the shells; they cannot be transferred once baked.