I tried Kylie Jenner's controversial avocado toast and am surprised she got so much flak

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Anneta KonstantinidesSep 25, 2020, 04:03 IST
I tried Kylie Jenner's controversial avocado toast and am surprised she got so much flak

Insider

  • Kylie Jenner recently made headlines when she revealed that she puts honey and red pepper flakes on her avocado toast.
  • I was curious to see how the sweet and spicy flavors would work so I tried it myself.
  • I was pleasantly surprised to find that the textures of the avocado and honey worked well together.
  • The flavors also blended together quite seamlessly, but I wanted a bit more of a dramatic contrast — and a lot more heat.

From Reese Witherspoon's green smoothie to Chrissy Teigen's fried eggs, I often turn to celebrities for a dose of breakfast inspiration.

So when I heard that Kylie Jenner has a special — and somewhat controversial — recipe for avocado toast, I knew I had to give it a go.

Jenner's toast, which includes honey and red pepper flakes, takes less than five minutes to make — and it's even loved by a Michelin-starred chef.

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Kylie Jenner made headlines in August when she posted her avocado toast recipe on her Instagram story.

Kylie Jenner made headlines in August when she posted her avocado toast recipe on her Instagram story.
Kylie Jenner shared her avocado toast recipe on a recent Instagram story. Kylie Jenner/Instagram

Jenner shared a photo of her ingredients, as well as a close-up of her avocado toast glistening with honey.

The sweet and spicy recipe caused a stir. Hello! magazine even proclaimed that her "controversial" breakfast would "divide the nation."

But Jenner's combination of ingredients isn't anything new. In fact, using honey on avocado toast comes recommended by a Michelin-star chef.

But Jenner's combination of ingredients isn't anything new. In fact, using honey on avocado toast comes recommended by a Michelin-star chef.
The honey avocado toast that Chef Suzette Gresham had at OWL Bakery in North Carolina. Suzette Gresham

When I interviewed Michelin-starred chefs to find out their favorite avocado dishes, California chef Suzette Gresham told me about a similar avocado toast experience.

Gresham — who runs Acquerello in San Francisco — discovered one of her favorite avocado dishes at OWL Bakery in North Carolina, where she ordered avocado toast topped with honey and sprinkles of smoked salt.

The flavor combination, Gresham recalled, was "revolutionary."

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Jenner's avocado toast recipe requires four ingredients.

Jenner's avocado toast recipe requires four ingredients.
You'll need honey and crushed red pepper flakes to make Jenner's avocado toast. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

To whip up the "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" star's avocado toast, you'll need:

  • Avocado (of course)
  • Sourdough bread
  • Honey
  • Crushed red pepper flakes

Like Jenner, I opted for clover honey which — I later learned in my research — has a sweeter and lighter taste than natural pure honey.

But before I started making my toast, I had to make sure that my avocado was perfectly ripe.

But before I started making my toast, I had to make sure that my avocado was perfectly ripe.
The quality of your avocado can make or break your toast. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

I have to admit, reader, that the beautiful fruit you see in the picture above was not the first avocado I tried to use for this recipe.

I first cut into an avocado I had bought a few weeks ago from Costco, when it was hard as a rock. But the avocado, with its sad pale-green flesh and unsightly brown veins, was likely past its due date.

But this was supposed to be a replication of Jenner's toast, and I knew the Kardashian star would never eat a subpar avocado. So I dashed to the grocery store and prayed to the avocado gods that I'd somehow find one that was already perfectly ripe.

Thankfully, they were listening!

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Then, I plugged in my toaster and threw in my sourdough bread.

Then, I plugged in my toaster and threw in my sourdough bread.
My sourdough toasted while I mashed the avocado. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

My sourdough was actually too big to fit into my toaster slots, so I cut two slices for this experiment.

I then used a spoon to scoop out the avocado's flesh and put it into a bowl.

I then used a spoon to scoop out the avocado's flesh and put it into a bowl.
I used a fork to mash up my avocado. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

It was time to get mashing.

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I used a fork to mash the avocado, gently pressing it onto the flesh to get rid of the big chunks.

I used a fork to mash the avocado, gently pressing it onto the flesh to get rid of the big chunks.
My avocado mash looked just like Jenner's. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

The mash looked exactly as it had on Jenner's Instagram story.

Next, I spread the avocado onto my toasted bread until it was completely covered.

Next, I spread the avocado onto my toasted bread until it was completely covered.
The avocado spread was a gorgeous, vibrant green. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

The mash had a beautiful, vibrant hue and I couldn't wait to tuck into the toast. That long walk back to the grocery store had definitely been worth it.

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Then it was time for Jenner's special ingredient: honey.

Then it was time for Jenner's special ingredient: honey.
My avocado toast glistened with honey. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

I drizzled a generous amount of clover honey right on top of the toast.

To finish it off, I sprinkled plenty of crushed red pepper flakes on top.

To finish it off, I sprinkled plenty of crushed red pepper flakes on top.
I didn't hold back with the crushed red pepper. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

I'm a huge fan of spicy food, so I made sure that I didn't miss a spot when it came to the red pepper flakes. Per Jenner's recipe, I also added a sprinkle of salt on top and got ready to dig in.

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As I took my first bite, I instantly got a taste of that subtly sweet flavor combination.

As I took my first bite, I instantly got a taste of that subtly sweet flavor combination.
I liked the avocado toast's flavor. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

The honey adds a little oomph to the avocado toast, but there isn't actually a huge difference in taste — hardly one to divide the nation!

I thought there'd be a more dramatic contrast in flavors, but they actually blended together far more seamlessly than I had expected.

I'd also worried that adding honey on top would turn the toast into a mushy mess, but the textures paired well. I was glad that I had really toasted my sourdough bread, as it needed that big crunch to offset the soft avocado on top.

Overall, I enjoyed Jenner's avocado toast — but next time I'll definitely give it more of a kick.

Overall, I enjoyed Jenner's avocado toast — but next time I'll definitely give it more of a kick.
I would make Jenner's avocado toast again. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

I've always loved pairing sweet with spicy, so I wish the flavor contrast in Jenner's avocado toast had been more dramatic. I actually tried some of my toast with beans that I had doused in hot sauce, and loved the added heat.

At the end of the day, Jenner's avocado toast is a great foundation for playing with flavors. I think this recipe could be a slam dunk with some hot honey, or a hot sauce that packs more of a kick than red pepper flakes. I'm also curious to see how it would pair with a spicy sweet chili sauce, or how the flavor could change with different types of honey.

"Keeping Up with the Kardashians" may be coming to an end, but, when it comes to avocado toast, the options are clearly infinite.

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