Chocolate and nuts are two of my favourite things and since I’ve given birth, my craving for these two things seemed to have increased! So naturally Nutella was one of my favourite spreads until I learnt to read labels and “surprise, surprise!” sugar is the first ingredient on the ingredient list, which means this product has more sugar than anything else, therefore it’s more of a sugar spread than a hazelnut chocolate spread. However knowing this fact does not take away my liking for the taste of Nutella, hence, I set out to make my own hazelnut cocoa spread that’s healthier. If I were to put a label on my homemade “Nutella” jar, hazelnut would be first on the ingredient list!
Taste-wise? It’s definitely hazelnutty, with a dark chocolate undertone and just a hint of coconut due to the coconut butter used. I toasted my nuts for a deeper flavour but you can keep them raw if the nuts are very fresh and you prefer a raw nut butter spread.
Homemade Hazelnut Cacao Spread
Notes
*I made my own coconut butter by processing shredded coconut flakes until it becomes a creamy coconut butter.
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw hazelnuts
- 2 tbsp coconut butter*
- 1 1/2 tbsp raw cacao or cocoa
- 3 - 4 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tbsp coconut oil(optional)
Instructions
- Spread hazelnuts in a single layer and toast them in a 175°C preheated oven for 7-8 minutes.
- Let the nuts cool until just warm to the touch, about 15 minutes.
- Pulse the nuts in the food processor a few times to make a nut meal.
- Let the food processor run in intervals of 5 minutes until the nuts become a smooth nut butter. The amount of time needed would depend on the power of your food processor. Take care not to let your food processor over-heat, if it gets hot, stop and let the machine cool before using it again.
- Add all the other ingredients and continue processing. The nut butter would seize once maple syrup is added, don't worry but continue to let the food processor run (in intervals to prevent over-heating) until the content becomes a spreadable consistency. You may need to add a tablespoonful of coconut oil to help this process if it looks too dry.
- Spoon your homemade hazelnut cacao/cocoa spread into a glass jar (preferably straight-edged) and try not to eat half of it! It can keep in the fridge for one month but I doubt it'll last that long!