Dark Chocolate Nut Butter

I've been eating a lot of Nutella lately. True confessions. My entire family is hooked. It is so good slathered on waffles, baguette ends, and every kind of fruit....we've tried apples, bananas, strawberries, blackberries, and pineapple to date. It has been my winter warmer. My seasonal affect cure all. A heaping spoonful with my morning coffee is such a great start to my day. With this chocolate nut butter becoming more and more of a kitchen staple, and less like a luxury item, I decided that I needed to make my own. Of coarse.

Making your own dark chocolate nut butter is not only one of the easiest tasks that I have conquered today, but also makes for a healthier alternative to Nutella. Don't get me wrong, calling chocolate nut butter healthy may seem conflicting, however this version is lower in sugar and doesn't contain any of the fillers common in store bought nut butters. With just a handful of ingredients, you will be blown away by the simplicity and the flavor. Have a jar on hand, it keeps for 4 to 6 weeks in the fridge! Belly up!!



DARK CHOCOLATE NUT BUTTER

1 cup hazelnuts, toasted, skinned and cooled*
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp kosher salt
3 Tablespoons sunflower oil

In a food processor, process the hazelnuts until they become a smooth butter, about 3 minutes. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl, making sure to grind the hazelnuts uniformly.

Add the cocoa powder, sugar, vanilla, salt, and oil and continue processing until creamy, 1 minute or so. Transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerated, it will keep for 4 to 6 weeks.

* To toast the hazelnuts: Place the hazelnuts on a sheet pan and toast in the oven at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes, until they are fragrant and the skins loosen. Remove from the oven and immediately cover with a clean kitchen towel. Rub the hazelnuts in the towel, between your hands, to remove the skins. Don't worry if you don't remove all of the skins- getting the majority of the skins removed is fine.

 

 

THE ALTERNATIVE

So, I also did a variation using almonds. Actually I used almond butter. I wanted to see what would happen if a person was feeling lazy, and just wanted to fancy up a jar of almond butter. Plus it was a slow day at work. The results were great. Being lazy here still makes a fine dark chocolate nut butter! I substituted 3/4 cup toasted almond butter for the hazelnuts. Everything else remains the same. My coworkers were thankful. Enjoy!!