Dreamy Chocolate Hazelnut Butter
I have always been a huge fan of the chocolate and hazelnut combo. It’s such a classic to me and I can never say no to such a perfect pairing!
With Valentine’s Day coming up, I thought I would make my own version of this delicious combo in the form of a versatile butter but one that is made from whole foods and is free of excessive sugars and inflammatory oils but also offers iron, magnesium and zinc from the fresh hazelnuts, healthy fats (coconut oil), antimicrobial properties (raw honey) and mood boosting and aphrodisiac elements (raw cacao powder)!
This butter is so versatile, some of my favourite ways to enjoy it include:
On its own, straight off the spoon!
Warmed as a dip for fresh fruit especially strawberries
Melted and drizzled on top of pancakes or porridge
Mixed into a homemade hot chocolate
This is seriously addictive and I almost ate half the jar within the first few days (hehe). That being said, this is not Nutella as it’s much less sweet and is more hazelnut forward followed by rich chocolate flavours with some slight sweetness.
If you are looking for something even more indulgent I would suggest melting 1/3 cup of chocolate chips while omitting the honey.
I hope you give this one a try and share it with those you love this Valentine’s Day. Please comment below to let me know or tag me on instagram at #happyhealthcc. I’d love to see your creations!
Ingredients
Prep: 15 minutes (plus hazelnut roasting time)
Yields 1 cup of butter
1 cup raw hazelnuts
1/4 cup coconut oil (measured solid)
1/3 cup raw cacao powder
2 – 4 Tbsp raw honey (or to your taste)
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp decaf instant coffee or coffee grounds*
Pinch of pink salt or fine sea salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Roast hazelnuts on a cookie sheet for 8 mins or until fragrant then set aside and let cool slightly.
Transfer the hazelnuts onto a tea towel. Wrap them up into a loose envelope shape and rub the outside of the towel to remove the skins.
Add the hazelnuts with skins removed to a food processor. Pulse a few times to start then run the processor until a smooth butter forms. Occasionally stop to scrape down the sides (this should take ~10 minutes for the butter to form).
Once you have a smooth butter consistency, add the coconut oil, cacao powder, honey, vanilla extract, espresso powder and salt to the food processor and combine until you have a consistent colour and smooth texture with a speckling of visible hazelnut pieces.
Enjoy immediately as a dip or store in a glass container in the fridge to use as a spread, topping for your oatmeal bowl or sauce for your pancakes. The possibilities are endless!
Notes:
The coffee is optional although it does enhance the chocolate flavour
Alternatively you can purchase blanched and skinned hazelnuts then simply roast in the oven for ~7 mins to toast them then move on to step 3
If you are looking for something even more indulgent and “Nutella-like” I would suggest melting 1/3 cup of chocolate chips and adding this at step 4 while omitting the honey