Homemade Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

This Delicious homemade Chocolate Hazelnut Spread definitely worth a try. If you like chocolate then this is just the recipe for you.

Ingredients

1/2 cup water
4 cups raw hazelnuts
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons light olive oil
Salt (to taste)
1 cup granulated sugar (optional)

Directions

First the Hazelnuts

Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Place hazelnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet.
Toast in the oven until the skins are almost black and the meat is dark brown, about 15 minutes.
Stir the nuts halfway through baking to ensure an even colour.
To remove skins, wrap cooled hazelnuts in a clean kitchen towel.
Rub until most of the skins come off.

Then the Caramel

*If you will be adding the sugar, combine sugar and water in a 3 to 4 cup (720-960 ml) saucepan.
Cover and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat.
Remove the lid and wipe down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush or a scrunched-up paper towel dipped in water.
Cover and cook for 2 minutes or until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Uncover and cook until the syrup looks like pale amber maple syrup.
Line a baking sheet with foil.
Immediately pour the caramel onto the lined baking sheet.
Tilt the sheet to spread the caramel as thinly as possible.
Let harden completely, about 15 minutes.
Break cooled caramel into small pieces and place it into the Super Blender container and secure the lid.
Select Variable 1.
Turn the machine on and slowly increase speed to Variable 5.
Blend for 15 seconds. Stop the machine and remove the lid.

Now the Spread

Add the nuts to the Super Blender container and secure the lid.
Select Variable 1.
Turn the machine on and slowly increase speed to Variable 10, then to High.
Blend for 1 minute, using the tamper to press the ingredients into the blades.
Stop the machine and remove the lid to scrape down the sides.
Continue blending until nuts are free-flowing.
Add the remaining ingredients to the Super Blender container and secure the lid.
Select Variable 1.
Turn the machine on and slowly increase speed to Variable 10, then to High.
Blend for 2 minutes using the tamper to press the ingredients into the blades.

Health Information

Hazelnuts contain vitamins, minerals, protein, fibre and healthy fats. Hazelnuts contain flavonoids that support brain health and reduce the symptoms associated with allergies and improve blood circulation.

Who doesn’t love the taste of chocolate? Before chocolate becomes what it is, it is initially just plain cacao, of course in order for it to become chocolate it goes through a few processes and other ingredients are added such as sugar. In this form you do not get all the health benefits that are found in pure raw cacao. These include a high content of B vitamins and vitamin C. The antioxidant properties reduce fight cancer causing free radicals. Other benefits include improved digestion, lowering blood pressure and increasing blood circulation and improved cardiovascular health.