'Not as you know it' Nutella
Yes, yes I know there are plenty of 'healthy' 'vegan' nutella recipes already lurking around the blogosphere... and for good reason, who doesn't like a drippy spoonful of thick creamy chocolate?
So far I have avoided the temptation to make my own. Partly because had concerns as to my self control once made, but also many of the recipes I'd come across had a number of time consuming steps and also many recipes also left a lot to be desired in the healthy department.
I made my first version of the 'Nutella' a week or so ago here for the Real Food Source. It was delcious and the coconut sugar gave a lovely caramelised touch. I wanted to reinvent it again with a slight twist this time using my ever faithful date paste.
You'll notice there are no roasted hazlenutsa in this recipe, so technically its not Nutella at all...rather a chocolate almond spread. Somehow that description didn't tantalize my tatsebuds in quite the way it should! The chocolate really takes centre stage and the creamy almond paste ( make your own or buy it) just brings it all together in a rich and creamy spread.
Plus if you add a little extra water you'll have an amazing chocolate drizzle sauce! Sooooo good.
Recipe: Healthy ‘Nutella’
Makes just under 1 cup
Ingredients:
1/3 cup almond paste*
1/3 cup date paste
3 tbs cocoa powder
1/3 cup boiling water
*almond paste is just blanched almond butter. Make your own or buy it for example here
Method:
Stir the cocoa into the boiling water until smooth. Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until very smooth. This works best with either a smallish sized blender or double the amount (the mixture had a tendency to fling itself to the edges of my large Thermomix and I had to scrape it down a few times)
Store in the fridge. it will thicken up a little. This would also be good mixed with a little hot water and served as a chocolate drizzle sauce. You may want to add a couple of drops of stevia to add sweetness if diluting as a drizzle.
For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.
For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.
So far I have avoided the temptation to make my own. Partly because had concerns as to my self control once made, but also many of the recipes I'd come across had a number of time consuming steps and also many recipes also left a lot to be desired in the healthy department.
I made my first version of the 'Nutella' a week or so ago here for the Real Food Source. It was delcious and the coconut sugar gave a lovely caramelised touch. I wanted to reinvent it again with a slight twist this time using my ever faithful date paste.
You'll notice there are no roasted hazlenutsa in this recipe, so technically its not Nutella at all...rather a chocolate almond spread. Somehow that description didn't tantalize my tatsebuds in quite the way it should! The chocolate really takes centre stage and the creamy almond paste ( make your own or buy it) just brings it all together in a rich and creamy spread.
Plus if you add a little extra water you'll have an amazing chocolate drizzle sauce! Sooooo good.
Recipe: Healthy ‘Nutella’
Makes just under 1 cup
Ingredients:
1/3 cup almond paste*
1/3 cup date paste
3 tbs cocoa powder
1/3 cup boiling water
*almond paste is just blanched almond butter. Make your own or buy it for example here
Method:
Stir the cocoa into the boiling water until smooth. Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until very smooth. This works best with either a smallish sized blender or double the amount (the mixture had a tendency to fling itself to the edges of my large Thermomix and I had to scrape it down a few times)
Store in the fridge. it will thicken up a little. This would also be good mixed with a little hot water and served as a chocolate drizzle sauce. You may want to add a couple of drops of stevia to add sweetness if diluting as a drizzle.
For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.
For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.