Loco for Coco: Healthy Hazelnut Chocolate Spread!

Go nuts for this healthy version of your favourite chocolate spread, courtesy of Ifat… those store-bought concoctions will never make their way to your shopping trolley again!

If you know one thing about me, it is that I love chocolate! With such love, I consistently explore ways to cater to my sweet… or bitter addiction. At home, we generally have about a kilogram of raw cacao powder, another 5 kilograms of raw nut butter, plus additional items that I can use to make a variety of treats at home.

Children generally love chocolate spreads, as do the adults. I love a warm toasted banana bread with chocolate spread melted on top and dripping over the sides… yummy and super scrumptious!

My addiction to the food of the gods has me making weekly batches of freezer fudge, chocolate barks, chocolate mylks and other treats. I have convinced myself I need more magnesium, so I make it absolutely possible to indulge in as much chocolate as I like, with less guilt and more satisfaction. Mostly because I’m happy in the knowledge that my creations are good for you, loving your body kind of treats and not those found in the supermarkets which are on the vast majority chocolate flavoured sugar bars!

Lately a popular request has been to give the recipe I use at home for making my chocolate spread. I love making this and usually it is gone before it even had time to sit on the shelf. Once you make it, you’ll realise just how easy it is and will be making more of this at home, while buying less of it in the stores.

I love the fact that I can control the ingredients and know exactly what is in it!

Hazelnut Chocolate Spread – Raw or Roasted / Your choice!

• 2 ½ Cups Organic Raw Hazelnuts (or Roasted)
• 2 ½ Tsps. Organic Vanilla Extract
• 1/3 Cup Raw Cacao Powder
• 1/3 Cup Maple Syrup
• 1/3 Coconut Oil
• 1 Pinch Himalayan Salt

Process

Insert ingredients into your blender. Blend with occasional breaks to scrape the sides and to allow for natural oils to be released (when they release, it makes for an easier blending process, too).

Optional

Coconut Milk / Hazelnut Milk / Almond Milk – add in a little for a milky chocolate affect, add bit by bit until you reach your desired taste. We usually add in one or two tablespoons.

Hazelnut Extract – my husband loves when I add this in, it gives it an extra little punch of flavour!

You can read all about the benefits of chocolate in my previous posts here and here!