**In this post we are taking last weeks lacto fermented nuts & turning them into a yummy probiotic spread.**

*Even if you haven’t pre-fermented your nuts you can still make this simple & tasty recipe!*

Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

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In today's post we are going to be making a homemade chocolate hazelnut spread with just 6 ingredients you most likely already have at home or can be easily acquired.

Before I share the recipe I want to go over the ingredients found in the store bought version & you can see that by making it at home you are producing a healthier product. At least it’s as healthy as a chocolate hazelnut spread can be.

The main difference when you really start to look at the homemade version & the store-bought version is that the store-bought version should be considered more of a dessert than a spread.

The makers of Nutella, Ferrero USA, were sued in 2011 for false advertising claims as some early advertisements for Nutella claimed it was a “nutritious & healthy breakfast”. After a $3.05 million dollar payout was granted & they changed their labeling claims.

While I haven’t taken the time to dissect every single brand of hazelnut spread we are going to be talking specifically about Nutella & doing our comparison with that one as they all do seem to have a similar ingredient makeup.

Nutella claims they have no artificial colors or preservatives but what does it actually contain?

Our first ingredient is sugar which makes up a whopping 55% of the entire product. High levels of sugar can lead to weight gain, blood sugar spikes potentially & eventually leading to diabetes. Other concerns with high sugar products are tooth decay, dental problems as well as energy crashes & overall mood swings.

I’ve personally wondered if the apparent influx of ADHD in children is actually caused by the amount of sugar that is found in so many products aimed towards children. With that being said I’m not sure correlation equals causation here & perhaps we’re finally getting a good grasp & understanding on how neurodivergence shows up in a person.

Anyways our recipe contains much less sugar than the store bought version does. I do give a range of sugar to be used, 1/3 all the way to 1 cup giving you more freedom on the amount of sugar you want to ingest or give to your family.

The second ingredient is palm oil which is used for its smooth texture & long shelf life that is safe for consumption. Where this can become an issue is the environmental concerns such as the deforestation of the rainforest in countries like Indonesia & Malaysia who account for over 85% of the global production of palm oil.

We need to start taking the environmental concerns seriously when it comes to what we take from Mother Earth. It is something to be mindful of & always take into consideration whenever possible.

With that being said, according to the Nutella website they do use a certified sustainable palm oil. I don’t know if this is true for other brands.

Next comes hazelnuts which makes up 13% of the entire product. Nutella claims there are over 50 hazelnuts per 13oz jar while our recipe contains 2 cups of hazelnuts which is approximately 225 when I counted them all out

Let’s touch on the concept of label appeal which is exactly what is going on. By including a small percentage of an ingredient you can add it on the label making it more appealing. The cosmetic industry does this all the time & I was a bit surprised to find that happening with a food product.

Cocoa powder makes up 7.4% of the entire product. While cocoa powder has been linked to some health benefits such as supporting heart health & brain function due to its antioxidant content but, there is not enough cocoa in the product to give you those benefits.

Skimmed milk powder makes up 8.7% of the entire product. By adding skimmed milk powder the sugar content is also increased with this ingredient on top of 55% sugar already present. 100g of powdered milk has approximately 38g of sugar. Our recipe contains no dairy.

We also have lecithin, a soy product which is used as an emulsifier helping to keep the concoction together. Our recipe contains no emulsifier which is why it has a much shorter shelf life than store bought hazelnut spread.

I’m not one to say any ingredient is good or bad but soy lecithin is a GMO product which means it may lead to issues such as obesity, thyroid dysfunction, constipation & certain types of cancer.

Lastly we have vanillin which is a flavoring additive.

Vanilla is an extract derived from the pods of the vanilla orchid which is what we will be using.

Vanillin is a single compound found in vanilla but is often produced synthetically making it a cheaper alternative.

Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

Equipment:

Blender
Spatula
Measuring cups & spoons
Storage jar

Ingredients:

2 cups hazelnuts roasted & peeled
⅓-1 cup powdered sugar
¼ cup cocoa powder
2 T vanilla extract
2 T + more neutral oil
½ t salt (optional)

Method:

Roast & peel the nuts. See Notes & Substitutions portion for instructions on how to do this
In a high powered blender blend the hazelnuts until smooth & creamy
In a bowl mix together the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract,& salt then add it to the blender
Once mixed, drizzle in the oil. Add more if required until your desired consistency is reached
Blend until the mixture is well combined & smooth. Scrape down the sides of the blender as required
Place in an airtight storage container

Shelf life:

2 weeks on the counter
2 months in the fridge
Because this is a low acid high fat recipe it is not suitable for canning

Notes & Suggestions:

Consider adding different flavors such as cinnamon or nutmeg
Use different nuts or a combination of nuts to make a unique spread
Ferment the nuts for more bioavailable nutrients & increased digestibility. Learn how to do that HERE
Substitute powdered sugar with another sweetener like maple syrup

To roast nuts:

If they are fermented: place them on a thin layer on a baking sheet. Place them in the oven at the lowest temperature your oven can go, mine is 170. Roast for up to 12 hours stirring every few hours to ensure even roasting. Start checking them around the 8 hour mark
If they are not fermented: place them on a thin layer on a baking sheet. Place them in a 350F oven for up to 15 minutes stirring every 5

To peel the nuts:

Place an appropriate amount of nuts you feel comfortable working with on a clean dish towel. Take the towel & rub everything together until the paper thin skin falls off. If the skins aren’t coming off very well, put them in the oven to warm slightly first.