From Chef Oonagh Williams of Royal Temptations Catering
There must be very few people who haven’t tried Nutella. It is delicious yes, but healthy, no.
Original ingredients listed are sugar, palm oil, hazelnuts, cocoa, skim milk, whey, soy lecithin, artificial vanilla. Sugar and palm oil in larger quantities than hazelnuts. If you google homemade Nutella, there are loads of recipes, including ones with melted chocolate, cream and condensed milk. Again, delicious I am sure, but indulgent, not everyday, more like a chocolate fondue and more perishable. Most chocolate nut butters have a milk chocolate taste. To get that sweeter taste from cocoa, you need to add more sugar and then more oil to make it creamy. You could try substituting one of the drinking chocolate sachets that are sweetened and contain powdered milk. Plus, consider if you are making this adult or kid taste.
I find that it is difficult to get a smooth nut butter if you start with whole hazelnuts or any whole nut in a food processor. It’s quicker and easier with nut flour or nut meal. A Vitamix would probably turn it smooth in an instant!
Ingredients:
- ½ cup (2 oz., 55 g) hazelnut flour or meal (or other nut). Bob’s Red Mill sells hazelnut and almond meal.
- ¼ cup (60ml) maple syrup (Syrup helps make it runnier. Sugar makes it stiffer.)
- ¼ cup (60 ml) almond oil, hazelnut oil or olive oil
- 2 Tbsp. (30 ml) regular cocoa
- 1 tsp. (5ml) gluten-free vanilla extract
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. (3 ml) hazelnut extract or suitable nut extract (this really intensifies the flavor)
Directions:
- Put ingredients in food processor or blender and run until as smooth as you like, scraping down sides. You probably can’t get it as smooth as commercial brand.
- Taste and keep adjusting sugar and consistency to what you like. Different brands do give different texture and taste results. Homemade can never replicate the commercial product. It can come close, but it’s not exact. This tasted really good on a bagel.