Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Almond Chocolate Paste: Like Nutella, but without the Gross Junk

One chocolate product that seems to enjoy nearly universal love is Nutella. It’s got chocolate, milk, sugar, and hazelnuts – how could one go wrong? Is there anything you can’t eat it with? I will personally admit that I used to eat it straight out of the jar. And for that reason, I no longer keep it in the kitchen. You see, I live by myself, so I can’t blame “somebody else” for eating all of it.

Unless I want to spend some time at St. Elizabeth’s explaining my special friend.

And I don’t want to do that. So I no longer purchase Nutella. Another reason? I checked out the ingredients list. Palm oil is the second ingredient??? Is there not enough fat in the cocoa butter and hazelnuts? Or do they use inferior version of both? Either way, my Nutella habit is over.

Now chocolate nut spreads, that’s another story. How would you like to learn how to make your own? It’s easy. And no palm oil involved.

Chocolate Almond Spread Ingredients

150 grams milk chocolate, melted and cooled (E. Guittard 38% cocoa milk chocolate)

75 grams (1/2 cup) almond flour

75 grams (2/3 cup) powdered sugar

Although there’s no palm oil involved, there is something else notable involved: the nifty new kitchen scale that my parents got me for Christmas.

However, if you were not so lucky to have received such a scale a few weeks ago, simply use the volume measurements given in the ingredients list.

Mix the almond flour and powdered sugar in a food processor until thoroughly combined.

Then add the melted and cooled milk chocolate in two additions, processing until fully combined. After the second addition, run the food processor for about two minutes to ensure a smooth texture.

Simple. Easy. No palm oil. Beautiful. Try it today.

Do you like Nutella? Does palm oil gross you out?

11 comments:

  1. I use Nutella on occasion for fillings and such and had no idea it had palm oil in it (or that palm oil was so evil!). This is a great recipe homemade chocolate paste/spread, though; I can't wait to try it out!

    ...I also got a scale for Christmas. It's wonderful. ^_^ Unfortunately I have no food processor. Hmm....

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  2. @Mary at n00bcakes Yay for kitchen scales! You should try macarons - and get a food processor!

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  3. Um, WOW. When I saw the title I though this was going to be a nut butter, but WOW. Rather different, and I think I'm in love. Though I've only ever seen almond meal here in Australia...

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  4. Oh, Victoria. I <3 Nutella and this utilizes my two new gadgets. Thank you.

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  5. @Hannah Almond meal and almond flour are the same thing - you need, yes need, to make this.

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  6. @Jessica @ bake me away! I know, it's a total kitchen gadget fest. Kitchen nerd heaven.

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  7. Oh yum! I used to have a slight problem with nutella where I would but a package of pretzels and a jar of nutella and the next day they were both gone.... But yours is the healthy version, right? :)

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  8. Thank you thank you thank you!!! I love Nutella and would easily get addicted to it if I hadn't stopped buying it a long time ago. I'm certainly trying this very soon!

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  9. @BethIt's totally healthy! Almonds and chocolate. Couldn't be better. And no palm oil.

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  10. @Renata Do give this a try - it's easy and much tastier.

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  11. i think the idea is a good one but nutella has hazelnuts in it, not almonds. their flavors are quite distinct. i'd like a recipe for nutella w/o the palm oil and with hazelnuts. does anyone know if such a thing can be purchased in the stores?

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