Vegan Hazelnut Chocolate or Carob Spread

This homemade chocolate or carob spread is super easy to make and absolutely delicious.

In the recipe below you will find a more balancing and “more Ayurvedic” also known as “sattvic” alternative with carob powder.

Hazelnuts lose their acidity when roasted. They are dense nuts, providing fats that are especially nourishing for rather dry Vata dosha. It might be a bit too dense for Kapha and Pitta.

This spread nourishes ojas, our immunity, and vitality.

When adding cinnamon, cardamom or garam masala, we make this spread more easily digestible. This lovely addition will help to keep your blood sugar stable as well.

Find out more about chocolate from an Ayurvedic perspective, by clicking here.

This spread can be used to make “mylk” or be mixed with regular cows’ milk. It can be added to porridge for a more healing and unctuous effect. If you still prefer your spread on toast or bread, make sure it’s warm to ground Vata dosha.

This recipe makes 1 jar of this spread and takes about 20-25 minutes.

INGREDIENTS

-       100 g hazelnut butter

-       60 g dark chocolate (bark) or carob powder

-       1/2 tsp alcohol-free vanilla essence or bourbon vanilla (or simply scrape 1 vanilla pod)

-       pinch of rock salt

-       pinch or 1/2 tsp of cinnamon, cardamom or garam masala (depending on your taste, in the beginning, less is more)

-       maple syrup or date syrup to sweeten for your taste

-       optional: as a chocolate alternative you could use carob powder instead of dark chocolate or add a bit of maca powder or adaptogen powder of your choice, or add more oil if you want it more liquid

INSTRUCTIONS

You can either use store-bought hazelnut butter or make it yourself.

Simply roast the hazelnuts at 175 deg Celsius for about 10 minutes, or until the skin starts to peel off naturally from the heat.

Rub off all of the skin with a kitchen towel and blend them in a high-speed food processor until smooth (this can take a few minutes).

Meanwhile melt the chocolate over a water bath, add all the ingredients and then stir in the hazelnut butter, your sweetener, and spices of choice.

Store up until 7 days or longer (it never lasts as long in my household to find out, maybe you can let me know).

This is perfect for someone with a sweet tooth, or as a little treat for yourself.

With Love,

Lisa