Choco-Nut spread (Homemade Nutella)

With the high amount of adulteration that is being present in packaged foods these days, I always try to hunt for homemade alternatives. It also works out cheaper and we can have them guilt-free!

I have been hunting for a perfect alternative to a chocolate spread for bread and was so glad to come across the same in gayathriscookspot.com :-) Here blog has been my savior whenever I hunt for eggless recipes!

Hazelnuts are not easily available in India and even if we get them, they are pretty expensive. If you don't mind the high price tag, then go ahead and substitute the peanuts in the below recipe with hazelnuts, to exactly replicate Nutella! But trust me, peanuts added a unique flavor to the spread and the combination with chocolate was amazing. 

You might also check out my Homemade Peanut Butter recipe


Recipe Source: gayathriscookspot.com

INGREDIENTS

• Peanuts - 1/2 cup (Unsalted and roasted) *
• Dark chocolate - 170 g
• Oil - 1 tablespoon
• Icing sugar - 1.5 tablespoons (Can be replaced by powdering regular white sugar)
• Cocoa powder - 1/2 tablespoon
• Salt - 1/4 teaspoon
• Vanilla extract - 1/4 teaspoon

METHOD

1. If using un-roasted peanuts, then roast them and remove the skin. If using salted and roasted peanuts, then omit the extra salt in the recipe and adjust sugar accordingly
2. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or a microwave. Allow it to cool
3. Run the roasted peanuts in a mixer. First they would get powdered. Continue to run the mixer for another minute. You would notice that the peanuts by now would have started releasing oil and it would have become a paste
4. Now add oil, sugar, cocoa powder, salt and vanilla extract to the peanut paste and blend well
5. Pour in the melted and cooled chocolate and blend well till everything is incorporated
6. That's it! Yummy choco-nut spread is ready to be licked :-) Enjoy with bread of your choice
7. This can be stored in an air-tight container or jar at room temperature for 2 weeks

NOTE

* Peanuts can be replaced with hazelnuts, almonds or even cashew nuts. Make sure to roast any nut that you are using