Читать книгу The Nut Butter Cookbook - Heather Thomas - Страница 11

VEGAN OPTION

HAZELNUT AND COCOA SPREAD

This deliciously smooth chocolate and nut spread is a healthier and more wholesome version of the commercial spreads you can buy, many of which have added palm oil and lots of sugar. When you’ve tasted this, you’ll never want to eat anything else. It’s great spread on breakfast pancakes, crêpes and waffles as well as toast. And it’s gluten-free and dairy-free, making it vegan-friendly.

MAKES 400G (14OZ)

PREP 10–15 MINUTES

COOK 10–15 MINUTES

400g (14oz/scant 3 cups) raw hazelnuts

1 tbsp sunflower, vegetable or peanut (groundnut) oil

2 tbsp good-quality unsweetened cocoa powder

a few drops of vanilla extract

2 tbsp clear honey, maple syrup or agave syrup

sea salt

Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan)/350°F/gas 4.

Put the nuts on a large baking tray (cookie sheet), spreading them out in a single layer, and roast for about 10–15 minutes until golden brown and the skins are loose. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Remove the skins by wrapping them in a sheet of kitchen paper (paper towel) and rubbing and rolling them around in it. Don’t worry if some of the skins are a bit stubborn – just get most of them off and discard them.

Blitz the nuts in a food processor for about 10 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl, until the nuts release their oils and you have a moist, creamy, smooth paste.

Add the oil through the feed tube and keep blitzing, then add the salt, to taste, cocoa powder and vanilla. Blend again and then add the honey, maple syrup or agave. If it’s not sweet enough for your taste, add a little more.

Store in a sterilized 400g (14oz) glass jar with a screw-top lid or a Mason jar and keep at room temperature for 3–4 weeks.

FLAVOURINGS

You can add a wide range of flavourings to the nut butters you make, depending on whether you like them salty, sweet, spicy, hot or aromatic. Experiment with some of the following …

 Sea salt or Himalayan salt

 Honey, maple syrup and agave syrup

 Fresh root ginger

 Spices: cardamom, cayenne, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, paprika (sweet or smoked), za’atar

 Vanilla: seeds or extract

 Dried crushed chilli flakes, chilli powder, hot sauces, e.g. Sriracha or Tabasco

 Citrus zest, e.g. lime or orange

 Dried and freeze-dried fruit, e.g. sour cherries and mango

 Cocoa, chocolate, espresso powder or coffee beans