Hazelnut Cocoa Butter: Rendering Nutella Useless Since 2012 (3/27/2012)

WHAT?! Render Nutella useless!? Absurd, right? Until you try making this. Okay, Nutella will forever win in the sugary sweet category. But Nutella is made from "primarily" Hazelnuts (nope - more on this shortly). Funny story, I couldn't find "Hazelnuts" in bulk at Whole Foods! I was freaking out wondering if I was crazy or stupid...or if WF failed miserably. Thank goodness for none of the above: I will settle on "Uneducated", as hazelnuts are also known as "Filberts" (which is an awesome name, or so I think). Does Nutella really taste like filberts? Not really, but it is freakin' delicious! So why change it, you ask. To make it taste pure, delicious, and even better...that's why.

Check out this low-calorie, better tasting Hazelnut Cocoa Butter on a slice of toasted When Pigs Fly Bakery's Maple Walnut Banana loaf . Make it and drop to your knees because the flavorful awesomeness.

I spent much time searching around the interwebs to find a viable recipe. I'm pretty picky and excessively critical when it comes to Nutella. I saw a few interesting ones, that had minimal cocoa and were thus more "Hazelnut Butter" than a Nutella replacement. (Note: Hazelnut butter tastes really good. But the flavor is not quite as potent as what you get from Homemade Almond Butter or Peanut Butter)

Thanks to a friend, Erin, I came across a blog post called 'Better Than Nutella'. I liked it for the most part, but definitely intuitively knew I was going to make some alterations - I pretty much always make alterations. Recipes only do so more for me, I like being creative. Being creative is not only more fun and eye-opening, but it produces a unique result that you have a deeper understanding for and can more readily improve upon! I wanted less added stuff (agave, almond milk, vanilla, etc) and more pure Filberty flavor.


Also, this recipe is vegan and I didn't go into it intending to make it vegan. Next time I may experiment in a smaller batch using carbo powder vs. cocoa to see how things turn out...but it was so good I may just not change it.

Here's my variation:

• 2 Cups Hazelnuts (Filberts!) ~270g
• ¼ Cup Agave Nectar
• ¼ Cup Cocoa (Hershey's 100% Special Dark)
• ⅜ Almond Milk (Almond Breeze Original Unsweetened)
• 1Tbsp Vanilla Extract
• ¼ tsp Sea Salt
• Notes to alter on my next rodeo: I would say reduce Vanilla to 1/2Tbsp and increase agave if you want it sweeter (I loved mine just as it was, but the Vanilla gave it a little tinge of alcohol. Also, I could try adding more Almond Milk to increase volume/reduce Cal per serving and decrease the vanilla intensity at the same time). Otherwise this was amazing and pure.

Directions: Bake Hazelnuts in oven on 350° for 10-12mins (until they are softened and somewhat roasted and their aroma fills the kitchen upon opening the oven). Rub them in a paper towel to remove the skins - I left about 20% of skins on for lack of wanting to spend 20mins rubbing Filberts (I have a feeling if you don't want too many skins on because they'll taste burnt).

Put Hazelnuts in food processor, blend until if makes butter - scraping the sides when the crumbles build up. Add all other ingredients and briefly mix with a spoon so the powder doesn't explode....and you get a little taste too :). Then, gobble it up...or bottle it before you eat it all!

Picture time!!

Peeled Hazelnuts ready to become.......

Hazelnut Butter (which is quite good completely on its own - try it before you  add any ingredients!)

Now, simply render Nutella useless and taste the glory!

For me this made just over 2 Cups (2.25 Cups to be exact) or 18 servings of 2Tbsp! Now for the crazy part, the nutrition facts on this baby! 2Tbsp yields 110Cal, 84 Fat Cal, and 4.1g sugar...while Nutella has 200Cal, 99 Fat Cal, and 20g sugar. That is a LOT of added sugar.

Not to rip on Nutella...but after looking at the ingredients and their website I will be going on a brief rant.

Nutella's ingredients: SUGAR, PALM OIL, HAZELNUTS, COCOA, SKIM MILK, REDUCED MINERALS WHEY (MILK), LECITHIN AS EMULSIFIER (SOY), VANILLIN: AN ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR.

Can Nutella's Website States:

"Over 50 Hazelnuts per 13 oz. Jar
          • Contains No Artificial Colors
          • Contains No Artificial Preservatives"

• But it does Contain Artificial Flavors - the most important part of being gloriously flavorful!

Can you read that three times over!? Sugar, Palm Oil...THEN Hazelnets, artificial flavors and processed whey? And it's not vegan for all those vegans out there :(. You've gotta be kidding me. And 50 Hazelnuts in a 13oz jar...hmmm...my "Nutella" - I actually refuse to call it Nutella - thus, my "Hazelnut Cocoa Butter" has nearly 200 Hazelnuts in an 18oz jar (which would be about 140 Hazelnuts). Thus, I win.

Now check out mine (I win...again):