They say hazelnut chocolate is one of mankind’s most fabled inventions. Was this combination a freak accident or is it the work of serious experimentation and thought? All we know is that this creamy, thick, sinfully delicious treat is a God given gift. We aren’t talking about that store bought, ready-made hazelnut chocolate, but rather something truly authentic. Crafted with love and care, a homemade mix is possibly what heaven tastes like. You can stop dreaming now! Check out these hazelnut chocolate recipes that are out of this world, literally!
1. Hazelnut Sandwich Cookies
These tiny treats are like little treats of heaven! The smooth texture of the creamy chocolate hazelnut spread packed between two soft, crumbly vanilla cookies is sure to delight your taste buds!
Ingredients
• 1 kilo of Healthy Alternatives Hazelnuts
• ¾ cup of flour
• 1 kilo of Healthy Alternatives Cashew Butter
• ½ cup of Healthy Alternatives Organic Brown Sugar
• ½ kilo of dark chocolate, chopped
• Zest from 1 orange
Instructions
1. Roast the Hazelnuts in the oven for 15 minutes at 80° C. After this, rub off the skins with a clean towel. Once cooled, blend the nuts into powder.
2. Combine this hazelnut powder with the flour, butter and sugar.
3. Work into an even dough, wrap in plastic foil, flatten, and let cool in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
4. Take the dough out of the refrigerator, break small little pieces from it and roll into balls, approximately the size of a teaspoon.
5. Place the balls on a baking sheet, leaving an inch or so of space between each ball, and bake in the oven for 15 minutes at 160° C. Let them cool completely.
6. Melt the chocolate, place a teaspoon of the chocolate on the bottom half of the cookies and before the chocolate sets place the other hemisphere of cookie on top.
7. Sit back and soak in the moment. Sinfully enjoy the tastes of the Gods.
2. Chocolate, Cardamom & Hazelnut Torte
This hazelnut torte is exactly as it should be-chocolatey and sinful! This cocoa covered treat can be your much-needed weekend delight or a rich party dessert that will surely wow your guests away!
Ingredients
• 150g of Healthy Alternatives Hazelnuts
• 8 Healthy Alternatives Cardamoms
• 150g of dark chocolate
• 125g of butter
• 6 eggs, separated
• 125g of castor sugar
• 1 ½ tablespoons of cocoa powder
• Crème fraiche, to serve
• A pinch of salt
Instructions
1. Toast the hazelnuts in a dry pan until golden, then leave to cool slightly and blitz to a fine consistency in a food processor.
2. Remove the cardamom seeds from their pods and grind to dust.
3. Heat oven to 160° C. Grease and line the base of a spring-form cake tin.
4. Use the microwave to melt the chocolate with the butter in 30-sec bursts until it is glossy and smooth.
5. Whisk the egg whites until they reach stiff peaks.
6. Whisk the yolks with the sugar in a separate bowl until they are pale and voluminous.
7. Combine the chocolate with the egg yolk mixture.
8. Incorporate the cocoa powder, a pinch of salt, the cardamom seeds and the hazelnuts.
9. Add a spoonful of egg white to the batter, stirring it through to loosen the mix.
10. Then fold in the rest, taking care to keep in as much air as possible.
11. Gently pour into the tin and bake for 35 mins.
12. Leave to cool in the tin, then dust with cocoa powder and serve with crème fraîche.
13. Bite into the heavenly goodness, and taste the love!
3. Hazelnut Gelato With Rich Chocolate Sauce
This creamy hazelnut gelato can save you from all your frozen dessert cravings! The creamy, made-from-scratch chocolate sauce goes well with the nutty flavours of this decadent sweet treat.
Ingredients
For the ice-cream:
• 175g of Healthy Alternatives Hazelnuts
• 300ml of cream
• 300ml of full fat milk
• 100g of Healthy Alternatives Organic Brown Sugar
• 3 egg yolks
For the chocolate sauce:
• 150ml of cream
• 1 teaspoon instant coffee
• 100g of chocolate, finely chopped
Instructions
1. First off, for the ice-cream, toast the nuts in a dry pan for 5 mins until golden. Once cooled, roughly chop them and set them aside.
2. Heat the cream, milk and sugar in a pan until nearly boiling. Be sure to save some cream (approx. 80ml) for the chocolate sauce.
3. Whisk together the eggs yolks in a small bowl.
4. Pour a little of the hot cream over the eggs and whisk together.
5. Pour the egg mix into the pan and gently cook for about 8-10 mins until thick
6. Set a medium-size bowl over another bowl of iced water.
7. As soon as the custard has thickened, strain into the bowl, then stir through the hazelnuts.
8. Leave to cool a little, then pour the mixture into a blender and whizz until smooth. Freeze it until ready (approx. 2 hours)!
9. Now, for the sinful chocolate sauce,
10. For the sauce, heat the cream with the coffee in a pan until boiling.
11. Take off the heat, stir the chocolate until melted
12. Serve the ice-cream with the chocolate sauce drizzled on top with scatterings of chopped hazelnuts.
13. Take a bite of the ice-cream and be sure to stay grounded!
Taste the love, only at Nature’s Basket!
Is your sweet tooth still crying out? Maybe Peanut Butter & Cranberry Cups will do the trick!
