Healthier Nutella is one of those recipes you wish you never made! Once these jars of chocolatey hazelnut spread hit the shelves of your fridge it is just impossible not to sneak another spoonful! On the upside it is much more guilt free than traditional Nutella, it is refined sugar-free, dairy-free and has no hidden nasties.

There is a multitude of variations of this recipe floating around. This recipe is inspired by Green Kitchen Stories.

Recipe Makes 3 Jars of Nutella

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 Cups of hazelnuts
• 1/2 Cup of coconut sugar
• 1/2 – 3/4 Cup of raw cacao (depending on your preference for darkness)
• 1/2 Cup of chopped dates (soaked in hot water for at least 30 mins)
• 1/2 Cup of cacao butter
• 3 Tablespoons of rice milk or water (I used rice milk but you can use almond, coconut or cows milk if you prefer)
• 1 tsp vanilla paste (or essence)
• Pinch of salt

PROCEDURE:

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Toast the hazelnuts in a baking tray lined with baking paper for 10-15 minutes or until the shells darken and begin to crack.
2. Remove nuts from the oven and allow them to cool.
3. Rub the hazelnuts with a kitchen towel or tea towel so the shells come off (some skins may remain but try to remove the majority).
4. Add the shelled nuts to the food processor and blend into a smooth creamy nut butter consistency. It is worth being patient at this phase as you want to wait for the nuts to release the oil in order to maximise their flavour (this may take up to 8 – 10 minutes depending on your food processor).
5. Melt cacao butter over medium heat.
6. Add cacao butter, cacao coconut sugar, dates (strained), vanilla and salt to the food processor (with the nuts) and blend until smooth and creamy. Adjust to the desired consistency with milk or water.
7. Place mixture in airtight jars and store them in the fridge.

The Nutella will last up to 3 weeks stored in the fridge.

Enjoy!