Hazelnut & Chocolate Sandwich Spread (Chocopasta)

By Karin Engelbrecht

dutchfood.about.com

Whole, raw blanched hazelnuts

Photo © S. Wongkaew

Chocopasta, that chocolate-hazelnut spread sold in glass jars in the supermarket, has been a Dutch children's favorite since the 1940s, which is unsurprising considering how scrummy some of these spreads are.

Unfortunately, many brands now contain freaky sounding ingredients like locust bean gum, lecithin and transfats. If you want to avoid all that and use only pure, natural ingredients that would have found their way into your grandmother's kitchen cupboard, simply make your own. It's really not hard.

This homemade version delivers a rich, decadent chocolate paste that the whole family will love. What's more, you can play around with flavorings and create your own custom blends - we love it with dark chocolate and a pinch of chilli - that make fantastic culinary gifts.

Prep Time: 6 minutes

Cook Time: 7 minutes

Total Time: 13 minutes

Yield: Makes 2 medium jars.

Ingredients:

• 7/8 cup best quality butter, (200 g)
• 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips, (130 g)
• 6.5 fl oz (about 3/4 cup) sweetened condensed milk, (250 g)
• 1/4 cup whole, raw blanched hazelnuts, 40 g
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• You will need:
• A food processor

Preparation:

Melt the chocolate chips and butter in a double boiler over a medium heat, or simply melt in the microwave (see Tips below).

To release their oils, toast the hazelnuts in a frying pan over a medium-high heat for a few minutes until they are golden. Remove from the heat.

Finely chop the hazelnuts in a food processor with a metal blade: first pulse a few times and then let the machine run for a minute or two.

Add the melted chocolate mixture to the nuts, and blend for a minute. Now add the condensed milk and mix until you have a smooth, creamy consistency. Pour into clean jars and store in the fridge.

Tips

Use good chocolate chips. Look out for ones with at least 70% cocoa content.

How to melt chocolate in the microwave.

Don't be alarmed if the chocolate-hazelnut spread seems a little thin, it'll thicken up to the right consistency after spending a little time in the fridge.

The hazelnut & chocolate paste will keep for several weeks if stored in the refridgerator, but tastes at its best in the first week.