choc-hazelnut spread

MAKES ABOUT 310 G (11 OZ/1 CUP)

Growing up, I used to keep a large jar of chocolate hazelnut spread beside my bed. I really was a fiend for the stuff. I didn’t want to give it up entirely, so I decided to make my own version, free of dairy and refined sugar, to enjoy completely guilt-free.

Rich in healthy monounsaturated and essential fatty acids, this version provides 100% of the recommended daily intake of the potent antioxidant vitamin E in every 15 g (½ oz), and is a good source of minerals such as manganese, potassium, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, zinc and selenium. It also tastes damn good!

Feed it to yourself, your loved ones, your enemies — just share it with the world, because everybody needs a little choc-hazelnut lovin’ once in a while.

115 g (4 oz/1 cup) ground hazelnuts (ground in a high-speed blender)

4 tablespoons raw cacao powder

½ teaspoon vanilla powder

125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) coconut nectar

1 tablespoon cold-pressed extra virgin coconut oil, melted

1 tablespoon cacao butter, melted

pinch of Himalayan pink salt or Celtic sea salt

• Add all the ingredients to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth, using the tamper to push the mixture onto the blade, because it will be super thick.
• Transfer to a clean glass jar, using a spatula. Seal the jar and store in the fridge. The spread will keep for 5 days.