Mayan Chocolate Almond Butter

One word: Nutella. I, like most vegans truly do miss that luxurious chocolate spread. I use to eat it like pudding, which is crazy since it is 100 calories per tablespoon. Nutella is fortunately and unfortunately not vegan. Does this recipe taste exactly like Nutella? Nope not even a little but it is packed with chocolate flavour and it is rich and decadent. Though I love pure chocolate, this recipe has a little “je ne sais quoi.”

Enter the Mayan twist. The chocolate flavour is heightened with a little salt and spice. The Aztecs believed that cacao seeds were the gift of Quetzalcoatl, the God of wisdom. The seeds were made into a drink with spices and was said to give the drinker strength.

While I am not 100% sure that this chocolate recipe will give you strength I can say that you won’t be missing Nutella so much. Even Mark who is not a chocolate lover (he prefers vanilla, it is a real test in our relationship) loves this spread. I like to spread it into toast or grainy bread, top with fruit and sprinkle with chia seeds. I am obsessed with those little omega rich seeds. Plus if I top it with a healthy seed, I can eat more chocolate? Balance right?

I have not tried this recipe with raw almonds but it is worth the time to roast them. Roasted nuts smell heavenly and add great depth to the butter. The cinnamon and cayenne aren’t super strong in this recipe, those ingredients are meant to enhance the chocolate flavour. If you want to add more, feel free but always taste as you go!

Notes:

Watch the nuts while they are in the oven, they can go from perfectly roasted to inedible in a flash.
Not all chocolate chips are vegan so read those ingredients before you buy. Whole Foods 365 Brand has vegan specific chocolate chips.
I tried this recipe in my Vitamix and though it takes longer in the food processor, it is way easier to get the almond butter out of the processor.
Like all natural nut butter, it will become thick when store in the fridge so give it a good stir before using or put the closed jar into some warm water to loosen things up.

Adapted from Oh She Glows: 4 Ingredient Dark Chocolate Almond Butter

Mayan Chocolate Almond Butter

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

2 cups raw almonds
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1/2 tablespoon coconut oil
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the raw almonds in a single layer onto the sheet. Roast for 10 minutes, flipping the almonds half way through. They should smell nutty but not burnt and the skins should look crackly. Take them out of the oven if they are browning too quickly. Allow them to cool slightly so they are warm but not hot.

This picture speaks for itself. Raw almonds are great but roasting them brings out a lot of nutty flavour.

Meanwhile, add the chocolate chips and coconut oil to a metal or glass bowl set over a pot of barely simmering water. Melt the chocolate until most of the chips are melted, take the bowl off the pot and stir the mixture until all the chips are melted.

Smooth and shiny chocolate. Thanks unseasonable Santa spatula.