My Favourite Vegan Chocolate Spread by Holly White

INGREDIENTS

• 200g hazelnuts - toasted and the skins removed - see method below. 
• 50g of cacao butter or coconut oil
• 4 tablespoons of Agave or Maple Syrup
• 50g of Cacao powder. 
• 2 vanilla pods, cut in half lengthways or 1 teaspoon of Vanilla powder. 

If using pre-roasted hazelnuts skip this step, but otherwise pour the hazelnuts onto an oven tray and roast them at 170* for approximately 15 minutes. 
Tip them out onto a damp tea towel and rub as many of the skins off as possible. 
Pour them into a food processor and blend till a thick creamy nut butter is formed -roughly 10 minutes. 
While that is blending in a bowl over hot water melt the coconut oil or cacao butter - ensuring it doesn't boil. Remove the bowl from the heat and stir in the cacao powder, sweetener and vanilla paste. Allow to cool to warm room temperature but still runny. 
When combined start up the motor on your processor again and slowly pour in the chocolate mix. Blend it well and add a teaspoon more of a coconut oil if you want to make it a little thinner. 
I love a crunch so you can add some extra hazelnuts or cacao nibs and pulse briefly at the end. 
Store in an airtight jar for up to two weeks. 

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