Dark Chocolate Almond Butter

December 27, 2011 by 3 Comments

I’ve been sitting on this recipe for a few weeks because I sent my foodie penpal Lindsay some this month and I wanted her to get a chance to sample it before I posted the recipe.  I’m super excited to get to share it today!

There’s a certain brand name of chocolate almond butter that I sometimes buy.  It’s delicious but it’s $10 for a jar so I don’t buy it often!  Here is my version of that, which is much much less expensive seeing that I typically always have these ingredients in my cupboard.  And it tastes exactly the same!

So move over chocolate and peanut butter… there’s a new match made in heaven- chocolate and almond butter!

P.S.  If you’ve never made your own nut butter before I suggest taking a peek at my almond butter tutorial before you start!

 

Dark Chocolate Almond Butter
(Print this recipe!)

Ingredients:
2 cups raw almonds
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (I’m in love with the Guittard brand)
1/2 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Pour almonds onto a baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

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Let almonds cool to room temperature and pour the almonds in a food processor and process until the almond butter just starts to come together(this will take a little while so be patient!).

Melt chocolate chips in the microwave or in a small saucepan on the stove.

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Add melted chocolate, vanilla, and salt and process until all ingredients are combined and almond butter is smooth in consistency.

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Delicious chocolatey almond butter!

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Enjoy!

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Cinnamon Vanilla Almond Butter

June 28, 2011 by 3 Comments

I made this one day on a whim and it turned out pretty great. The only problem is that I didn’t really remember how I made it. I just threw stuff randomly into the food processor and it turned out tasty. I had to go back and think about it, but I think I finally got it! Plus I knew if I didn’t figure it out I’d have hell to pay from Laura Winking smile!

I hope you make this- it’s so good!

Cinnamon Vanilla Almond Butter

Ingredients:
2 cups raw almonds
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (my secret weapon is that I use Mexican vanilla!)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of salt
drizzle of canola oil (optional, depending on what kind of consistency you like with your AB- I like mine a little runny so I add a little)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 F.

Pour almonds onto a baking sheet.

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Pour maple syrup onto almonds.

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Get your paws in there and mix it all up!

Place in the oven for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.

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Let them cool completely, then pour them in the food processor (I help mine along by putting them in a bowl in the freezer- it cools them off faster!)

Follow my almond butter tutorial for butterizing the almonds in the food processor.

Toward the end of the processing add the cinnamon, vanilla, salt, and canola oil(if using).

When you’re done pour it into a jar and take pictures of it!

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And don’t forget to let me know how much you love it!

Open-mouthed smile

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Almond Butter

March 31, 2011 by Leave a Comment

I have been wanting to make this for forever!  There are several different recipes out there on the web, but none of them really appealed to me and most of them have quite a bit of added sugar.  I don’t like sugar in my almond butter, I find that it never really dissolves all the way so it leaves kind of a crunchy/gritty texture.

So I just decided to come up with my own version!

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Almond Butter

(Print this recipe!)

Ingredients:
2 cups almonds
2 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
drizzle of agave nectar (probably 1 maybe 2 tsp)
1/2 cup chocolate chips, chopped(or the mini ones would be good too!)

Directions:
Toast almonds in a 300 F oven for 20 minutes, stirring them every 5 or so minutes (so they don’t burn!).  Let them cool completely before you work with them!

Process in your food processor until it reaches a nice smooth consistency- about 10 minutes (for technique help see my almond butter tutorial!)

Add your vanilla and agave nectar.  If you don’t like the consistency of your almond butter you can add a tsp of canola oil at this point.

Let it cool to room temp- the food processor will make the almond butter very warm, you have to let it cool down before you stir in the chocolate chips or they’ll melt!  Trust me on this one!

Stir in the chocolate chips and enjoy!

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Make your own almond butter!

March 1, 2011 by Leave a Comment

First of all, I’m in the library at school and the campus is on lock down.  I’m kind of freaking out.  There was a shooting threat, so they locked us down.  So instead of studying like I’m supposed to be doing, I’m blogging.  I totally can’t concentrate on A&P right now.

On to happier things…

Like almond butter…

I love almond butter, but I don’t love paying $10 a jar for the good stuff.  Especially when I can make it at home for a fraction of the cost!

So I buy the big bags of almonds at Costco and just make my own!  It’s so simple you won’t believe you haven’t been doing it all along!  It’s a teeny bit more work that peanut butter, but not much.  And it’s totally worth it!

So here’s what you need…

About 2 cups of almonds (make sure they’re not salted)
canola oil (about 1/2 tablespoon- you can omit this but you won’t get quite the smooth consistency if you do)
pinch of salt
agave nectar or maple syrup (to taste.  also optional.)

And here’s what you do…

Put your almonds on an ungreased baking sheet.

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Roast in a 300 F oven for about 25 mins, stirring occasionally. (skip this step if you have almonds that are already roasted)

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Into the food processor they go!

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Here’s how the next few steps go.  This will take around 10 ish minutes, depending on how powerful your food processor is…

First they will grind to a crumbly consistency.  Keep going!

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Then they will start coming together a bit.  Keep going!

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Then it will clump together in a big ball.  Keep going!

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Then it will start coming together and looking like almond butter.  Don’t be fooled- it’s not ready yet!  Keep going!

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Keep going till it’s a nice smooth creamy consistency, like this.

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Then add in your 1/2 tablespoon of canola oil, a few pinches of salt, and a drizzle of agave nectar, to taste. 

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Give it a few more seconds and you’re done!

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Store in a jar with a lid and you’re good to go!  When I first started making my own nut butters I stored them in the fridge because I was afraid they would go bad.  Not necessary- we go through a jar in about a week, they don’t have time to go bad around here!  But if you don’t eat much nut butter then you may want to think about stashing it in the fridge.

 

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Oh, and you want to know what an almost empty jar of almond butter is best for?

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To eat your oatmeal out of!

Just pour in the nice hot oats, top with your fav toppings, and the almond butter on the sides and in the little nooks and crannies of the jar just melts into the oats!  Mmmmmm!

That was what was for breakfast this morning!

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Hope you are inspired to start making your own nut butters!

Happy snacking!!

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P.S.  Update on the lock down… after about an hour and a half, they just lifted it.  I have another class this afternoon, but I’m in no mood for that- I’m going home!!

 

 

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