I don't think there's a single Israeli for whom Matzah spread with chocolate doesn't trigger childhood memories. (For me, it's also Matzah with margarine... don't ask).
Even though I'm not a huge fan of Matzah, there's something so fun about Matzah with chocolate. I can't quite explain it...
Maybe it's the crunchiness of the Matzah, maybe it's the hysterical amount of chocolate, or both together.
In any case, whether you're a "Hashachar" chocolate person or a fan of imported Nutella, I'm sure you'll agree that it's worth making your own spread at home.
The amounts of sugar and fat in store-bought spreads are high, so I believe that if you can make it yourself at home and reduce the sugar and fat content, it's much better.
In this homemade vegan Nutella recipe, I used hazelnuts, but you can also swap them for cashews, almonds, pecans, or any other nut you love. The result will be surprising and different every time, so it's definitely worth experimenting.
In this version, I didn't add any white sugar at all; I sweetened it with 10 pitted Medjool dates, so the spread isn't overly sweet. If you prefer it sweeter, just add another date or two.
If you don't like dates at all, you can substitute them with half a cup of white sugar or silan (date syrup).
Nutritional values for the recipe by nutritionist and fitness instructor Noam Bechar:
The recipe makes around 500g of spread (about 10 tablespoons).
Each heaping tablespoon of spread contains:
240 kcal, 4.5g protein, 35g carbohydrates, 12g fat (of which 4g is saturated fat).
How to Make Homemade Vegan Nutella
Ingredients
- 300 g hazelnuts Unsalted, raw
- 1 cup soy milk Unsweetened
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil Canola, coconut, or olive oil.
- 10 Medjool dates Pitted
Instructions
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Roast the hazelnuts in the oven for 10-15 minutes at medium heat (160°C).
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Rub the hazelnuts with a towel until the dark skins peel off.
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Grind the hazelnuts in a food processor for several minutes until an almost buttery nut paste is formed.
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Add the remaining ingredients and continue to blend thoroughly.
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If the mixture is too dense and dry, you can add a little more soy milk.
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Transfer to a jar and store in the refrigerator for up to one week.
