Hazelnuts. There is truly no other kind of nut I love more. When we went to Costco with my mum the other day they had this massive bag of peeled, dry roasted ones singing out to me. Straight in the trolley they went and my brain started ticking into overdrive.
I finally got a bit of time to myself a few days later and had a play around in the kitchen with them. Knowing full well that hazelnuts are a very special treat because they’re not so readily available, I played it safe with flavours. And I cannot express how happy I am that I did because these bites are just amazing!
Cacao, very dark chocolate and hazelnuts make these bites a healthier option to the usual milk chocolate, sugar and hazelnut options we all know, and admittedly, quite like. So why not stick to the beautiful flavours and just make them healthier?
These bites aren’t overly sweet, which is perfect for me, I like to just to take the edge off the bitter chocolate. But if your pallet is not used to a 90% chocolate then use a 70% to keep it low sugar, or just switch it out for a regular dark chocolate and add a bit of sweetner to your taste. Granular or liquid will work fine. There will be little bits throughout the bite because of the hazelnut regardless.
Either way, we all know chocolate and hazelnut are a match made in heaven, and these little bites have certainly married those flavours very well.
Low Carb Low Sugar Chocolate Hazelnut Bites
Ingredients
1 cup of hazelnuts, plus an additional handful for dusting
1/4 of a cup of almond meal
2 tbls of hazelnut butter
1 tbls of powdered stevia
4 pieces of Lindt 90% cacao chocolate
1 tbls of cacao powder
1 tsp of vanilla extract
*Makes 20 square bites
Method
1. In a heat proof bowl over a pot of boiling water, melt the chocolate.
2. Blitz up the extra handful of hazelnuts in the food processor until a rough powder starts to form. Keep it as chunky as your taste buds want it. Place to the side.
3. In the food processor, add all the other ingredients, including the melted chocolate, and process until a wet batter comes together. It will be like a soft serve consistency.
4. Line a 10×20cm rectangular pan with baking paper and using a rubber spatula smooth the mixture evenly across the top and into corners.
5. Cover, then allow it to set in the fridge for 2-3 hours.
6. Remove the slab from the pan and cut it into squares. I’ve never quite mastered smooth edges myself, this just makes for perfect taste testing to make those edges go straight.
Keep them stored in the fridge in an air tight container for up to 10 days.
This is quite a rich recipe, courtesy of that super dark, antioxidant rich chocolate so a small square is more than enough. A more grown up Nutella flavour, these little bites are perfect to curb your sweet tooth without any of the guilt.
Nutrition facts based on one bite.
