Chocolate Nut Butter

In my list of projects to do for A Year From Scratch, I have both nut butter and nutella. I wasn't really in the mood to do either of those yet, but I kind of was. It was a terrible conundrum. So I decided to try the middle road, and make something that isn't exactly like something you'd find in a store, but was reminiscent of a couple of common ingredients. Of course, the technique works just as well for a nut butter, so you'll find that recipe here, too.

To start with, I took 10 ounces of unsalted cashews and toasted them in a 250° oven for 10 minutes, or until they gave off a nutty smell. Keep an eye on these, because they'll burn if you don't.

Grind these into pieces in a food processor.

Add in 2 tablespoons of powdered milk, 1/4 cup of baking cocoa, and 1/4 tsp of salt. Process.

Add in 1/4 cup honey and 1/3 of a cup of a neutral or nut oil. Don't go with anything that has too strong of a taste. Process. If the texture doesn't quite look moist enough, I recommend adding more oil. If the flavor isn't sharp enough, add a pinch of salt. If it's not sweet enough, add some more honey. This is true of just about anything, but this recipe is a little different from what many people do, so I figured I'd be explicit on this one.

This is not a snack for everyone. At least, not yet. It is full flavored and very rich. You could put it on bread, crackers, or fruit, or you could just eat it with a spoon. I eat it with a spoon, to enjoy the full experience. With the sweet and cashew flavors, I expect it will mix well with some chile powder and possibly some coconut. I'll be playing with this recipe quite a bit over the years, until I find the perfect combination, sell it at the farmer's market, and retire a wealthy man.

Chocolate nut butter

Ingredients

• 10 oz. cashews, unsalted
• 2 Tbl. powdered milk
• 1/4 cup baking cooca
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup nut or vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup honey

Directions

• Roast cashews for 10 minutes on a jelly roll pan in a 250° oven. Be careful not to burn;
• Process cashews in a food processor for 10 seconds;
• Add powdered ingredients and process until combined;
• Add liquid ingredients and process until combined.

Cashew Butter

Ingredients

• 10 oz. cashews, unsalted
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup nut or vegetable oil
• 2 Tbl honey

Directions

• Roast cashews for 10 minutes on a jelly roll pan in a 250° oven. Be careful not to burn;
• Process cashews and salt in a food processor for 10 seconds;
• Add liquid ingredients and process until combined.