If you like chocolate and hazelnuts you’re going to love this Simple Chocolate Hazelnut Ricotta Spread, it’s totally divine. Enjoy!
We were recently on vacation in Florida. The dinners were so delicious and the desserts were irresistible. One night, they served us a spread with one of my favorite ingredients that would be hazelnuts. If you have looked my our recipes, you will see a few Nutella recipes already there. Well, I said to my husband and kids that I know I can figure out a way to make this luscious spread but cut out some of the fat.So here is my easy version. Which my family says is just as good or even better. As you can see in the picture, I placed little, plain tea biscuit cookies that are only about 17 calories each with under 1 gram of fat. Find a cookie or cracker that’s plain so it doesn’t take away from this wonderful spread. I used Kedem Tea Biscuits. They are not high in price either. By the way, this makes about 20 or more servings. In the picture you can see how I scored the spread for easy cutting and portion control.
Simple Chocolate Hazelnut Ricotta Spread
Yields: 20 servings
Nutrition: calories 64, fat 3.9 g, carbs 4.6 g, fiber 0.9 g, sugars 4.1 g, sodium 8.6 mg, protein 1.6 g
Ingredients:
- 1 cup toasted hazelnuts
- 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
- 3 1/2 Tbsp good quality unsweetened cocoa powder, plus 1 Tbsp for garnish
- 3 heaping tbsp bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips, melted
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar, plus 1 tbsp
- 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp sea or kosher salt
- 2 tbsp chopped hazelnuts for garnish, optional
Directions:
- Place nuts on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Take out and let cool down. With clean hands, roll a few nuts at a time and loosen the skins. If they all don’t come off, this is not a big deal. It will be fine.
- Place the nuts in a food possessor along with the salt until mixture is coarse.
- Now add the sugar, ricotta cheese, vanilla extract and 3 1/2 Tbsp cocoa powder. Pulse until completely combined.
- In the meantime, melt the chocolate in the microwave at 20 second intervals. Stir between each time in the microwave. When chocolate is smooth, let cool for a few minutes and then add to the mixture. Pulse again until combined and mixture is smooth but still will have some texture.
- Place plastic wrap over a medium bowl, I used a soup bowl. Have extra hanging over the edges.This makes for easy removal. Place the mixture into the bowl and cover with the extra wrap or use another piece to cover the bowl.
- Put in the fridge for 2 hours or more. When you take the mold out, have your serving plate ready to invert on to it. Add fruit, crackers and garnish as you choose.
Simple Chocolate Hazelnut Ricotta Spread
Ingredients
- 1 cup toasted hazelnuts
- 1/2 cup part skim ricotta cheese
- 3 1/2 tbsp good quality unsweetened cocoa powder, plus 1 Tbsp for garnish
- 3 tbsp bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips, melted
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar, plus 1 tbsp
- 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp sea or kosher salt
- 2 tbsp chopped hazelnuts for garnish
Instructions
-
1.Place nuts on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Take out and let cool down. With clean hands, roll a few nuts at a time and loosen the skins. If they all don’t come off, this is not a big deal. It will be fine.
2.Place the nuts in a food possessor along with the salt until mixture is coarse.
3.Now add the sugar, ricotta cheese, vanilla extract and 3 1/2 Tbsp cocoa powder. Pulse until completely combined.
4.In the meantime, melt the chocolate in the microwave at 20 second intervals. Stir between each time in the microwave. When chocolate is smooth, let cool for a few minutes and then add to the mixture. Pulse again until combined and mixture is smooth but still will have some texture.
5.Place plastic wrap over a medium bowl, I used a soup bowl. Have extra hanging over the edges.This makes for easy removal. Place the mixture into the bowl and cover with the extra wrap or use another piece to cover the bowl.
6.Put in the fridge for 2 hours or more. When you take the mold out, have your serving plate ready to invert on to it. Add fruit, crackers and garnish as you choose.