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Maple Almond Butter

3-Ingredient, rich, creamy, homemade Maple Almond Butter, made silky smooth with a melanger.

bowl filled with maple caramelized almonds | i sugar coat it

Inspiration

I am calling this spread Maple Almond Butter, but it can easily double as a quasi praline paste, thanks to the candied almonds. It all started with some almonds I soaked in pure maple syrup, then baked up for snacking.

The Dude thought they would be great as a spread like we did here, so I made it happen and even gifted a few!

collage of ground almonds being processed into nut butter | i sugar coat it

Silky AF Nut Butter

You can make this Maple Almond Butter in a food processor and with the help of the strained maple syrup, as noted in the recipe below, you can achieve a fairly smooth spread. If you have a melanger, you can take smoothness to the next level.

The melanger I own refines particles down to less than 20 microns, resulting in a smoother texture. And it's stupid simple to use - check out my post here, for a few tips!

A number of you have recently messaged me on IG to say you purchased a melanger. I don't gain anything from your purchases from the makers of the melanger, but I probably should look into a commission of some sort...RIGHT! 🙂

However, if you purchase through my shop (this is an affiliate link), you can support the continued sweet pursuits of I Sugar Coat It.

bowl of maple almond butter on marble counter surrounded by sliced apples | i sugar coat it

Spread The Love

When I make nut butter, I normally skip candying the almonds and simply bake them with a pinch of salt, before processing in the food processor or melanger. That gives me plain almond butter. Sometimes I add the maple syrup, cinnamon or other flavours during the processing phase.

The latter method is faster, yields a slightly different consistency and provides more control over the degree of sweetness. Either way, they are both YUMMM!

fresh apple slice being dipped in maple almond butter | i sugar coat it

Enjoy With...

Sometimes on the way to butter/spread ville, we make a detour to chocolate-covered almond town, by coating the candied nuts in a chocolate. They are so good and make wonderful gifts! If you decide to go the butter route, there a many ways to use it.

We enjoy our Maple Almond Butter slathered on toast sprinkled with cinnamon, dolloped on a warm bowl of oatmeal, swirled into yogurt, as a dip to your apple wedges for an afternoon snack, or just spooned straight from the jar, to name a few. Give it a try!

bowl filled with maple caramelized almonds | i sugar coat it
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5 from 1 vote

Maple Almond Butter

3-Ingredient, rich, creamy, homemade Maple Almond Butter, made silky smooth with a melanger.
Cook Time30 minutes
Processing Time:2 hours
Total Time2 hours 30 minutes
Course: Condiment
Keyword: condiments, melanger, peanut butter
Author: i sugar coat it!

Ingredients

For the candied nuts:

  • 341 grams raw or blanched almonds
  • 170 grams pure maple syrup

For the spread:

  • nuts from above, powdered in a food processor
  • pinch kosher salt

Instructions

To candy the almonds:

  • Prepare a baking sheet with a silicone mat, or parchment paper and set aside.
  • Toss the almonds in a bowl with the maple syrup and allow to rest for about 30 minutes. Strain off excess syrup (keep the syrup) and lay the almonds, single-layer and spread apart, on the prepared pan. Bake at 325º for 10-15 minutes. Start checking for doneness at the 10-minute mark, until they are ready.
  • Remove pan from oven and allow nuts to cool completely.

Make the spread:

  • Run the cooled nuts through a food processor to make a powder. If using a melanger to refine, go to the next step.
    If not, continue processing to a smooth paste. You may need to add some of the strained maple syrup, if the mixture gets too clumpy or your processor is struggling.
  • Gently warm the rollers and drum of your melanger with a heating gun and start the machine. Add a pinch of salt to the powdered nuts and add to the machine a little at a time. Process for 2-3 hours, then store in an airtight jar once cooled.

Notes

You may skip candying the almonds and bake them plain before processing into the spread. You can then add the maple syrup or other flavouring while processing.

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Drunken Gingerbread Ganache Squares

Drunken Gingerbread Ganache Squares, filled with blond chocolate, homemade gingerbread spice, molasses, liqueur and decorated with dark chocolate.

close up of gingerbread ganache, dipped in dark chocolate and topped with colourful chocolate transfer | i sugar coat it

Inspiration

These Drunken Gingerbread Ganache Squares remind me of chewy, molasses and gingerbread spice-laden cookies from my childhood. We didn't really celebrate Christmas, but my grandmother always baked up a storm, most of which went to friends, family and neighbours.

Her home filled with the intoxicating aroma of freshly ground spices, brandy and rum-soaked fruit cakes, honey-glazed, clove-spiked ham, sorrel punch and all the things that make a Caribbean Christmas so special.

gingerbread ganache dipped and decorated and lined on a tray | i sugar coat it

Chocolate Transfer Deco

Chocolate transfer sheets are my lazy go-to for prettying up chocolate. In this post, I used a cookie cutter to make the decorative toppers. For this batch, I used a stencil/chablon mat (see how-to in video below).

The mats are easy to use and saves a little time from having to cut each shape separately. Again, this way or using cutters will give a more polished finish to your decorations; but simply cutting the transfer sheet and applying it to the chocolate also works.

close-up of gingerbread ganache cut | i sugar coat it

Flavour-Packed Ganache

I think you know by now how much I love Valrhona chocolate. I've been using them long before they became popular with bloggers and Instagrammers. I've also recently started using Republica del Cacao chocolate. Their beans and other ingredients, like milk and sugar, are sourced in Latin America, namely Ecuador and Peru and are made at the source. It is my understanding that Valrhona had a hand in the development.

I used both Valrhona and Republica del Cacao chocolate to make my Drunken Gingerbread Ganache Squares:

  • Valrhona Orelys 35% blond chocolate, which imparts mellow molasses flavour from muscovado sugar, warm liquorice notes and a toasty tanned hue. This paired well with the other ingredients in this butter ganache.
  • Republica del Cacao Ecuador + Peru 70% blend for enrobing and decorative plates.

The original recipe from Grewling's Chocolate & Confections, calls for milk chocolate, I reworked it with blond chocolate. I took some to work and gifted others and the feedback was awesome! A definite holiday keeper.

gingerbread ganache cut | i sugar coat it
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Drunken Gingerbread Ganache Squares

Drunken Gingerbread Ganache Squares, filled with blond chocolate, homemade gingerbread spice, molasses, liqueur and decorated with dark chocolate.
Course: Dessert
Keyword: chocolate, confections
Author: i sugar coat it!

Ingredients

For the gingerbread spice:

  • 25 grams ginger ground
  • 15 grams Ceylon cinnamon freshly ground
  • 5 grams nutmeg freshly ground
  • 3.5 grams cloves ground

For the ganache:

  • 70 grams unsalted butter room temperature
  • 55 grams molasses
  • 2 grams gingerbread spice homemade or store-bought
  • 200 grams Orelys 35% blond chocolate tempered
  • 25 grams liquorice-flavoured liqueur I used Pernod

For dipping and decorating:

  • as needed Republica del Cacao 70% Peru + Ecuador tempered
  • chocolate transfer sheets
  • stencil optional

Instructions

Make the chocolate transfer deco:

  • Place the chocolate transfer sheet (textured side up) to a clean, smooth surface and place the stencil over the sheet - secure with non-toxic tape.
    Add a little chocolate across one end of the stencil and use a scraper to pull the chocolate over the stencil. Allow to set, chill then remove the stencil and shapes. Set aside.
    If not using a stencil, secure the transfer sheet to a clean, smooth surface. Spread a thin, smooth layer of chocolate over the textured side of the transfer sheet, using an offset spatula. Lift the sheet and move to a clean area. Use a cookie cutter to cut the shapes before the chocolate sets. Place in the refrigerator to finish setting up. Remove from the fridge and separate the cut shapes from the excess chocolate. Set aside.

Make the spice:

  • Add all ingredients to a jar, seal and shake well to combine.
    If using fresh Ceylon quills, use a coffee grinder to make a powder. Use a fine grater for the fresh nutmeg.

Make the ganache:

  • Line an 10x10" frame with a silicone mat, or a pan of the same size with parchment. Spread a thin layer of tempered chocolate over the mat or parchment. Set aside.
  • Add the butter, spice and molasses to a bowl and combine well with a silicone spatula.
  • While stirring, slowly add the tempered chocolate to the butter mixture and combine well. Still stirring, add the liqueur and combine well. Pour the ganache into the prepared frame or pan and allow to crystallize (set).
  • Once set, remove from frame or pan and cut into squares or another shape of your preference. Dip into the tempered dark chocolate and quickly top with the chocolate transfer deco.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Chocolate & Confections.

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Chocolate Dipped Brownies

How to turn brownies into chocolate-dipped and decorated works of art using chocolate transfer sheets to make my Chocolate Dipped Brownies edible gifts!

Lace patterned chocolate brownie squares on a marble counter. | i sugar coat it

Inspiration

These chocolate dipped brownies were such fun to make. I shared them with my team at work and a few people said they were too pretty to eat - no such thing in my books!

I love using chocolate transfer sheets - they're a quick, easy way to add a little wow to chocolate. I've used them to wrap cakes, cones, close bonbons like these oldies and more recently these. I have even used them to fun up a batch of rice krispie squares.

I made these stencilled brownies back in 2014, using confectioners' sugar and a few stencil designs. They were a big hit in real life and online. I thought it was time to revisit, with a little chocolate thrown into the mix.

Lace patterned chocolate brownie squares on a marble counter with one cut in half. | i sugar coat it

Favourite Brownie

I love a decadent, dense, chocolate-rich brownie that melts upon contact with my tongue. I will fight you to the death for the corner pieces and I like to flip the batch over so the crinkly side is at the bottom. Of course, if there is ganache involved, the crinkly side need not be flipped.

One of my absolute favourite brownie recipes is Connie's PMS Brownies from Connie Weis' book, Extreme Brownies: 50 Recipes For The Most Over-The-Top Treats Ever. It's packed with dark chocolate and cocoa powder and totally lives up to it's name - pre and post - once a month like clockwork!

I topped this batch with a decadent milk and dark chocolate ganache, because it was a particularly rough month. You know what I'm talking about ladies.

Lace patterned chocolate brownie square cut and closeup of the layers. | i sugar coat it

How It's Done

Whatever your fave brownie recipe, this fun way of dressing them up will make them worthy of gifting, this and many holiday seasons to come. Simply bake, chill to firm up, cut into shapes of your choosing, dip in tempered chocolate and top with thin chocolate transfer decoration before the chocolate sets.

If you cringe at the thought of tempering chocolate, dress your brownies in magic shell - mix of chocolate and oil - and finish them with a transfer sheet accent. Instead of making separate chocolate transfer decorations, you can simply cut the transfer sheets into the shape you want and place directly on the freshly-dipped brownie. The resulting shapes will be a little more organic than what you would get with a cutter or stencil.

Here's a little video of how I made them!

Lace patterned chocolate brownie square cut to show the inside layers. | i sugar coat it
Print Recipe

Chocolate Dipped Brownies

How to turn brownies into chocolate-dipped and decorated works of art using chocolate transfer sheets to make these Chocolate Dipped Brownies edible gifts!

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time34 minutes
Course: Dessert
Keyword: brownies, chocolate, chocolate transfer
Servings: 12
Author: i sugar coat it!

Ingredients

For the brownies: PMS Brownies

For the ganache:

  • 100 grams dark chocolate Republica del Cacao Dark Peru 62%
  • 60 grams milk chocolate Republica del Cacao Milk Peru 38%
  • 40 grams glucose
  • 153 grams 35% whipping cream
  • 1 gram kosher salt
  • 58 grams unsalted butter room temperature

For enrobing:

  • as needed tempered dark chocolate Valrhona Satilia 62%

For chocolate transfer:

  • as needed chocolate transfer sheets in a pattern of your choice - I used Valrhona Signature Lace
  • as needed dark chocolate Republica del Cacao Ecuador + Peru 70%

Instructions

Make the ganache:

  • Melt the chocolate and set aside in a tall container or measuring cup.
  • Bring the glucose and cream to a simmer over medium heat, then stir in the salt.
  • Add the cream mixture to the chocolate and emulsify with an immersion blender, or with a hand whisk. Allow to cool to 30ºC, then blend or whisk in the butter until smooth. Allow to cool at room temperature.
  • Once cooled, use an offset spatula to top the brownies with a smooth, even ¼-inch layer of ganache and refrigerate to firm up. This will make cutting easier and cleaner. Use a sharp knife, or guitar if you own one, to cut the the brownies into your desired shape and size. Mine were 1.75 inches.

Make the chocolate transfer deco:

  • Secure the chocolate transfer sheet to a clean, smooth surface with non-toxic tape. Spread a thin, smooth layer of chocolate over the textured side of the transfer sheet, using an offset spatula. Lift the sheet and move to a clean area. Use a cookie cutter to cut the shapes before the chocolate sets. Place in the refrigerator to finish setting up. Remove from the fridge and separate the cut shapes from the excess chocolate. Set aside.

Dip the chocolate:

  • Use a dipping fork to dip the cut brownies in tempered chocolate to enrobe. For best results, dip repeatedly and allow the surface tension this creates to pull excess chocolate away. Tap the dipping fork on on the edge of the bowl to remove any air bubbles and excess chocolate, then pull across the edge to clean up the bottom.
  • Place the dipped brownie on a parchment-lined tray and top with a chocolate transfer square. Allow to set and enjoy!

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Homemade Pure Pistachio Paste

Natural, unsweetened, toasty, one-ingredient Homemade Pure Pistachio Paste, made silky smooth using my chocolate melanger.

Pistachios spread onto a baking sheet. | I Sugar Coat It

Inspiration

Of all the nuts, pistachios are among my top three. Maybe it's because they make you work a little to enjoy them - my fingers hurt a little just thinking about shelling. Maybe it's their jewel-tone colour - deep emerald green if they are the prized and pricey Sicilian or Iranian variety and light green with a pink blush for the more commonly available variety. Perhaps it's their rich, buttery, earthy, nutty flavour that is so well suited for both sweet and savoury applications. All of the above, likely.

Whatever the reason, my pocketbook yields, without resistance, every time I have a craving for pistachios - and that's quite often.

Pistachio being chopped in a food processor. | I Sugar Coat It

Why Pistachios Are So Pricey

Compared to some of the other popular nuts, pistachios can leave a serious dent in one's wallet. I did a little digging, and here's my slightly comical version of why:

  • like boys, pistachio trees take longer to mature 😉 - 6 to 7 years, and sometimes two decades for maturation!
  • quality versus quantity - each tree only produces around 23 kilos/50 lbs
  • they are selective about where they plant roots (pun intended) - they require cool winters and long, hot summers and good root drainage
  • they believe in work-life balance - full production happens every other year
  • rage against the machine - only human hands need apply, for the intricate business of sorting cannot be left to machines
Pistachios being processed into a paste in a melanger. | I Sugar Coat It

Start With Toasty Nuts

Good quality commercially available pistachio paste also comes at a hefty price. Before I received my melanger, I made my own paste and my nut butters in my food processor. If you don't own a melanger, the food processor does a good job. To get the texture I was after, I usually had to add a little pistachio oil to the processor. With my melanger, and only the oils that are naturally present in the nuts, I get a silky paste that rivals a good quality store-bought variety. It's easy:

  • I started by spreading out a single layer of fresh, raw pistachios (about 500g), without the shells, on a baking sheet.
  • I let them get toasty in a 325ºF oven for 10-12 minutes.
  • Allowed them to cool, then added to a food process to create a fine powder - use the pulse button for best results.

You're now ready to move on to refining the nuts into a silky paste.

Pistachio paste being poured into a glass jar. | I Sugar Coat It

Roll With It

While you can achieve a decent paste with a food processor, the melanger I own refines particles down to less than 20 microns, resulting in a smoother texture. And it's stupid simple to use:

  • If you are using your melanger for the first time, you will need to condition and clean it. You have two options: add 2-3 cups vegetable oil and run for 1 hour or 2-3 cups sugar and run for 20 minutes. Discard the oil or sugar and rinse and dry the drum and rollers. Now you are ready to create all the yum!
  • Warm the drum and rollers slightly - this helps with processing ease. I use a heat gun dedicated to chocolate work, taking care to avoid any of the plastic parts. You can also warm the parts in an oven on low, but I have not tried it.
  • Turn the machine on and slowly add the processed nuts. You can add a bit of salt, as well - in another batch I added around 0.005% (2.5g)
  • Allow to grind for at least two hours until smooth and flowy.
Pistachio paste in a jar with pistachios scattered around. | I Sugar Coat It

How To Use Your Pistachio Paste

When ready, transfer the paste to a clean, airtight jar and store in a cool place. You can use your new batch of Homemade Pure Pistachio Paste in a number of ways. Here are a few ways I've used it:

  • ganache for my halloween chocolate skulls along with a pop of boozy cherry
  • pistachio caramels, which I shared the making of on my Instagram stories a few weeks back
  • gelato, seen here on my IG feed
  • sponge cake for an entremet I'll be sharing soon
  • and as a spread on toast to name a few

Here is a quick video!

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How To Temper With Cocoa Butter

How to temper chocolate with cocoa butter using an easy, cost-effective, fuss-free and foolproof homemade Cocoa Butter Silk or Mycryo powdered cocoa butter.

A bowl of raw and deodorized cocoa butter before it is packaged for the sous vide bath. | I Sugar Coat It

Inspiration

Having spent my early years smothered in cocoa butter (or coconut oil) at the hands of my grandma, I am no stranger to the stuff. Now that I use cocoa butter to temper my chocolate, I feel somehow my life has come full circle. 🙂

I held on to the coca butter and coconut oil beauty regimen from my childhood. These days I also use it to beautify and temper my chocolate in the form of Mycryo powder or Cocoa Butter Silk. If you haven't been using cocoa butter to seed your chocolate, let me attempt to change your chocolate tempering ways!

Cocoa Butter Silk

I first heard about cocoa butter silk in a class I took with Ramon Morato a few years back. Explained then, the process involved buying a pricey piece of equipment. More recently, I saw a post on Nicholas Botimisy's Instagram feed, showing how he uses cocoa butter silk, but that too required another pricey piece of equipment.

Then the universe led me to Chocolate Alchemy IG feed, who sells cocoa butter silk, but I really did not want to pay for shipment and customs from the U.S. It wasn't meant to be, however, as it turned out they do not ship silk in the summer, for obvious reasons.

Then jackpot! Another post on their feed provided a glimpse into making your own silk at home, without breaking the bank!

Cocoa butter silk in glass jars being cooked in a water bath for 24 hours. | i Sugar Coat It

Tempering with Mycryo Cocoa Butter

I am no stranger to tempering with cocoa butter. I talked a little about using Mycryo in this post a few years back. Mycryo is cocoa butter in powdered form. It was developed by Cacao Barry for tempering chocolate, but can also be used in a number of savoury applications.

It's rather simple to do:

  • melt and heat chocolate to 40-45C/104-113F
  • allow to cool to 35C/95F for dark, or 30C/86F for white/milk/coloured
  • add 1% Mycryo and mix well
  • use when the chocolate reaches working temperature - 31-32C/ 87.8-89.6F for dark and 29-30C/84.2-86F for others

My first few attempts at this method in the early days yielded mixed results. It successfully tempered the chocolate, but the texture was smoother in some batches than others. After a bit of troubleshooting, I determined that the chocolate wasn't warm enough, when I added the cocoa butter, to completely melt the chocolate. I've been happy with the results since.

A closeup of sous vide cocoa butter silk made with deodorized cocoa butter after 24-hour bath. | I Sugar Coat It

How To Make Cocoa Butter Silk

As mentioned in the opening, I learned this technique for making my own cocoa butter silk from the Chocolate Alchemist. Already a long time sous vide enthusiast for both sweet and savoury applications, I had to give this a try! It's super easy to make cocoa butter silk at home, with the help of an immersion cooker. It takes about 24 hours, but that is all hands-off time.

You will need:

Once you have set up your water bath and heated the water to temperature, 33.6ºC/92.5ºF, place the cocoa butter in a jar or bag (you'll need to weigh it down) and cook for up to 24 hours.

I checked mine at 12 hours and while the deodorized cocoa butter pellets appeared silky smooth after a quick stir, the raw cocoa butter required the full 24 hours. It never achieved the same degree of smoothness as the pellet batch, but when tested, it tempered my chocolate beautifully.

A closeup of sous vide cocoa butter silk made with raw cocoa butter after 24-hour bath. | I Sugar Coat It.

Tempering with Cocoa Butter Silk

When ready, the silk will resemble mayonnaise or smooth peanut butter, in texture, not the clear, runny liquid that is produced by simply melting cocoa butter.

You can use it straight away or transfer to a container and allow it to set/harden. When you're ready to temper your chocolate, follow these simple steps:

If using fresh silk:

  • melt your chocolate to 33.6C/92.5F and seed your chocolate with 1% cocoa butter silk by weight
  • test your temper and you are ready to use the chocolate to shell, make bars etc.

If using set silk:

  • finely grate or chop the cocoa butter silk and scale - you will need 1% by weight
  • heat your chocolate to 34.4C/94F, seed the chocolate with the scaled cocoa butter silk and allow the temperature to drop to 33.6C/92.5F
  • Test the temper and you are ready to use your chocolate to shell, make bars etc.
Grated cocoa butter silk added to a bowl of chocolate for tempering. | I Sugar Coat It

Mycryo or Cocoa Butter Silk

Both methods of tempering with cocoa butter - Mycryo and Cocoa Butter Silk - have worked great for me, but my preference to date is definitely cocoa butter silk.

I like the ease of it - all chocolates are seeded at the same temp. I like adding yet another to the list of ways I use my sous vide. I like the consistent results I have had to date, especially for making chocolate at home without fancy equipment. And using cocoa butter, the main ingredient in chocolate, to temper chocolate just makes sense!

If you are still uncertain, check out Chocolate Alchemy site - they offer a great resource for chocolate in general.

Have you made or used cocoa butter silk? Would love to hear about your experience with it. Leave me a note in the comments below.

Side by side comparison of sous vide cocoa butter silk prepared sous vide. | I Sugar Coat It
Print Recipe

How To Temper With Cocoa Butter

How to temper chocolate with cocoa butter using an easy, cost-effective, fuss-free and foolproof homemade Cocoa Butter Silk or Mycryo powdered cocoa butter.
Keyword: cocoa butter, cocoa butter silk, sous vide
Author: i sugar coat it!

Equipment

  • Sous Vide Immersion Cooker
  • canning jar or sous vide bag
  • airtight plastic container for storing

Ingredients

  • cocoa butter raw or deodorized

Instructions

  • Fill a pot or heatproof container with water and attach your immersion cooker. Heat water to 33.5C/92.3F.
  • Add the cocoa butter to a clean, sterilized jar and seal. Submerge in heated water for 12-24 hours. When ready, use what you need right away, or transfer to an airtight plastic container to set and store until needed.

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Cinnamon Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

Decadent and addictive Cinnamon Chocolate Hazelnut Spread with just five ingredients, made silky smooth with the help of a melanger.

Decadent and addictive Cinnamon Chocolate Hazelnut Spread with just five ingredients, made silky smooth with the help of a melanger.

Inspiration

I love gifting edible goodies, and spreads like this Cinnamon Chocolate Hazelnut Spread are perfect. Not only are they addictively delish, they generally have good shelf-life, so can be made in advance.

I love a good chocolate-hazelnut pairing, but I am not a fan of the popular hazelnut spread sold in North America. That probably puts me in the minority, which is fine, as I've never really concerned myself with popularity.

Years ago, after licking clean, a tiny jar of Crema di Cioccolato di Sicilia (Sicilian Chocolate Cream), while waiting for my luggage to find me, I thought to myself... this is what that popular spread should aim to be when it grows up! Notably missing from the short list of ingredients...palm oil.

Decadent and addictive Cinnamon Chocolate Hazelnut Spread with just five ingredients, made silky smooth with the help of a melanger.

Hazel... You, Nut!

First off, you don't look like a Filbert and so I'll never refer to you by that name. My way of honouring your voluptuous, monounsaturated, vitamin and mineral rich figure, dear Hazel(nut). Ok, enough of my nonsense.

You can make life easier by purchasing hazelnuts stripped down to their blanched birthday suit, but that leaves nothing to the imagination - and I have a wildly active imagination... I sometimes buy mine either fully clothed (shells), but more often partially dressed (skins).

Decadent and addictive Cinnamon Chocolate Hazelnut Spread with just five ingredients, made silky smooth with the help of a melanger.

Whichever stage of undress you choose, you'll want to roast them to deepen and intensify their flavour and add crunch. Around fifteen minutes at 350º, under watchful eyes to avoid burning, is all it takes. A little rub in a towel, while still warm, will effectively expose their tasty, tanned complexion.

Decadent and addictive Cinnamon Chocolate Hazelnut Spread with just five ingredients, made silky smooth with the help of a melanger.

Silky, Smooth Spreads

For years, I used my food processor or blender to whip up nut butters, spreads and the like (I even tried bean to bar chocolate making with a food processor...not so great). The results have been good for butter and spreads, but if you are looking to step up your game, a melanger/refiner should be at the top of your bday/xmas gift list.

This was a birthday gift to support my chocolate exploits. Years ago, when I decided to take my interest in chocolate to another level, by enrolling in culinary school part-time, the idea of bean to bar always lingered. As someone who derives great pleasure from creating from scratch, b2b is right up my alley. But I digress...

I put my refiner/melanger to use almost immediately; this Cinnamon Chocolate Hazelnut Spread was one of the first things I whipped up. So much smoother compared to spreads made in my blender or food processor. The refiner takes care of the texture by grinding the nuts down to less than 20 microns. Not bad for a piece of countertop equipment that is about the size of a large stock pot.

Decadent and addictive Cinnamon Chocolate Hazelnut Spread with just five ingredients, made silky smooth with the help of a melanger.

Spread The Love

This batch of Cinnamon Chocolate Hazelnut Spread, adapted from Dandelion Chocolate, is simply delish, with only four ingredients - five, if you choose to add the cinnamon as I did - and no added oil.

You can get creative with various nuts, chocolates and other inclusions to create unique flavour combinations. So far, I've tested four flavours that I'll be gifting. I have about a hundred more floating around my head, some of which I plan to make for the holidays!

Decadent and addictive Cinnamon Chocolate Hazelnut Spread with just five ingredients, made silky smooth with the help of a melanger.

Spread Stabilization

The Dandelion recipe did not specify this step and I did not show it in the video below, but for a more stable spread, I added 1% cocoa butter silk to the spread once it was out of the refiner and cooled.

I'll put a post together of my bean to bar adventures, when I feel like I have something worth sharing. In the meantime, here is a video of me making this sinfully delicious Cinnamon Chocolate Hazelnut Spread!

Decadent and addictive Cinnamon Chocolate Hazelnut Spread with just five ingredients, made silky smooth with the help of a melanger.
Print Recipe

Cinnamon Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

Decadent and addictive Cinnamon Chocolate Hazelnut Spread with just five ingredients, made silky smooth with the help of a melanger.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Grinding1 hour
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: chocolate, hazelnuts
Servings: 12 jars
Author: i sugar coat it!

Equipment

  • Melanger or Food Processor
  • Jars with lids

Ingredients

  • 848 grams dark chocolate I used Rebuplica del Cacao 70% blend
  • 560 grams hazelnuts Piedmont hazelnuts, if you can find them
  • 400 grams granulated sugar
  • 2-4 grams cinnamon optional
  • 8 grams kosher salt

Instructions

  • Melt the chocolate in a bowl over simmering water, or in the microwave and set aside.
  • Spread the hazelnuts in a single layer onto a rimmed baking sheet pan and bake at 350ºF for 15-20 minutes. Transfer to a kitchen towel, while still hot and rub to remove skins (purchase them blanched, to skip this skinning step). Place in a food processor along with the cinnamon and pulse for a few seconds, or use a rolling pin to roughly crush the nuts, then toss in cinnamon. Set aside.
  • Warm the rollers and bowl - I use a heat gun. Turn on the refiner/melanger, add the coarsely chopped nuts and allow a rough paste to form. Mix the salt with the sugar, add to the paste and allow to process for a minute, scraping the sides. Add the melted chocolate and allow to process for 1-3 hours. This batch was ready in an hour.
  • When ready, turn off, unlock and tilt the bowl to pour our the spread. Transfer to jars, top with a whole roasted hazelnut and seal. Will keep at room temperature for several weeks.

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Sous Vide Buttercup Squash Soup

Sous Vide Buttercup Squash Soup made extra flavourful with homemade hen stock, whips up quickly to provide warm bowls of comfort for your soul!

Bowls of Sous Vide Buttercup Squash Soup topped with creme fraiche swirls and parmesan crisps | I Sugar Coat It

Sous Vide Buttercup Squash Soup Inspiration

I have fond memories of slurping my way through countless bowls of hearty soups, prepared mostly by my grandmother, and occasionally, my grandfather.

The soups of my childhood were not starters, but hearty, filling, flavourful main dishes. They were chunky with ground provisions like yams, sweet potatoes, eddoes, cassava, dasheen (taro); flavourful with meat or poultry like oxtail, pig feet and snouts, goat, chicken feet, backs and necks, tripe; fish or seafood and beans, peas, green banana, dumpling and breadfruit, among others.

All made more memorable by homemade fish, beef or hen stock.

Buttercup squash in sous vide bag with fresh aromatics and butter pre-cook | I Sugar Coat It

The Chicken or The Egg Hen

Homemade chicken stock is great, but if you are looking to step up your stock game, grab a couple stewing hens on your next grocery trip. Feel free to thank me in advance.

Stewing hens are of the more mature poultry variety - AHEM... past their egg-laying prime. They are generally not fed the same diet as their plump broiler counterparts, which means hens develop stronger, mineral and nutrient-rich bones and lean muscles. Hence, ideal stock candidates!

My grandfather used to pluck (pun intended) them straight from the backyard, still flailing and flapping. I am content to procure mine from a local farm, or Caribbean/Asian market, sans flail and feathers.

Don't try to roast or bake a stewing hen, as you would a roaster - it ain't pretty. A low, slow cook does wonders for hen's lean meat and connective tissue. My grandma uses a pressure cooker, or simmers it for up to 24 hours, which yields a top-notch concentrated stock. I successfully replicated it using sous vide and added some to these bowls of sunshine.

Bowls of Sous Vide Buttercup Squash Soup topped with creme fraiche swirls and parmesan crisps | I Sugar Coat It

Why Sous Vide?

I'll get back to the stewing hen stock in more detail in another post; let's dig into this Sous Vide Buttercup Squash Soup.

Had the Dude picked up what I asked for on his grocery run, you would be looking at bowls of bright orange instead. He couldn't find any Caribbean pumpkin at the store he went to, so he picked up buttercup squash and here we are!

Yes, you can roast or boil the squash, but I sous vide it for these reasons - colour, texture and flavour. Cooking squash this way preserves its vibrant colour, retains its texture and seals in the nutrients and flavour - some of which can be lost when cooked conventionally.

Close up of Sous Vide Buttercup Squash Soup topped with creme fraiche swirls and parmesan crisps | I Sugar Coat It

A Quick Meal

You can sous vide the squash ahead of time and refrigerate (for a day), or for freeze it. Or you can toss it into the blender, while still warm from the sous vide bath, along with your choice of flavourings, for a hearty, colourful, easy mid-week or weekend meal.

You may mix in coconut milk or cream, but I find they can sometime dwarf the other flavours and I wanted the stock to shine in this batch. So a little garlic, butter, shallots, curry leaves, thyme, salt and pepper, were added to the mix. We topped our bowls with swirl of homemade creme fraiche for a little tang and visual interest, homemade parmesan crisps for a little texture contrast and cilantro for a little colour.

Warm bowls of sunshine for your soul!

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Buttercup squash in sous vide bag with fresh aromatics and butter pre-cook | I Sugar Coat It
Print Recipe

Sous Vide Buttercup Squash Soup

Sous Vide Buttercup Squash Soup made extra flavourful with homemade hen stock, whips up quickly to provide warm bowls of comfort for your soul!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Course: Main
Keyword: soup, sous vide, squash
Servings: 4
Author: i sugar coat it!

Ingredients

  • 1 kilogram buttercup squash or other winter squash
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • fresh thyme to taste
  • curry leaves to taste
  • 2 shallots
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 2 cups stewing hen stock more for a thinner soup
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • creme fraiche to garnish
  • parmesan crisps to garnish

Instructions

  • Add water to a heavy duty pot or heat-proof container, attach your immersion cooker and heat the water to 85ºC/185ºF.
  • While the water heats, wash, cut, peel and cube the squash. Remove the guts and save the seeds - they are great snack or garnish, when roasted with a touch of sea salt. Add the cubed squash evenly among two bags along with butter, thyme and a few curry leaves and vacuum seal. Or add to a resealable sous vide bag and run the bag along the edge of your counter to remove the air. Add to the heated water and cook for 60 minutes.
  • Close to the end of the cook, sautee the garlic, shallots and a couple curry leaves in a bit of oil. When ready, remove the cooked squash from the bath, open the bag and add to a blender or food processor. Add the sauteed garlic combination, hen stock and blend until smooth. Add more stock if the soup is too thin and blend. Season to your taste.
  • Add soup to bowls and swirl in about a tablespoon of creme fraiche, top with parmesan crisp, cilantro and enjoy!

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Sous Vide Sweet & Sticky Chicken

My Sous Vide Sweet & Sticky Chicken, with five-spice, sweet soy sauce, ginger and garlic delivers an easy and unforgettable midweek meal.

My Sous Vide Sweet & Sticky Chicken, with five-spice, sweet soy sauce, ginger and garlic delivers an easy and unforgettable midweek meal.

This easy mid-week meal built around Sous Vide Sweet & Sticky Chicken is made even easier by preparing the chicken and some of the sides ahead of time.

It's yet another reason we love cooking sous vide - make ahead and batch cooking - because life is complicated enough. Sunday is usually the day the Dude and I cram into the kitchen fire up our immersion cookers and prepare a bunch of meals for the work week.

My Sous Vide Sweet & Sticky Chicken, with five-spice, sweet soy sauce, ginger and garlic delivers an easy and unforgettable midweek meal.

Chicken Temperatures & Times

Chicken breasts have always been my trickiest cut of poultry meat to cook just right, even sous vide - we'll get to that in another post. Here I want to share some guidelines for cooking tougher poultry cuts, like legs, wings and thighs.

A great deal of what I learned about cooking sous vide comes from my copies of Modernist Cuisine and Under Pressure - indispensable resources for techniques and inspiration. Of course, there are also free reputable resources like Serious Eats, ChefSteps and Anova Culinary, to name a few.

The times and temperatures below for chicken are adapted from Modernist Cuisine:

ChickenBraised TextureTender & Juicy
Leg/drumstick/thigh3 hrs at 68ºC/154ºF1.5 hrs at 65ºC/149ºF
Wings12 hrs at 62ºC/144ºF1 hr at 65ºC/149ºF

I tend to use the 68ºC for 3-4 hours combo, but have also gone as high as 70/75º for 2 hours for these particular cuts. Followed by a few minutes on the grill for that desirable char and crisp on the chicken skin. You can play around with different times and temps, always keeping food safety in mind, to get the texture/doneness that is right for you.

My Sous Vide Sweet & Sticky Chicken, with five-spice, sweet soy sauce, ginger and garlic delivers an easy and unforgettable midweek meal.

Sweet Soy Sauce (Ketcap/Kejap Manis)

Sweet soy sauce is an Indonesian condiment I started using a couple years ago, after I grabbed the wrong bottle on a hurried grocery run. One of the stores I frequent, has aisles dedicated to just about every cuisine around the world. Someone must have inadvertently placed this bottle in the wrong aisle and created the addiction I developed to this dark, delicious gem.

Kecap/Ketjap, Malay for condiment, sounds like ketchup, but isn't. The colour of soy sauce, with the consistency of maple syrup and a flavour made complex with a few simple ingredients. The bottle I have lists palm sugar, anise and lemongrass among the short list of ingredients, so, of course, I had to try and make my own version.

It's great as a marinade or glaze/sauce and works well with poultry, fish/seafood, pork, beef and vegetables. For my Sous Vide Sweet & Sticky Chicken, I used it both as a marinade and glaze.

My Sous Vide Sweet & Sticky Chicken, with five-spice, sweet soy sauce, ginger and garlic delivers an easy and unforgettable midweek meal.

What's your favourite time/temperature combo and chicken recipe? Have you ever tried kecap manis. Tell me in the comments below!

My Sous Vide Sweet & Sticky Chicken, with five-spice, sweet soy sauce, ginger and garlic delivers an easy and unforgettable midweek meal.
Print Recipe

Sous Vide Sweet & Sticky Chicken

My Sous Vide Sweet & Sticky Chicken, with five-spice, sweet soy sauce, ginger and garlic delivers an easy and unforgettable midweek meal.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time2 hours
Marinate10 hours
Course: Main
Keyword: chicken, savoury, sous vide
Servings: 6
Author: i sugar coat it!

Ingredients

For the marinade/glaze:

  • 2 kilograms chicken drumsticks
  • 3-2 teaspoons Chinese five-spice seasoning
  • thumb-sized piece fresh ginger grated
  • 4-6 cloves fresh garlic grated
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 250 milliliters sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)
  • 1-2 green onions to garnish
  • toasted sesame seeds to garnish

Instructions

  • Clean and wash the chicken and place in a large bowl. Slit the drumsticks on each side to allow the seasoning to penetrate. Rub in the seasoning and half the sweet soy sauce to coat the chicken. Separate the chicken among two resealable bags, remove excess air and refrigerate overnight. (If in a rush, you can cook right away)
  • Prepare a water bath and heat to 68º - 70ºC. Add the bagged chicken to the heated water and cook for 2 - 3hrs, but not over 4hrs.
  • When ready, remove from bag and place on a rack over a sheet pan to drip dry. Add some colour and crisp the skin in a heated over set to broiler, on a grill, or using a torch. Brush with the remaining sweet soy sauce and top with sesame seeds and green onions. Serve with your choice of sides - we paired them with grilled bok choy, corn on the cob and a broccoli and mushroom warm salad.
  • Make ahead:
    At step 3, remove the bagged chicken from the water bath when cooked and add to an ice bath (cold water and ice). Allow the chicken to cool down for about 20 minutes, then refrigerate or freeze. When ready to use, you can use the sous vide to reheat.

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Dark Chocolate Orange Meltaways

Three ingredients are all it takes to create these simply decadent Dark Chocolate Orange Meltaways; four if you count the cocoa powder for tossing!

Three ingredients are all it takes to create these simply decadent Dark Chocolate Orange Meltaways; four if you count the cocoa powder for tossing!

Inspiration

When I first made these Dark Chocolate Orange Meltaways in Introduction to Chocolate a few years back, admittedly, I was on the fence about them. I like the chocolate and oil combination for making magic shells to cover frozen treats; less so, for a stand-alone confection.

Yet, each batch I have made, have gone over well with those with whom I've shared them. They usually comment on how much they like the silky, melty texture.

Three ingredients are all it takes to create these simply decadent Dark Chocolate Orange Meltaways; four if you count the cocoa powder for tossing!

3 Simple Ingredients

That quick melting and cooling that comes with biting into a melt-away, is a result of a combination of fats melting at a lower rate than they would on their own; a.k.a. a eutectic.

The combination of cocoa butter (chocolate) + lauric or tropical fat (coconut oil) creates a eutectic, or more appetizingly, a meltaway. The citrus oil adds a little flavour to raise this simple, three-ingredient confection up a notch.

Three ingredients are all it takes to create these simply decadent Dark Chocolate Orange Meltaways; four if you count the cocoa powder for tossing!

Flavour Options

Good quality, pure citrus oil can be quite potent, so a little goes a long way in these meltaways. I love using Boyajian's lemon, lime and orange pure oils. I was first introduced to them in the chocolatier program a few years back. Another brand I use, when I can find it, is Bitarome _ I like their blood orange oil. (This is not a sponsored ad - I get asked often about ingredients I use, so just sharing!)

If a nutty flavour is more your speed, skip the citrus oil and go for a nut paste, for something similar to these little addictive squares.

Three ingredients are all it takes to create these simply decadent Dark Chocolate Orange Meltaways; four if you count the cocoa powder for tossing!

Finishing Options

In class, we finished our meltaways with a light coating of confectioners' sugar. I prefer to coat mine with a dusting of cocoa powder, or depending on the flavour, a fruit powder. If cocoa powder on its own is too bitter for your palate, you can mix it with confectioners' sugar.

I added a few gold flakes for wow factor. They don't stick to the cocoa powder easily, so weren't very practical, but photographed nicely.

Here is a quick video for the visual learners. Would love to know if you make them!

Three ingredients are all it takes to create these simply decadent Dark Chocolate Orange Meltaways; four if you count the cocoa powder for tossing!
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5 from 1 vote

Dark Chocolate Orange Meltaways

Three ingredients are all it takes to create these simply decadent Dark Chocolate Orange Meltaways; four if you count the cocoa powder for tossing!
Prep Time15 minutes
Setting Time25 minutes
Course: Dessert
Keyword: chocolate bar, dark chocolate, orange oil
Servings: 21 servings
Author: i sugar coat it!

Ingredients

  • 150 grams coconut oil or other lauric fat
  • 2 grams pure orange oil other citrus oil of your choice
  • 500 grams dark chocolate I used Republica del Cacao Ecuador + Peru blend
  • cocoa powder for coating

Instructions

  • Prepare a 20 x 20cm (8 x 8") ganache frame or baking pan with a removable bottom, by lining the former with acetate sheet or parchment paper and the latter with plastic wrap. Set aside.
  • Add the coconut oil to a small bowl or measuring cup and heat to melt. Stir in the citrus oil and allow to cool to 31C. (My sous vide comes in handy, as it keeps the oil and my chocolate at required temperature, until I am ready to use them.)
  • Melt the chocolate and stir in the oil mixture, until well combined. Temper and pour into the prepared pan and allow to set. The length of time it takes to set will be dependent on the conditions in your kitchen/home. You can pop it in the refrigerator to set, but you will want to ensure it doesn't set too hard, if you plan to use a guitar (confectionery cutter).
  • Toss the squares in cocoa powder to lightly coat. Enjoy!