Recently I was sent a jar of hazelnut/cashew/cocoa spread called Choc & Nut to sample and share with you lovely readers. I was delighted to find that Choc & Nut is similar to other chocolate hazelnut butters I’ve grown to know and love, with a slightly different ingredient list.
Ingredients: cane sugar, soja (soy) protein, hazelnut 14.66%, cashew 12.15%, copra (coconut) oil, cocoa 5.61%, vanilla extracts, agar-agar.
What makes this spread stand out to me is that–along with hazelnuts– it contains cashews, where most other store bought varieties I’ve encountered include almonds or sometimes even peanuts.
The intense flavor of this spread is delicious: it’s rich, with a very deep cocoa undertone, and the most prominent flavor I recognize is definitely hazelnuts; an excellent quality to have in a chocolate-nut based spread, in my humble opinion. I also really enjoy the texture. It contains agar and sugar, so I *think* the addition of these two ingredients helps lend a stretchy, almost caramel-like pull to the spread, making it perfect for dipping or pouring (think fresh strawberries and milkshakes), as well as spreading onto graham crackers or pumpkin bread (yep, it’s as delicious as it sounds). However; the company credits “conching” to this addictive texture:
Choc & Nut is a traditionally made USDA Organic and vegan hazelnut/cashew/cocoa spread. It is palm oil free and lecithin free. the process relies in carefully selected and wholesome ingredients. Preparation includes conching, as in chocolate making, for unsurpassed texture.
Choc & Nut also makes a wonderful addition to ice cream (I highly recommend dark chocolate or a simple vanilla with a dash of nutmeg) and my son raved about it inside of a Choc & Nut butter and banana panini. Yes.
I do warn you though, at just under 8 ounces, if you’re likely use this product as an ingredient for baking or candymaking rather than straight eating out of the container, you’ll want to double up on your order…
Vegan Cuts is offering a great deal on it right now. For $19.00 US dollars you can grab yourself 3 jars! Also, if you order before 10/31/2012 you can receive a 10% discount by entering the code: BLOGFRIEND
