Chocolate Almond Butter (Prediction: You Will Eat This Straight Out the Jar)

Specialty stores are filled with all kinds of out-of-the-ordinary foods. They are heavens for foodies, so long as you ignore the prices. One of my personal favorite things to buy are specialty spreads. I can use them in baking, sandwiches, fruit trays, or just eat them straight. The most delicious spreads, however, can be pricey, considering the amount you get per jar.

Shelled nuts can easily be found in bulk bags, or even from bulk bins. If you have a food processor (or can borrow one), making home made nut butters is less expensive, fresher, and make for easy but thoughtful last-minute gifts.

Sugesstions for Use:

• Dip in fruits, such as sliced apples
• Spread on bread and top with raspberries, sliced strawberries, or sliced bananas
• Stir into oatmeal
• Make into a gift basket with items such as a decorative spreader, gala apples, gram crackers, homemade raspberry or strawberry jam, steel-cut oat hot cereal, or cracked wheat hot cereal.

Chocolate Almond Butter 
Yeilds: About 1 1/4 Cups

Ingredients:

2 cups Whole, Raw Unsalted Almonds ¼ cup Chocolate Chips, any type (I prefer semi-sweet) ½ tsp Salt (optional)

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 375F. Line a rimmed baking pan with foil.
2. Spread out almonds evenly unto pan, and bake them for 8-10 minutes, or until they produce a nutty fragrance and become slightly dark.

Slightly darkened; nice nutty smell!

3. Place pan on a heat-proof surface, and allow the almonds to cool until just warm enough to handle.
4. Pour warm almonds and the chocolate chips into food processor. Process until paste forms. Spoon the finished nut butter into clan jars, and store at room temperature for about one month.

Don't be shy- spoon a sample!

Variations:

Almond Butter

Follow recipe as usual, but omit the chocolate.

Honey Almond Butter 

Omit the chocolate. Carefully remove the blade, and stir in honey by hand before transferring to jars.

Cinnamon-Raisin Almond Butter

Omit chocolate, and add cinnamon to taste. Carefully remove the blade, and Stir in raisins by hand before transferring to jars.

Peanut Butter

Substitute peanuts for almonds, and reduce baking time to 3-5 minutes.

Tips:
1. The most important thing about this recipe: DO NOT OVER-BAKE THE ALMONDS. You want them to roast long enough that they are slightly darkened and begin to produce a nice nutty fragrance, but much that the almonds begin to burn black and dry out. 
2. If preferred, almond butter can be stored in the refrigerator for about two months. To soften, run hot water over the sides of the closed jar, or  sit closed jar in a bowl of hot water filled almost to the lid.