Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 4-6 Servings

Chocolate and peanut butter is one of the best flavor pairings on earth. Plainpeanut butter itself is great nutty goodness in itself and chocolate peanut butter takes it to another level. Once you try it,you’ll never want storebought again. Homemade and storebought taste vastly different, and you really can’t imagine quite how different until you try homemade. Storeboughts usually have added refined oils or even cold pressed oils. After one taste, it’ll all make sense. Not to mention, making your own is infinitely cheaper than those pricey gourmet jars you see for a small little jar that’s gone in no time and not even as tasty as homemade. Cacao can be skipped to make a plain version. Try and enjoy healthier home made options.

Ingredients

• 250g peanuts
• 1.5 tbsp cacao powder / cocoa
• 1 tsp salt (as per taste)
• 1.5 tbsp organic jaggery (as per taste)

Dates can be alternatively used in place of jaggery. Refer ‘points to note’ in the body of the recipe section

Equipment needed

• Food processor is the best to make nut butters
• Alternatively, the small mixie jar can be used. It will take longer and the consistency will not be flowing.

Method

• Dry roast peanuts till they get black spots. Retain the skin of the peanuts.
• Let it cool completely
• Food processor method
  • Start the processor, slowly add the peanuts while the motor is running to ensure the motor does not start with a heavy load.
  • Every few minutes, scrape the sides and continue to run it
  • In few mins, they will start clumping as the oils get released. Continue
  • Once the consistency changes to dosa batter-like consistency, while the motor is running, add the cacao/cocoa, salt and jaggery and continue to run for another 3 mins.
  • The entire process will roughly take about 15 mins
  • Important: if dates are used, keep few de-seeded soft dates ready. After salt and cacao is thoroughly mixed, add dates one by one from the top. The mixture will no longer be dosa batter like consistency and will become thicker. People who prefer avoiding jaggery, have to compromise on the texture of peanut butter. The taste however will be good.
• Mixie jar method
  • Thesmall chutney jar can be used in the absence of a food processor.
  • Reduce the recipe by 50% to make in small batches.
  • Add the peanuts to the jar and run it
  • As the peanuts release oil, the need to scrape will be more. Continue to scrape the peanuts from the sides to bring to the Center and keep repeating the process for 15 mins.
  • Once you think it’s sufficiently buttery but may not release any more oils and will not change the consistency, add the jaggery, cacao and salt and run it few times
  • The peanut butter is ready to be used

Points to note

• Dates paste without any water can be used, but the consistency of the peanut butter will not be flowing.
• Balance jaggery and salt to adjust the taste. Some prefer just being salty and some like more sweet in the butter. Cacao peanut butter leans more towards the sweeter side
• The peanut butter is shelf-stable and does not need refrigeration
• It’s best stored in steel or glass containers
• One can see oils floating on top when the container is opened, just mix it again and they will come together
• This can be used as a replacement for any store-bought jams, sauce or Nutella
• Peanut butter tastes great as chocolate drink made with plant milk
• It can be used as a dip with vegetables as an afterschool snack for kids
• As with all foods, this is a highly concentrated and rich butter and it must be used in moderation.

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