Date Sweetened Coconut Hazelnut Spread

By Kathy_Hester

This recipe is great spread on toast or graham crackers, drizzled on top of vanilla ice cream or even used as a cupcake filling. No matter how you use it you can feel good that this creamy coconut hazelnut spread is sweetened entirely with dates.

Ingredients

• 1 (14 ounce) can of Roland FoodsⓇ Coconut Milk
• 10 pitted dates
• 1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Details

Servings 2
Preparation time 10mins
Adapted from healthyslowcooking

Preparation

Step 1

Slow Cooker Version Step 1:
Add the coconut milk, dates and hazelnuts to a 1 1/2 to 2 quart slow cooker and cook for 6 to 10 hours on low. The longer it cooks the thicker the end result will be.

Stove-top Version Step 1:
Add the coconut milk, dates and hazelnuts to a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until it just starts to bubble. Then turn heat to medium-low and cook about 25 minutes or until the dates can be easily smashed with a wooden spoon.

The rest of the directions for either cooking method:

Note: You are just cooking the hazelnuts and dates to soften them up and to infuse some of the hazelnut flavor into the coconut milk. The coconut milk will also reduce by about 25% to make the mixture thicker. Set aside and allow to cool or be really careful pouring the mixture into a blender.

Once it’s cool add the mixture plus the vanilla to a blender and blend until smooth. You may need to scrape down the bender a few times with a spatula to blend in the last of the tiny date pieces. Store in the fridge in a covered container for up to 1 week.

Please note that the spread will get even thicker in the fridge. I also cooked 2 batches and the one below I cooked for 10 hours in the slow cooker. The color is darker and it set up thicker than the batch I cooked on the stove. The pictures above the recipe are the stove-top version before it went into the fridge.