I love getting gifts for people, but am not very good at it. Someone told me a long time ago that the key to finding a great gift was to get something that you would want for yourself. Not the best advise for me as I literally like anything that comes tied with ribbon. I love those teeny tiny notebooks that no one ever knows what to write in, lip gloss in every shape and color (no matter if it doesn’t match my skin tone), trinkets and souvenirs that have no use or function, even books I know I’ll never read! I just love stuff, a trait I get from my grandpa who rarely ever leaves a store empty handed. There have been, of course, gifts that stand out in my memory, ones that were useful, personal, and more meaningful. Ample thought was put into those gifts concerning who I am and what I would really like. Those are the gifts I want to give but fail miserably at when I go to a store. The solution that I’ve come up with is to make something in the kitchen. Within that space, I’m more focused and better at concocting gifts that are not only thoughtful and individualized, but a little more personalized. Plus, who doesn’t love a homemade treat!
The recipe is easily doubled. I actually made four times the recipe to make 16 mini jars of about 100 ml in size.
Cocotella
Inspired by here
Makes enough for 1 medium jar
20 g almonds
80 g hazelnuts
8 g confectioners’ sugar
8 g powdered milk
Pinch of salt
7 g coconut oil
190 g coconut milk
75 g dark chocolate
75 g milk chocolate
Toast almonds and hazelnuts on the stove top. Place nuts in a cold pan and heat over medium low heat. Stir nuts often to ensure even toasting. The nuts are done when fragrant, about 20 minutes.
Melt the chocolate in a water bath. In another saucepan, heat coconut milk until it just comes to a simmer.
Place nuts, confectioners’ sugar, powdered milk, salt and coconut oil in a food process. Grind until fine. Add the coconut milk and combine. Add the melted chocolate and process until thoroughly mixed. Pour in a clean jar and keep refrigerated for up to 10 days.
Recipe ideas with Chocolate:
Chocolate Speckled Jasmine & Orange Financiers
Goodbye Brownies with Passion Fruit & Toffee
Other recipes with Coconut Oil:
Chia Seed Waffles
Lemon Berry Tart a la Coconut Oil
Simple Stove Top Granola
More Nuts!:
Banana Almond Bread
Chia Seed Waffles