Good morning!
No one wanted to get out of bed this morning…especially Sketchie! We woke up to quite the snow storm.
I was feeling a bit congested this morning, so I came down to the kitchen and made myself a delicious Classic Green Monster amped up with a 1/2 cup of frozen organic blueberries (that I saved from the Farmer’s Market in the summer). It was a delicious and energizing way to start the weekend on the right track.
Oh, I also had a bit of Dark Chocolate Pecan Butter in the mix too…
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Dark Chocolate Pecan Butter
Quite possibly the smoothest, silkiest, and richest nut butter I have ever tasted. This is a definite show stopper with an intense chocolate taste.
Yield: 1 cup
Adapted from Dark Chocolate Almond Butter.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups toasted pecans
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1 tsp coconut oil (or other oil may work)
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
Directions: Toast 2 cups of raw pecans for 10 minutes at 325F. Watch closely so you do not burn them. Place the 2 cups of toasted pecans into a food processor. Process for about 5-10 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl every minute or as necessary. The toasted pecans will form into a butter much faster than the almonds do.
Just before your pecan butter is ready, add the 1/2 cup chocolate chips and 1 tsp of coconut oil to a small pot. Melt on low. You want to remove the pot from heat when there are still some chocolate chip clumps remaining. Don’t worry they will melt as you stir the mixture. I always take it off the heat a bit early to avoid burning the chocolate.
Add the melted chocolate to the pecan butter (still in the processor) and process for a couple minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add your kosher salt to taste and process more. Scoop into a container and store in the fridge. Makes 1 cup of Dark Chocolate Pecan Butter. Refrigerate. Note that the pecan butter firms up in the fridge. Allow it to sit at room temperature to soften before using.
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Toast your pecans for about 9-10 mins at 325F.
Process the pecans in a food processor for about 5-10 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. The toasted pecans will turn into pecan butter much faster than the almonds do!
This was after about 5 minutes…
Add in the melted chocolate and coconut oil into the pecan butter…
And process for another 1-2 minutes. Season with kosher salt to taste.
You will be left with silky, smooth, buttery, and intensely chocolaty pecan butter. I had to hide this from myself deep in my refrigerator!! Oh my, is this a good nut butter.
Coming up, a delicious Curried Lentil Soup recipe I have made a few times over the past few weeks, but have yet to share…
Also, coming up….I will talk about my Winter 2011 training plan and the homemade Light box we made this week…
Nerd alert!
Have a great Saturday!
I need that lentil soup recipe! prettyyyy please :D?
your light box is amazing, I saw your pictures on twitter. i was thinking of making one too, but I wonder where you put it in your home? do you let it stand, including the lights, or remove it after every use?
x sabine
it’s in our rarely used dining room :) For now anyways!
we do have some spare rooms but most are upstairs… and I don’t see myself walking up and down with my food haha ;). my boyfriend would kill me if I take anylonger with the food photoshoots ;). but you do think it is necessary to let the light box and its lamps stay stationary? because I do love the quality of the photos you shared on twitter!
I do think it would probably be a huge pain to have to move it…it’s big!
Yeah that’s what I feared ;). Then I’ll just go look around for a great spot.
One more Q, sorry! I was wondering why you don’t make nut butters in your Vmix? And which series do you use?
I don’t have the ‘dry’ container for the VM so I cant make nut butters or I totally would. I have the newest version of the VM.
Oooh how silly of me! I have been reading up on Vmixes this evening because I want to purchase one, so I knew there was a seperate container haha. I just forgot. Well your food processor seems to do the job though, mine takes 30+ minutes for almond butter and at least 15 for a smoothie containing lots of frozen fruits. ack!
Hi! I know this is an old thread, but was making the choc pecan butter and needed the recipe. I made mine in my Vitamix. I only have the “wet” container. I had emailed someone at Vitamix and they said it was fine. It came out great, and was very quick. Trying to get it all out, however was kind of a pain. I think I will use my food processor next time. (which is tomorrow!) My Father-in-Law brought back a TON of Texas pecans from his trip there recently.
That nut butter looks soo good! I’m feeling hopeful about the snow storm that’s suppoed to hit on Monday now since it’s coming to us from you!
DROOL! I make a salted chocolate pecan butter that is literally like dessert for us. This looks amazing!
It’s hard to believe it’s so cold where you are. You should move to Southern California- great vegan options everywhere and it’ll be 80 degrees and sunny today! in January!
Only if you don’t mind a husband and a cat too!
If you and your baked goods are involved, SOMETHING can be arranged ;)
You are on a roll with these choco nut butters! Don’t hate me for saying this, but I’m loving this time of the month and all the creations that come along with it :)
I made a lightbox a couple months ago and it has saved many night time photos. Aren’t those clamp lights fab?
I’m super excited for you! A lightbox is like a photo partybox! That butter also looks awesome.
These chocolate nut butter recipes just keep getting better and better. I bet dark chocolate walnut butter or dark chocolate macadamia butter would be good too! :-)
We have a couple homemade light boxes too…oh and the chocolate pecan butter looks sooo good!
Holy moly. I love all chocolate nut butters: hazelnut, peanut, and almond, but I’ve yet to try pecan! And I have all of the ingredients except the pecans. Grocery store run! Do you think I can make this in a VitaMix? I don’t have a food processor…
Not sure…I don’t have the ‘dry’ VM container so I did not attempt it.
Lovely looking nut butter- you’re on a roll with those lately! :)
I want a lightbox so badly!!!
I want a lightbox so badly!!!
Hhahahhhhh you must stop. There’s no way my fridge is deep enough to hide this from myself.
And I want that curry lentil soup recipe please :)
Mine isn’t either….shhh
OMG-yummy!
I have had a half dozen friends make lightboxes and i posted the other day about them…that’s it’s on my To Do List! Love the looks of yours, it looks sooo professional! But then again, all your pics,food,posts…ARE always sooo professional looking! :)
The shot of your room with the duvet and the sunlight…it looks so cozy, and real. Thanks for sharing a glimpse into your life that way.
And of course, this nut butter looks awesome! How ever though would dark choc + nut, NOT be fabulous? haha!
:)
homemade nut butters are the best!
Curried lentil soup? Gimme please!
Mmmm, that looks amazing! I’ve been glancing at your blog for a little bit. I must say, your pictures are amazing!!! They will rock even more with a light box! I’m finally understanding Google Reader now (pathetic, I know) so I’m now able to manage reading blogs so.much.better! Enjoy your weekend!
Looks mighty delicious and indulgent– I think you’re on with Peanut Butter and Co :-)
Could I use almonds instead of pecans? No pecans on hand currently…..
Yup I linked to the first recipe which was dark choco almond butter :)
Pecan butter is the BEST…or maybe what I mean is PECANS are just the best :) Looking forward to the curried lentil soup recipe! I <3 anything curry…and anything lentil, for that matter.