Best Hazelnut Milk Dark Chocolate Latte is coming right up! Hazelnutty, creamy, chocolaty and healthfully sweetened, this latte is a dessert in a cup.

Dreaming of a cup of hot chocolate but better? This is it, friends! Scroll right through with confidence to view this healthy dark chocolate indulgence and see how it's made.

I promise you'll love it. :) All ingredients are not only delicious but also nutritious and bring some health benefits to the table.

If you've never had the chance to make your hazelnut milk, now it's the time. It's so simple, and you'll save money in the long run since store-bought hazelnut milk/ beverage is on the expensive side.

Also, I should mention there are no added sugars. I often use dates to sweeten up my smoothies or homemade lattes.

Star Ingredients:

- Organic dark chocolate 80% and up. Bittersweet, reduced sugar content, a powerful source of antioxidants, healthy snack and known to reduce blood pressure.

- Hazelnuts. Salty, sweet, with buttery notes, crisp and with a creamy texture, a good source of healthy fats and dietary fiber,.

- Dates. Sweet and with a chewy texture, high in fibre, very low in fats, provide a fair amount of carbs, support digestive health, and a good alternative for healthy snacking.

- Cinnamon. Bittersweet, aromatic, antioxidant, with anti-inflammatory properties, and known to lower the blood sugars.

Health & Flavour-Boosting Recipe Tips:

- Use organic chocolate as the cocoa beans are not treated with herbicides, pesticides and other chemicals harmful to the body. Check labels for organic certification and quality control. Avoid microwaving chocolate when preparing desserts or other recipes. The Double-boiler (Bain Marie) method is the best method to melt chocolate. It gives more control and even heat melting the chocolate. Adding aromatics like cinnamon or cardamom balances out the chocolate's sweetness.

- Hazelnuts are best paired with chocolate to enhance the chocolate flavour. Use raw hazelnuts when preparing homemade plant-based milk as the health benefits are unaltered versus using roasted hazelnuts.

- Rehydrated dates are one of the best sugar alternatives in baking, smoothies, creamy drinks and more. After soaking dates overnight, drain the water, and keep refrigerated in a glass jar for quick use – use within 3-4 days, depending on your dietary choices.

Alternative Ingredients:

- Dates. Raisins make an excellent alternative to the no added sugar version. Rehydrate raisins same as dates.

- Dark chocolate. Use raw cocoa instead of dark chocolate.

Now, tell me you'll make this fantastic Hazelnut Milk Dark Chocolate Latte. It's simply irresistible!

Check out the recipe below, and share your version with me on my social media accounts.

Until next time!

Hugs!

T

Vegan

Sugar-Free

Gluten-Free

Cook Time: 5 min

Total Time: 5 min

Serves: 2-3

RECIPE

Hazelnut Milk Dark Chocolate Latte

Tip#1: If making hazelnut milk from scratch, prepare ahead of time (See recipe for Homemade Hazelnut Milk at the bottom)

Tip#2: Soak dates overnight refrigerated, or for 10-15 minutes before prep in ½ cup hot water

Ingredients:

3 cups – hazelnut milk *See recipe at the bottom

3 – organic Medjool dates*See Tip#2

40 g (1/2 bar) – organic dark chocolate 80% (vegan, GF)

¼ tsp (1.42 g) – org cinnamon powder

1 tsp – organic pure hazelnut extract (optional)

Toppings (optional):

1 tsp (2.5 g) – organic cacao nibs or raw cocoa

Directions:

Step 1

Add dark chocolate to a medium-sized pot to melt on the stove on low. Stir until the chocolate has melted completely. Set aside on the warmer.

Step 2

Add hazelnut milk, seeded Medjool dates, cinnamon powder, hazelnut extract to a high-speed blender (Vitamix), and blend until creamy – up to 40 sec.

Step 3

Using a medium seized whisk, whisk hazelnut milk gradually into the melted dark chocolate. Place the pot back on the stove and whisk until chocolate is incorporated with the milk—warm-up at the desired temperature.

Serve in individual mugs. Using a milk frother, froth up the hot dark chocolate milk for a "latte" look. Sprinkle cocoa nibs on top for added texture (optional) or raw cocoa powder (optional).

Enjoy while warm and fresh!

RECIPE

Homemade Hazelnut milk

4 cups (946 ml) – cold filtered water

1 ½ cup (195 g) - raw hazelnuts (before soak)*

¼ tsp (1.42 g) – Himalayan salt

*Soak nuts overnight in the fridge in filtered water, or quick soak of 30 minutes in boiling water – using 2 cups of water. Rinse hazelnuts well after the soaking process.

Directions:

Step 1

Add the cold filtered water, along with w/ soaked hazelnuts and salt, to a high power blender (Vitamix), and blend on high until milk is smooth – up to 1 min 30 sec.

Step 2

Strain the hazelnut pulp using a nut milk bag or thick cheesecloth, pour the milk through and squeeze the bag from top to bottom until all liquid milk has strained. Pour hazelnut milk into glass bottles and keep refrigerated for up to 5 days. Always shake the bottle of milk before using.

Tip for using the hazelnut pulp

Heat oven at 212° F/ 100°C, add the pulp to a cookie sheet prepped with parchment paper, and dry on low of up to 3 hours or until dry/ crunchy texture desired. Keep in a tightly closed glass jar and add to your cereal bow.