These raw macaroons, full of chocolate and hazelnut flavour, hide a texture that is both soft and crunchy, thanks to the cacao nibs left whole in the dough. Quick to put together, they always make an impression at the end of a meal with friends. The only risk, once the first bite is gone, is finding it hard to stop.
Crunchy chocolate hazelnut macaroons
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Organic raw cacao powder (Nacional variety)
€9.90 Last items in stock
Ingredients
- 1 cup hazelnuts
- 1 cup raw cacao powder
- 1 cup unsweetened desiccated coconut
- 1 cup raw agave nectar
- 2/3 cup coconut butter
- 1/2 cup raw cacao nibs
- 3/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Himalayan pink salt
Preparation
- In a food processor fitted with the S blade, grind the hazelnuts to a medium-fine meal, stopping well before they turn into a paste.
- Transfer to a large bowl and add all the other ingredients.
- Mix thoroughly by hand, or with a stand mixer and its paddle attachment, until you have an even dough that holds together.
- Using a tablespoon, or a small ice cream scoop which makes the job easier, take portions of dough and set them on a tray.
- Place in the freezer for up to an hour before serving.
Tip
No hazelnuts to hand? Other nuts or seeds work just as well: almonds, pecans or sunflower seeds change the flavour without changing the method.
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FAQ: your questions about raw chocolate hazelnut macaroons
Can you eat hazelnuts raw?
You can, and raw is their best form for this recipe: unroasted, the hazelnut keeps its unsaturated fatty acids and its vitamin E intact, both of which roasting partly degrades. It tastes milder, less toasted, and has a slightly softer texture. The only precaution concerns freshness: a rancid hazelnut betrays itself by its bitterness and has no place in a raw preparation. Buy them in small quantities, keep them cool, and taste one before grinding the whole batch.
Why is it important to soak nuts?
Soaking wakes the seed up and deactivates part of its enzyme inhibitors, the compounds that keep it dormant until conditions are right for germination. It also reduces the phytic acid content, which binds iron, zinc and magnesium. The result: digestion is often lighter and minerals more available. Allow eight to twelve hours for hazelnuts and almonds, two to three hours for cashews, then rinse thoroughly. For this recipe, hazelnuts soaked and then dried in the dehydrator give an even finer dough.
What is the drawback of hazelnuts?
They are dense: a 30 g handful brings around 190 calories, essentially as good fats. Nothing problematic in itself, but worth knowing when they go into an already rich dessert like this one. They are also among the more allergenic nuts, something to mention systematically if you serve these macaroons to guests. Finally, their fibre content can trouble sensitive guts when a lot is eaten at once: two or three macaroons are better than six.
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