Traditional Dairy-Free Giandujotti Bar

This classic recipe from Northern Italy makes a firm, yet creamy hazelnut paste and chocolate bar. Great for those looking for the mouthfeel of milk chocolate without the dairy.

Note: If you wish to obtain a darker and less sweet chocolate, you can proceed by modifying the recipe by adding 10% of the total recipe in cocoa nibs and decrease the sugar by 10%, accordingly.

Directions:

1. Melt the cocoa butter in a bain-marie. For best results, never heat cocoa butter above 140°F/60°C.
2. Pour the melted cocoa butter into the Premier Chocolate Refiner and gradually add the nibs to the drum. With a heat gun, warm the drum of the refiner to speed up processing, never exceeding 140°F/60°C.

NOTE: To further shorten the processing time, warm the nibs in the oven at 215°F/100°C for 5-10 minutes and pulse-crush in batches in a Mixer-Grinder/Cuisinart for 1 minute;

1. Once all the cocoa nibs have been put into the Premier Chocolate Refiner , let run for at least 3 hours.
2. In the meantime, roast the hazelnuts by placing them in a thin layer in a convection oven at 285°F/140°C for about 30 minutes. They are properly roasted when they turn a light caramel color in the middle.
3. After removing the skins by gently rubbing the roasted hazelnuts between two cloths (most of the skins will peel extremely easily), pre-grind the hazelnuts by pulse-crushing them in a Mixer-grinder/Cuisinart for approximately 1 minute to obtain a fine hazelnut flour.
4. At this point, add the sugar and the hazelnut flour, 100g - roughly 1 cup at a time, making sure it is fully incorporated before adding more.
5. Let the Refiner run for at least 10-15 hours. The refining time is approximate and depends on the desired end product. Once the desired consistency of the chocolate has been reached,  proceed with removing the contents of the drum to temper or store as needed.
6. Temper the chocolate and shape into molds, then place in refrigerator until solid, approximately 10-15 minutes.
7. Enjoy.

Yield: Approximately 1kg/2.2lbs of dairy-free Gianduja, equal to 10 x 100g bars.

Storage:Up to 6 months in a cool, dark, well-ventilated and odorless place in an airtight container.

*Percent Daily valuesare based on a 2,000kcal (Cal) diet for healthy adults. Calorie needs might vary according to age, gender, height, weight, and physical activity level.