ROSEMARY HONEY CASHEW BUTTER

I have a confession to make: I am mildly obsessed with homemade nut butter.

Of all the ways in which my palette and food choices have changed in the past year, this love affair with nut butter is among the most mind-boggling.  When my nine year-old self marched home to my parents one afternoon in the mid-1990s and defiantly declared that I was becoming a vegetarian (a decision that I had made as a fool-proof solution to being forced to eat so many of the foods I detested, like pre-packaged, thinly sliced sandwich meats and microwave-ready fish sticks), my father's response was: "That's fine, but you have to eat fish because you won't eat nuts and you need your protein."  I uncompromisingly hated nuts for most of my life; I wouldn't touch anything that they touched.  The sole exception was peanut butter (the horribly processed variety, of course); but even then, I wouldn't go near the chunky kind.  And natural peanut butter?  No way.  If it wasn't impeccably smooth and so artificially sweetened that it no longer resembled anything remotely peanut-like, I wasn't having it.  

It wasn't until I moved to the UK 18 months ago that I realized alternative, non-peanut nut butters even existed.  It wasn't until I discovered Edible Perspective's recipe for Maple Cinnamon Almond Butter Cups that I wanted to try to make it at home.  And it wasn't until I finally got a food processor that I was able to.  (Yeah, for those of you who don't have one, I'm truly sorry about that.  Mine is seriously well-loved and one of the best object-based investments I have made in a very long time.)

Nut Butter: DIY Empowerment

The first time I homemade nut butter, I was utterly transfixed by the transformation that the nuts naturally underwent, with the aid of nothing but a quickly spinning blade: from whole nut to finely-ground-powder to congealed-gloop-nut-ball to--SPLAT!--butter.  The way the nuts decompose, their natural oils releasing and completely altering their physical composition, is truly astounding.  Homemaking nut butter is so easy and so genuinely exciting.  There is something uniquely gratifying about producing a foodstuff yourself that you have only ever conceived of as coming jarred from the shelf of a market.  It is bizarrely empowering.  I cannot even tell you how accomplished I felt after that very first batch.  Not only had I made nut butter--from scratch!--but it tasted seriously unbelievable.  And now?  I'm addicted.

The amazing thing about homemaking nut butter, aside from the feeling of accomplishment and the knowledge/control of the exact quality and quantity of your ingredients, is that you can experiment with mix-ins.  I have made most of my batches following the ideas and recipes of other bloggers: Coconut Almond Butter, Chai Spice, Maple Cinnamon.  But this Rosemary-Honey Cashew Butter?  This one is all mine.  My very first nut butter recipe.  And I couldn't be more proud or more excited to share it with you.  Because, if I may gloat for just a minute, it is astonishingly delicious.

I do realize that cashews are not cheap.  They are a bit of a luxury item.  But puréed into a silky smooth spread, laced with aromatic rosemary, sweet honey and a touch of sea salt, this cashew butter is beyond luxurious.  Seriously.  When I gave a spoonful to my housemate to taste, she stared at me in silence and then told me that I 'had to' start selling it commercially.  Who knows, maybe that endeavor will happen a bit down the line.  But for now? I'm happy just to share the recipe with you.  And maybe--hopefully--you'll be inspired to make it on your own.

P.S.  It goes without saying that cashews are great for your body.  One of the lowest-fat nuts, cashews contain a significant amount of monounsaturated fats (75% of which is oleic acid, the same as in olive oil), making them an excellent supporter of cardiovascular health.  Cashews are also extremely high in copper, which helps prevent such issues as anemia and osteoporosis, and magnesium, which works alongside calcium to maintain healthy bones.*

*Information from World's Healthiest Foods.


Rosemary-Honey Cashew Butter
Makes about 3/8 cup.  If you have a 7 cup food processor or larger, I encourage you to double the recipe. 

Ingredients
1 cup (170 grams) raw cashews
1 tsp. dried rosemary
1 tsp. honey
1/4 tsp. good quality salt (sea salt or otherwise; I used pink Himalayan salt, which is totally amazing if you can get your hands on it)
1/2 tsp. cold-pressed neutral oil (sunflower or otherwise)

Directions
1.  Preheat oven to 300°F / 150°C / Gas 2.
2.  Spread cashews on a baking tray and roast for 15-20 minutes, until fragrant.  Stir a few times during roasting.
3.  Let cool for 5 minutes.
4.  Place cashews in food processor and blend until the nuts turn into a smooth 'butter'.  This could take anywhere from 5-15 minutes.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
5.  Add rosemary and salt and process for another minute or two.
6.  Microwave honey until it is completely liquefied--much thinner than its syrupy state.  Add to nut butter and process for another minute until fully combined.
7.  If you want your cashew butter even creamier, add the 1/2 tsp. of a neutral oil.
8.  Remove blade from food processor, transfer to a glass jar and store in the fridge.

HONEY ALMOND BUTTER TART with CHOCOLATE GANACHE

I know, I know, it's the middle of January.  The month after the Month of Unapologetic Gastronomic Overindulgence.  The month where everyone is trying to eat lighter, healthier, to get 'back on track'.  I'm sure you're all thinking, "Really?  Is she seriously posting a ridiculously decadent tart recipe right now?  Give me kale!  Give me beets!"  Well, I hate to break it to you, but I am.  Partly because I made this tart back in December, when eating such things was not only acceptable but expected.  And partly because I simply cannot wait to share it with you any longer. 

Now, a word about this tart.  Some meals or dishes are special because they're ridiculously delicious.  Others are special because of the people you made or shared them with.  This tart is both.  It is so delicious, it begs to be made and shared with people you love.

While the many separate elements required to construct this creamy, crunchy and truly decadent dessert may seem daunting, it is actually rather simple to make.  Don't let the time requirement deter you.  Yet do leave yourself plenty of time; in addition to the various stages of assembly, the tart also needs to chill in the fridge before serving.

My version of this tart has been adapted from the wonderful Joy the Baker, who originally made it with a shortbread crust.  While I'm not a particular fan of shortbread, I was also interested in adapting the crust to include whole grains and omit the butter and sugar.  I have absolutely no problem with these ingredients in certain recipes, but I felt that the filling of this tart would be well complimented by a heartier, nuttier crust.  (And, ultimately, I'm interested in experimenting with and substituting whole foods for processed ones wherever possible.)  The crust I made instead of Joy's shortbread worked like a dream, delicious in its own right and the perfect match for the smooth almond butter and cream filling and hardened, dark chocolate it held.

Whether or not you make this tart in January (which apparently is National Staying Healthy Month) is totally your call.  Regardless, put the recipe in your back pocket, your bookmarks folder, your obsessively-organized digital recipe archive, wherever you like to put these things, and pull it out when you want to make something with love for people you love.

Honey Almond Butter Tart with Chocolate Ganache
Crust from Megan B. via My New Roots
Filling from Joy the Baker
Serves eight

Ingredients
For the Crust (to be made in a 9" removable bottom tart pan):
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup pecans
75 g (between 1/2 and 2/3 cup) whole grain flour (I used spelt flour)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1 tsp. vanilla

For the Filling:

1 cup heavy cream

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup almond butter (unsweetened)

1/2 cup honey

1/8 tsp. salt

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

For the Ganache:

6 oz. dark chocolate, chopped

1/3 cup plus 2 tbsp. heavy cream

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

handful toasted sliced almonds, for garnish

sea salt, for garnish

Directions

Make the crust:

1.  In a food processor, blend oats and pecans until relatively finely crumbled.

2.  Add flour, salt and cinnamon and pulse a few times, until combined.

3.  Add the remaining wet ingredients and pulse until a coarse meal is formed.

4.  Grease a 9" removable bottom tart pan with coconut oil.  

5.  Place the crust mixture into the pan and, using your fingers, press the mixture evenly across the bottom and along all the sides.

6.  Pierce the bottom a few times with a fork.

7.  Put crust in freezer and let sit for at least 30 minutes.

8.  When ready to bake crust, preheat the oven to 425°F / 220°C / Gas 7.

9.  Remove crust from freezer and press a sheet of aluminum foil on top, covering the surface.

10.  Bake for 8 minutes.  Remove the foil.  Bake for another 7 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.  Remove and let cool.

Make the Filling:

1.  In a medium bowl, whip heavy cream until soft peaks form.  Set aside.

2.  Using either an electric stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand-held electric mixer and a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, almond butter and honey until creamy and fully incorporated.  Beat in salt and vanilla extract.

3.  Stir in 1/3 of the whipped heavy cream until combined.  In two rounds, lightly fold in the remainder of the heavy cream.  Filling should be light and voluminous, like a heavy mousse.  Store in fridge until the tart crust has cooled completely and you're ready to fill it.

Make the Ganache (once you have filled the crust--still in the tart pan--with the mousse filling):

1.  Place finely chopped chocolate in a medium bowl.

2.  Heat heavy cream in the microwave until steaming hot (about one minute).  

3.  Pour the cream over the chocolate and let rest for 30 seconds.

4.  Stir the chocolate and cream together until the chocolate is fully melted and completely smooth.

5.  Stir in vanilla.

Finish the Tart:

1.  Pour the ganache over the filled tart and smooth to edges.

2.  Sprinkle toasted almonds and sea salt on top of the ganache.

3.  Let sit in the fridge for at least two hours before serving.

MAPLE CINNAMON ALMOND BUTTER: FOR A GREAT START TO A NEW YEAR

Well hello, 2013.

I'm not typically one for new year's resolutions.  This is primarily because I find the timing of the well-intentioned yet often quickly forgotten goals to be rather arbitrary; when you think about it, every day is a new year from that day a year ago.  Nevertheless, at the close of each December our new calendar year rolls around and we are obliged to think of, name, and commit to actions or changes for the year ahead.

Whether or not you are one for new year's resolutions, I urge you, above all else, please, at the very start of 2013 resolve to do this: Make this maple cinnamon almond butter.  It will change your life.

Have a food processor?  Great!  Go make this maple cinnamon almond butter.

Don't have a food processor?  Small deterrent.  Borrow your friend's.  Or your neighbor's. Your professor's, or your uncle's.  Maybe your boss has one.  Or you can borrow one overnight from your favorite local eatery.  Be resourceful.  Get a hold of a food processor.  Then go make this maple cinnamon almond butter.

Not a fan of nut butters?  Easily mended.  Go make this maple cinnamon almond butter.  Don't know what to do with it? The possibilities are endless!  Spread it on toast.  Top it off with banana slices.  Spread it on an apple.  Stir it into your oatmeal.  Dip some dark chocolate into it.  Add it to a smoothie.  Or--my favorite--eat it with a spoon.

Nursing a post-New Years Eve hangover?  No problem!  This maple cinnamon almond butter basically makes itself.  And it is a totally satisfying, sweet, and nutritious snack.  Your body will thank you!

Body in need of some TLC (really--whose isn't)?  Grab a spoonful of your homemade maple cinnamon almond butter!  Almonds are packed with nutrients, supplying our bodies with particularly high levels of protein, magnesium, vitamin E and potassium.  Magnesium helps regulate the functions of our veins and arteries, which results in the improved flow of blood, oxygen and nutrients.  Potassium is imperative in maintaining healthy blood pressure and heart function.  On top of these benefits, almonds contain high levels of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and have been shown to decrease spikes in blood sugar levels after eating.*

Oh yeah, and have I mentioned how insanely delicious this nut butter is?  Win-win.

While I wish I could take credit for this concoction, it is the brainchild of Ashley from the great Edible Perspective.  It is hands-down one of my favorite foods that I made in 2012.  I hope it will be one of yours in 2013.

*Information from www.whfoods.com.

Maple Cinnamon Almond Butter
slightly adapted from Edible Perspective
Makes about 3/8 cup.  If you have a 7 cup food processor or larger, I encourage you to double the recipe. 

Ingredients
1 cup (125 grams) raw almonds, as fresh as possible**
1 1/2 Tbsp. 100% pure maple syrup
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt

Directions
1.  Preheat oven to 325°F / 162°C / Gas 3.
2.  In a large enough bowl, pour maple syrup over almonds and mix until thoroughly coated.
3.  Line a baking tray with parchment paper (not wax or foil!).  Spread almonds on tray so none are overlapping.
4.  Roast for 15-20 minutes, until the maple syrup turns from liquid to little hardened crystals.  Stir a few times during roasting.
5.  Let almonds cool for 5 minutes.
6.  Put almonds in food processor and blend until the nuts turn into a smooth 'butter'.  This could take anywhere from 5-15 minutes.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
7.  Add cinnamon and salt and process again until combined.


**The second time I made this nut butter, I used almonds that had been sitting in a sealed plastic container in my dark kitchen cupboard for a couple months.  Much to my confusion and consternation, the nuts refused to turn into butter.  It was as if they had dried out over time and their natural oils completely dissipated.  You shouldn't need any additional oil to turn whole nuts into nut butter.  For this to work properly, I urge you to use the freshest nuts possible.