Recipe: Paleo Valentine's Day | Chocolate Hazelnut Cups

Once, when I had a lot less to do, I sat in the kitchen of my college apartment and literally painted melted chocolate onto the insides of a pack of muffin liners in an attempt to make homemade Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. It kind of worked, but come on. Most of them did fall apart when you unwrapped them. Also, that was an embarrassing use of my time. I can't believe I even told you about it.

I decided to make some more reasonable ones this year, so I used candy molds (duh) and made them Paleo with dark chocolate and homemade hazelnut butter. I don't know if you've ever made your own nut butter, but it was so easy that I feel like I practically made up for the four hours I spent with a paintbrush that one afternoon, five years ago.

These ones are not nearly as pretty as packaged chocolates, but they taste like Nutella and they're made with love.

And they'll be gone before you know it.

Ingredients:

Makes about 16-18 cups.

Two 10 ounce bags of chopped hazelnuts (or almonds, or any nut)

One 10 ounce bag of dark chocolate chips

Two tablespoons of coconut oil--one for the chocolate and one for the nuts

Peanut Butter Cup Candy Mold--I used this one.

1. Melt the chocolate over low heat, stirring in a tablespoon of coconut oil once the chips are melted.

2. While your chocolate is melting, add the hazelnuts to a food processor and blend. That's seriously it. It takes a few minutes, but you'll have hazelnut butter before you know it. Throw in a tablespoon of coconut oil for good measure.

3. Spoon some melted chocolate into the bottoms of your candy molds. Add a bit of hazelnut butter. Top it with another spoonful of chocolate.

4. Stick them in the freezer until they've hardened and pop them out.

5. Store them in the refrigerator. Share them with someone you really like.