When the folks at Rigoni di Asiago offered to send me a jar of their *NEW* Nocciolata Dairy Free Hazelnut & Cocoa Spread (certified vegan) to sample, of course I jumped at the opportunity. Who among us hasn't been dreaming of a vegan alternative to the non-vegan (yet beloved) nutella?
But, in the short time before I actually received it, I talked myself down from the excitement. I convinced myself that it would probably be a subpar excuse for the decadent staple and readied myself for the disappointment.
When the jar arrived, I was impressed by how much it looked like it belonged in a gourmet shop (ahem, Riverdel), but still I didn't have high hopes. Veganizing nutella AND making it organic, non-GMO seemed like too tall an order, so didn't open it- let alone smell or taste it.
Big mistake. HUGE! Read on, my friends.
A few days later I baked up a dozen of my go-to chocolate cupcakes, the toasted coconut cupcakes from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. I waited until they were completely cooled before first snipping the seal on the jar of Nocciolata and only then did I realize what I'd been missing. Based on scent and sight alone, I was instantly aware that if I'd opened the jar upon arrival, I could have made quick work of it with only a spoon. Rich, dense, and creamy; I knew it was going to be fantastic before I even tasted it.
But fantastic is an understatement. While part of me felt that simple cupcakes weren't fancy enough for this high-quality spread, I still knew it would make an exquisite "icing," so I persevered. It was a phenomenal call.
From the company, "Made with organic ingredients completely free of GMO's, preservatives, colors, additives, or artificial sweeteners, Rigoni di Asiago's Nocciolata Dairy Free Hazelnut & Cocoa Spread combines hazelnuts, cocoa and cocoa butter, natural vanilla extract, and raw cane sugar for a chocolate-hazelnut spread with undeniably superior flavor. Nocciolata Dairy Free is like a vegan, organic, better-for-you Nutella, made with environmentally-responsible cold-pressed sunflower oil. It also contains far less sugar than other brands and is free from hydrogenated fats!"
So, good news/bad news:
Bad news first: Nocciolata Dairy Free Hazelnut & Cocoa Spread is so new that it'snot yet available for purchase. Soon, though! only currently available at Whole Foods Markets and will be coming soon to Amazon.com!
Good news: In the meantime, YOU CAN WIN A JAR RIGHT HERE!
CONTEST TIME:
Believe it or not, I was able to generously ice 12 cupcakes with half of one jar. So, I need suggestions for how to maximize my enjoyment of the 2nd half of the jar. This is where you come in.
But, in the short time before I actually received it, I talked myself down from the excitement. I convinced myself that it would probably be a subpar excuse for the decadent staple and readied myself for the disappointment.
When the jar arrived, I was impressed by how much it looked like it belonged in a gourmet shop (ahem, Riverdel), but still I didn't have high hopes. Veganizing nutella AND making it organic, non-GMO seemed like too tall an order, so didn't open it- let alone smell or taste it.
Big mistake. HUGE! Read on, my friends.
A few days later I baked up a dozen of my go-to chocolate cupcakes, the toasted coconut cupcakes from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. I waited until they were completely cooled before first snipping the seal on the jar of Nocciolata and only then did I realize what I'd been missing. Based on scent and sight alone, I was instantly aware that if I'd opened the jar upon arrival, I could have made quick work of it with only a spoon. Rich, dense, and creamy; I knew it was going to be fantastic before I even tasted it.
But fantastic is an understatement. While part of me felt that simple cupcakes weren't fancy enough for this high-quality spread, I still knew it would make an exquisite "icing," so I persevered. It was a phenomenal call.
From the company, "Made with organic ingredients completely free of GMO's, preservatives, colors, additives, or artificial sweeteners, Rigoni di Asiago's Nocciolata Dairy Free Hazelnut & Cocoa Spread combines hazelnuts, cocoa and cocoa butter, natural vanilla extract, and raw cane sugar for a chocolate-hazelnut spread with undeniably superior flavor. Nocciolata Dairy Free is like a vegan, organic, better-for-you Nutella, made with environmentally-responsible cold-pressed sunflower oil. It also contains far less sugar than other brands and is free from hydrogenated fats!"
So, good news/bad news:
Bad news first: Nocciolata Dairy Free Hazelnut & Cocoa Spread is so new that it's
Good news: In the meantime, YOU CAN WIN A JAR RIGHT HERE!
Believe it or not, I was able to generously ice 12 cupcakes with half of one jar. So, I need suggestions for how to maximize my enjoyment of the 2nd half of the jar. This is where you come in.
- Kindly leave a comment below telling me how you'd like to enjoy Nocciolata and the mastermind behind my favorite idea wins a jar of their very own to devour.
- All entries must be received by August 31st @ 11:59pm EST.
- Please be sure that your email is accessible via your comment sign-in, or simply include it in your comment so the company can be in touch to send you your jar.
