Easy & delicious spread recipe, Cyril Lignac style

I developed this spread recipe inspired by an idea I love from Cyril Lignac: going straight for the flavor, no shortcuts. Here, we're aiming for a homemade hazelnut spread with a rich dark chocolate flavor and a smooth, glossy texture. It's my personal answer to those industrial jars: no palm oil, no additives, just good ingredients and a couple of simple steps.

The heart of the method is roasting the hazelnuts. Roasted hazelnuts immediately develop incredible depth of flavor, and above all, they blend into a naturally rich praline base. By blending them long enough, you obtain a smooth paste (or a slightly rustic one if you prefer). It's this "instant praline" that makes all the difference: the more hazelnuts there are, the more character the delicious spread has.

Next, I melt the dark chocolate in a double boiler to ensure a gentle melting and prevent it from overheating. The little twist, Cyril Lignac-style, is the sweetened condensed milk: it sweetens, binds, and provides immediate creaminess without the need for added oil. The result: an easy spread, quick to make, and perfectly spreadable.

And then you can personalize it to your liking: a hint of vanilla, a tiny pinch of fleur de sel, a white chocolate version, a lactose-free option (by adjusting the condensed milk), or even some crunchy bits. I'll also give you my guidelines for storing spreadable chocolate, because that's often where everything hinges on maintaining a nice texture.

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Homemade spread recipe, Cyril Lignac style

Recipe by Nathalie Laplace

5.0 based on 1 vote(s)

Type of dish: dessertKitchen: FrenchDifficulty: easy

Parts

4

parts

Preparation time

30

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

Total time

1

hour 

10

minutes

A homemade hazelnut spread inspired by Cyril Lignac, bursting with hazelnuts and dark chocolate, quick to prepare and palm oil-free. The praline base and sweetened condensed milk give it a truly smooth texture.

Cooking Mode

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Ingredients

• 220g hazelnuts (ideally with the skin on)

• 140g 60 to 70%)

• 160g sweetened condensed milk

• 1 pinch of fleur de sel

• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract (optional)

• 30g , diced (optional, for a seasonal touch)

• 30g , diced (optional, for a seasonal touch)

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 160°C. Spread the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes: this is the time to roast the hazelnuts, they should smell good and color lightly.
• Pour the warm hazelnuts into a clean cloth, rub to remove as much of the skin as possible (it's okay if some remains). Let them cool for 5 minutes.
• Place the hazelnuts in a food processor and blend. At first, you'll get a powder, then a paste: continue blending until you have a fairly smooth praline base (6 to 10 minutes depending on the food processor). Take breaks if it gets too hot.
• Meanwhile, chop the dark chocolate. Melt it in a chocolate bain-marie: a bowl placed over a pan of simmering water, without the bowl touching the water. Stir until smooth.
• Add the melted chocolate to the food processor along with the praline base. Blend for 20 to 30 seconds.
• Add the sweetened condensed milk, fleur de sel, and vanilla (if using). Blend for another 30 to 60 seconds, just until combined. If adding dried apples and pears, fold them in with a spatula to keep some small pieces.
• Taste and adjust: a tiny pinch of fleur de sel can awaken the chocolate, but go slowly.
• Transfer to a clean jar. Let cool to room temperature: the paste will thicken as it rests.

📊 Nutritional Information

1 serving (approx. 145 g)

* RDA = Recommended Daily Allowance

📝 Notes

Spread storage: 2 weeks in a clean jar, away from heat and light. If you refrigerate it, it will harden: take it out 15 minutes beforehand and stir to restore its smooth texture. Avoid using a wet spoon in the jar.

💡 Chef's Tips

For a smoother texture, blend the praline base longer. If the paste thickens too much in the refrigerator, remove the jar from the refrigerator 15 minutes before serving and stir. Use a powerful food processor: it's what transforms the hazelnuts into a paste.

🔄 Variations

• White chocolate version: replace the dark chocolate with 160g of white chocolate and reduce the sweetened condensed milk to 120g. You can also sprinkle generously with coconut for a more exotic combination.
• Crispy version: add 40g of crushed lace crepes or chocolate puffed rice at the end, without remixing.
• Lactose-free version: use sweetened condensed plant-based milk (coconut/oat type depending on availability) and keep the dark chocolate.
• Intense version: use 180g of dark chocolate and add 1 teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa.

Nathalie Laplace

Food writer for the Simple & Bon website. Passionate about healthy cooking and especially salads, slow-cooked or oven-baked recipes.