Made-from-scratch Nutella-filled Digestives

Here is a recipe I made a few weeks before Christmas - I adore digestive biscuits, but wanted to bake something to give them an extra boost.
I've never made my own chocolate-nut spread (Nutella) before, and thought this was the perfect opportunity to try it out.
The spread is amazingly simple to make and tastes divine. I found that using mixed chopped nuts worked very well, and was as delicious (in my mind) as using hazelnuts. Better yet, mixed nuts are the much cheaper alternative.

Digestive biscuits carry a nice savoury flavour (from the wholemeal flour), which balances very well with the sweet and nutty spread.

These are also excellent dipped in tea. Use any leftover spread for toast, crumpets or just as a morning snack :D

Makes 10 biscuits

Ingredients:

For the chocolate-nut spread:

100g mixed nuts (or use the more classical hazelnuts)
340g milk chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons icing sugar
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vegetable oil

For the digestive biscuits:

170g wholemeal flour
170g porridge oats, ground finely in a nutribullet (or use oatmeal if you can find it)
150g cold butter
55g soft dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2-3 tbsp milk

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 170c/150c fan/gas mark 5. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.

2. Make the chocolate-nut spread. Pour the nuts evenly onto a baking tray and place in the oven for a few minutes until slightly toasted (keep an eye on them so that they don't burn). Set aside to cool.

3. Place a heat-proof bowl over a pan of simmering water (don't let it touch the water), and add the chocolate to the bowl. Stir occasionally until the chocolate has melted.

4. In a food processor (I used a Nutribullet), grind the cooled nuts. Add the vanilla, cocoa, icing sugar and melted chocolate and process until smooth.

5. Make the digestive biscuits. In a large mixing bowl stir together the flour and ground porridge oats/oatmeal.

6. Cut the butter into small chunks and rub into the flour mixture. Rubbing means to use your fingertips the press the butter into the flour mixture (squeezing it between your fingers). Rub in the butter until the mixture is of breadcrumb consistency.

7. Add the bicarbonate of soda, brown sugar and salt, followed by 2 tbsp of the milk.

8. Bring together with your hands - if it seems too dry add another tablespoon of milk. Form into a disc, cover in cling film/food wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

9. Once chilled, roll out between two sheets of cling film to about 4mm thick. Use a round cutter approximately 6cm in diameter (I used the rim of a glass) to cut out circles.

10. Grease and line the base of a 20 x 30cm baking tray. Place the circles of biscuit dough onto the tray, and then lightly prick all over with a fork.

11. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden around the edges. Leave to cool.