DIY: From-scratch Nutella
Last year, we made the confession of all confessions. We were on the fence about Nutella, and while we were enamored with some Nutella cookies that we made, we still wasn’t completely sold. We haven’t been able to put our finger on it, but it just wasn’t living up to the high expectations that the foodie world had set for it. When we first started flipping through our new favorite DIY cookbook last year and marking recipes to try, the from-scratch chocolate-hazelnut spread didn’t set the world on fire for us. It wasn’t until a few weeks ago when we revisited the book that we took a second glance at the recipe. The rest, as they say, is history.
In the recipe headnote, it mentioned that commercial chocolate-hazelnut spreads often lack real nut flavor and can taste plasticky. Yes, that! Since it seemed like they were speaking our language, we decided that if anything might change our mind, it would be this from-scratch version. Turns out, we were right. We haven’t been able to put the spoon down since this finished churning in our food processor!
In addition to being one of the easiest recipes you’re likely to find, it has officially changed our mind when it comes to the chocolate-hazelnut spread phenomenon. Maybe it has to do with actually making it myself, but the flavor truly cannot be beat. The nut flavor comes bursting through and the chocolate gives it such depth. We guess this in line with the notion that if kids help make a meal they are more likely to eat it ;-)
Eat it, we did! We ate quite a few spoonfuls before we decided we should probably try it on something else. As it turns out, graham crackers and apples are both reliable companions for your from-scratch Nutella. As are about a million other things, we're sure! We can’t wait to break out the tub of pretzel rods with this jar.
Since we gave up peanut butter for Lent, we may have just found myself a worthy substitute for the next 38 days. Our grandma used to pull the one-two punch – layering peanut butter then Nutella on her morning toast. Such a trendsetter, she was! We only wish she were here to taste this from-scratch version. We have no doubt she would love it and gobble it up as quickly as we could make it.
We have learned a valuable lesson here. If we don’t care much for a packaged product, give it a from-scratch whirl before totally dismissing it. As it turns out, the concept is phenomenal, and this recipe’s execution makes it absolutely reliable. We're so thrilled to finally jump on the chocolate-hazelnut train!
One year ago: Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars and Creamy Tomato-Basil Soup
Two years ago: White Chocolate Coconut Brownies
Three years ago: Espresso Ice Cream
Four years ago: Italian Walnut Pillow Cookies
Six years ago: Maple-Hazelnut Oatmeal
From-scratch Nutella Spread
Yield: 1 cups A from-scratch Nutella spread, full of roasted hazelnuts and a rich chocolate flavor.- 2 cups (240 g) shelled hazelnuts, (8 ounces)
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup (28.67 g) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons hazelnut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon (0.13 teaspoon) salt
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spread the hazelnuts out on a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until dark brown and fragrant, 12 to 15 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking. Keep a close eye on them, as they can go from reliable roasted to burnt in a short amount of time. Transfer the hazelnuts to a medium-sized bowl.
- Once the hazelnuts are cool enough to handle, place a second bowl upside-down on top of the bowl with the hazelnuts. Shake vigorously for about 30 seconds to remove the skins of the hazelnuts. It may take a few times to get all of the skins off; each time, remove the hazelnuts that have lost their skin to the bowl of a food processor, then continue shaking.
- Process the hazelnuts in a food processor until their oil is released and they form a smooth, loose paste, 2 to 5 minutes, scraping down the bowl often.
- Add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, hazelnut oil, vanilla extract and salt and process until fully incorporated, scraping the bowl as needed, about 2 minutes. The mixture will loosen and become glossy. Transfer the spread to a jar with a tight-fitting lid or an airtight container. You can store it in the refrigerator or at room temperature for up to 1 month.
Notes
Notes:- If you want to do away with having to remove the hazelnut skins, you could purchase blanched hazelnuts, which we might try next time.
- We were not able to find hazelnut oil at any local grocery stores (including Whole Foods), so we ended up ordering it from Nuts.com. You could substitute walnut oil or vegetable oil, but the hazelnut oil helps give the spread a silky smooth texture.
- You can substitute regular unsweetened cocoa powder for the Dutch-processed cocoa powder.
- Yield: 1 cups
- Prep: 15 minutes
- Cook: 15 minutes
- Total: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 cups ( 240 g ) shelled hazelnuts, (8 ounces)
- 1 cup ( 120 g ) powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup ( 28.67 g ) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons hazelnut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon ( 0.13 teaspoon ) salt
Method
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spread the hazelnuts out on a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until dark brown and fragrant, 12 to 15 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking. Keep a close eye on them, as they can go from reliable roasted to burnt in a short amount of time. Transfer the hazelnuts to a medium-sized bowl.
- Once the hazelnuts are cool enough to handle, place a second bowl upside-down on top of the bowl with the hazelnuts. Shake vigorously for about 30 seconds to remove the skins of the hazelnuts. It may take a few times to get all of the skins off; each time, remove the hazelnuts that have lost their skin to the bowl of a food processor, then continue shaking.
- Process the hazelnuts in a food processor until their oil is released and they form a smooth, loose paste, 2 to 5 minutes, scraping down the bowl often.
- Add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, hazelnut oil, vanilla extract and salt and process until fully incorporated, scraping the bowl as needed, about 2 minutes. The mixture will loosen and become glossy. Transfer the spread to a jar with a tight-fitting lid or an airtight container. You can store it in the refrigerator or at room temperature for up to 1 month.
Notes
If you want to do away with having to remove the hazelnut skins, you could purchase blanched hazelnuts, which we might try next time.
We were not able to find hazelnut oil at any local grocery stores (including Whole Foods), so we ended up ordering it from Nuts.com. You could substitute walnut oil or vegetable oil, but the hazelnut oil helps give the spread a silky smooth texture.
You can substitute regular unsweetened cocoa powder for the Dutch-processed cocoa powder.
