Goodbye ho-hum peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Hello Nutella!
Nutella is an Italian chocolate hazelnut spread, and if you haven't tried it, you owe it to yourself to give it a taste today. You'll find Nutella among the sandwich spreads -- peanut butter, jelly, lemon curd, etc. -- in your local supermarket.
So why bother making your own? Well, it's cheaper, for one thing. And of course, homemade nutella doesn't have any hydrogenated oils, trans fats or artificial additives. Plus, you can adjust the amount of sugar and oil to suit your taste.
What's to Love About Nutella
The beauty of nutella is that it is so versatile. Spread it on a whole grain bagel for a delightful morning breakfast or afternoon snack. Smear it between two slices of bread and top with strawberries for a delectable alternative to the traditional peanut butter sandwich. Or slather it on apples for a sweet and crunchy snack or dessert the kids will love.
Is nutella healthy? This homemade nutella recipe is! Although hazelnuts are high in fat, it is the good kind of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, not unhealthy trans fat. (Hazelnuts do have some saturated fat, but the percentage is far lower than the percentage of cholesterol-lowering monounsaturated fat.)
What's more, hazelnuts are high in protein, fiber, vitamin E, calcium, and folate. Folate is an essential nutrient for pregnant women and also reduces the risk of heart disease and certain types of cancers.
Although this recipe calls for dark cocoa powder, feel free to use regular cocoa powder if that's all you can find. The darker the cocoa, the more antioxidants in it.
If you want a deeper-flavored nutella, toast the hazelnuts first. Simply place them in a small, dry frying pan on the stove over medium heat and toast for 3 to 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Watch them carefully, though, so they don't burn.
There is a range for the amount of powdered sugar and oil in this nutella recipe. That's so you can make it as sweet and as smooth as you like. If you generally like sweeter spreads, go with the one cup of powdered sugar.
Homemade Nutella Recipe
- 2 cups chopped hazelnuts (filberts)
- 3/4 cup to 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder (such as Hershey's Extra Dark cocoa)
- 1/8 to 1/4 cup canola oil
Place hazelnuts in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Process until nuts start to clump together in a ball. This will take some time (about five minutes), so be patient. Add the powdered sugar and cocoa powder and process again for 2 to 3 minutes, until the mixture turns dark and the ingredients are well combined. Now, slowly drizzle in enough oil to make a spread.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 weeks.
Makes approximately two cups of nutella (16 servings).
Per serving: 147 calories, 12 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 0 mg cholesterol, 9 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 2 g protein, 0% vitamin A, 2% vitamin C, 2% calcium, 6% iron
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