In my last post I recounted how my father, un vero gentiluomo all’antica, was given a jar of home made chocolate cream by my friend Rita in return for un baciamano (a kiss on the hand).

Today I’m going to give you Rita’s recipe for home made Nutella. Have a go at making it and judge for yourself whether it really is worth a baciamano! 😉

Ingredienti (per un barattolo da 450 grammi):

80 gr di nocciole tostate; 60 gr di zucchero di canna; 40 gr di zucchero semolato; 100 gr di cioccolato fondente; 100 ml di latte; 80 gr di burro.

Ingredients (makes a 450 gram jar):

80 grams of toasted hazelnuts; 60 grams of cane sugar; 40 grams of caster sugar; 100 grams of plain chocolate; 100 ml of milk; 80 grams of butter.

N.B. For this recipe you’ll need a food processor.

Preparation:

First put the hazelnuts, cane sugar and caster sugar in the food processor. Switch it on for a short time, then with the help of a spatula scrape the mixture off the side of the container. Repeat the process several times until you obtain a thick cream. Now, stop licking that spatula!

N.B. If you prefer a coarser consistency simply turn the food processor off when the hazelnuts are still powdery, and haven’t yet become a cream. Practice makes perfect!

Now break the chocolate into pieces, then put it in a small saucepan with the butter, gently melting them together. Add the milk and stir until it’s completely mixed in with the chocolate and butter.

Add the hazelnut and sugar cream (or powder), and let it cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture is fairly thick. Remember that it will thicken up once cold.

Finally, pour your delicious home made Nutella into a sterilized jar, close the lid and let it cool down. Store the jar in the fridge, where it will keep for up to one month, although it’s unlikely that it will last that long once you’ve tried it!

Variations:

For a dairy free recipe you can substitute the butter with 70 ml of a delicate vegetable oil. Use soya or almond milk to replace the cows milk.

Enjoy your home made Nutella spread on sliced bread or toast, or croissants. You can also use it as a cake filling.

Buon Appetito!