Home made Nutella

Home made Nutella using hazelnuts has been on my to-do list since a long time. But it just got delayed or postponed due to one reason or other. Finally, my sister got me a pack of hazelnuts and then there was absolutely no reason for me not to make this 🙂 After all who doesn’t like Nutella? I am sure your kids would love

it too. But as a mother, I was never happy to buy the store bought one as the ingredients list always had me disturbed. Palm oil, synthetic vanillin, emulsifier, refined sugar… Why?? I would prefer making a modest and inexpensive choco peanut butter for my kid any day rather than buy these store bought spreads. But yes, it’s difficult to convince kids and at times they do really crave for that smooth n luscious hazelnut flavoured spread on their breads and buns, don’t they?

Now, there is no going back 🙂 We are happy with this home made one though next time I will use milk chocolate to get that perfect chocolatey colour. Also will remember to powder the hazelnuts more finely, as it’s a tad bit grainy this time. But have got green signals from my little niece (who is a big Nutella fan) and my sister and ofcourse from Neha too 🙂 After all she is the one from whom I get first approval of all my experiments. The below recipe gives you a full standard (350 gm) bottle of home made Nutella. Please do try and share your thoughts and feedback.

Ingredients:

• Hazelnut 125 gm
• Milk chocolate 100-150 gm
• Cocoa powder 1-2 tbsp
• Vanilla extract 1/2 tsp
• Cane sugar 1-2 tbsp
• Oil 1-2 tbsp

Method:

• Roast the hazelnuts in a heavy bottom pan for 3-4 minutes. You may alternatively roast it in the oven at around 180 degree Celsius for 6-8 minutes. Please check after 4-5 minutes.

• Cool completely and blitz it into a very fine powder in a dry mixer jar.

• Cut the chocolate slab into small pieces.
• Now, into the mixer jar, add the chocolate pieces and cocoa powder and blitz again.
• The mixture would become slightly runny because of the melted chocolate.

• Now add sugar to suit your taste ( I added because I have used dark chocolate) and oil. Adjust the oil according to the consistency of the spread.
• Finally add the vanilla extract and give another blitz fot few more seconds.
• Transfer into a clean and sterilized bottle and enjoy. Keep it refrigerated for a longer shelf life.
• Make these delicious Nutella swirl bread, Nutella coffee cookies, or spread it on your breads or pancakes or crepes or simply devour a spoonful 🙂

Notes:

• You may use a combination of blanched almonds and hazelnuts. It tastes equally good.
• To get the perfect store bought nutella colour, use milk chocolate. Mine is darker as I have used dark chocolate.
• Make sure you powder the nuts finely or else the spread will turn out grainy.
• You can use any flavour less oil of your choice.