It might not seem like it, but making homemade Nutella is actually really easy to do on your own. If you choose to make Nutella, instead of buying it, you can boycott palm oil which is harmful both to the environment and your body. Besides, this way you can choose which ingredients to use and exactly how much of them.
In this article, we explain what Nutella is and how to make homemade hazelnut spread and delicious cheesecake with this ingredient. Once you try this version, you'll never go back to the store-bought kind.
What is Nutella?
There are several hazelnut spreads on the market, but Nutella is the best-known. This creamy spread came into existence in 1965 when Michele Ferrero's Italian company launched this product. This Italian businessman is the owner of Ferrero Rocher, one of the most famous chocolate companies in the world, and so, he is currently one of the wealthiest men in Italy.
The first recipe for this creamy chocolate with hazelnuts was also born in Italy because of high taxes on cacao that made it impossible to manufacture and sell regular chocolate.
It wasn't until later in 1946 that Pietro Ferrero first sold Pasta Gianduja which was actually sold in large solid blocks. Then, in the 50s, he made the creamy version of this product which was called Supercrema.
Finally, his son, Michele made improvements to the original recipe with the goal of selling his product across Europe. After these changes, this hazelnut spread was dubbed, Nutella. According to the brand, their chocolatey spread is a best-seller worldwide.
As far as its ingredients, it contains sugar, palm oil, hazelnuts (13%), powdered skim milk (8.7%), lecithin (soy), and vanillin. In every 100 g serving, there is approximately 30.9 g of fat -10.6 g being saturated- and a total of 539 kcals.
Is Nutella healthy?
Nutella is just one of many Ferrero Company products that contain palm oil, considered a potential carcinogen by health authorities since it is manufactured at such high temperatures.
Besides, this ingredient is a deforestation culprit in many Asian and African forests, which has brought some animal species to the brink of extinction and also contributes to global warming.
Homemade hazelnut spread recipe
This recipe takes just 30 minutes to make, and it's super easy. Don't forget that it's important to choose high-quality cacao since this will have a significant impact on the flavor of your homemade Nutella.
Ingredients to make 400 g
In this recipe, you can adjust the amounts of the ingredients as you please, since everyone has different preferences. This is how we like our hazelnut cream the most, but the best thing that you can do is to test and make little changes until you get the right flavor for you.
The possibilities are endless here, so don't limit yourself. As we mentioned, you can play with the ingredients so, for example, you could try using different oils, skim, whole, or even non-dairy milk. Or, choose a different sweetener or even exchange hazelnuts for different types of nuts.
100 g hazelnuts, without shells
30 g oil. This could be seed oil, coconut, or whichever type you prefer, but make sure that it has a neutral flavor.
30 g pure cacao powder.
50 g brown sugar. You can also substitute 6-7 fresh dates.
120 ml milk.
1. Roast hazelnuts
First, place the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and put them in the oven. It's important to make sure that you've preheated the oven to 180 ºC beforehand. Once the oven reaches temperature, bake them for 12-25 minutes. After 6 minutes, turn the nuts over, so that they roast evenly.
Make sure that you don't burn your hazelnuts, because this will make your chocolate spread bitter, and it will end up ruining the recipe.
2. Crush and add oil
Once your hazelnuts are roasted, you can use them to start making the cream. This step is much simpler. The only thing you'll need is a food processor or blender for this step. Of course, the former will help to achieve a more refined texture.
Now you just have to put the hazelnuts and oil into the food processor. Blend all of the ingredients until you are left with a creamy even textured paste with as few lumps as possible.
3. Make a creamy paste
Then, add the remaining ingredients: cacao, sugar, and then finally the milk. After, continue blending until you achieve the desired texture and appearance.
Make sure to taste the mixture during this step to see if you need to add more sugar, milk, or cacao -to taste, of course. For example, if you add more milk, the cream will get thinner, or if you add sugar, it will make the recipe a bit sweeter.
4. Presentation
Once your chocolate hazelnut cream is to your liking, store it in an airtight container, and if you want to make it a little more cutesy, you can make your own kawaii Nutella label.
You can eat your chocolate hazelnut cream right away, but if you leave it in the refrigerator for about 24 hours first, it will be even more delicious. If stored in the fridge, it will be good for at least 15 days.
Nutella cheesecake recipe
Below, we explain how to make a no-bake Nutella cheesecake in 4 easy steps. This could be the perfect birthday cake or if you're just in the mood for a sweet snack or dessert.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients that you'll need for your homemade Nutella cheesecake. In this recipe, you can either use store-bought hazelnut cream or use the homemade kind that we explained how to prepare above. If you choose the second option, you'll be able to make your chocolatey spread a little healthier.
120 g graham crackers
55 g butter
400 g cream cheese
140 g sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
150 g homemade Nutella
145 g heavy whipping cream
1. The crust
To make the crust for our cheesecake, first, crush the graham crackers. Then, melt the butter in the microwave and stir in the graham cracker crumbs. Make sure it's well mixed and then pour it into a Springform pan.
Place the pan in the refrigerator to cool for at least 1 hour to allow the crust to solidify.
2. Filling
To make the filling, add the cream cheese, sugar, Nutella (100 g), and vanilla extract to a large bowl. Then, mix all of the ingredients and add the cold heavy whipping cream (115 g). Finally, use an electric mixer to whip the mixture for approximately 3 minutes.
3. Final touches
To finish your homemade Nutella cheesecake, take your graham cracker crust out of the refrigerator and pour the creamy mixture on top. Then, use a spatula to smooth out the surface of your cake.
Finally, place the cake in the freezer since this will make it easier to take out of the pan later on and help with the consistency. Once the cake is ready, take it out of the freezer and put it in the refrigerator.
4. Decorate
To decorate your cake, you'll need 50 g Nutella and 30 g of heavy whipping cream. Pour both of these ingredients into a bowl and heat them up in the microwave. Stir well and slowly pour the mixture over the cheesecake with the help of a spoon. Of course, you can put as much or as little on as you'd like, and even add your own imaginative designs.
Finally, check out this bonus homemade vegan Nutella recipe: