Grab A Spoon-Homemade Nutella

If you’ve followed my blog for any amount of time you know that I am a fool for hazelnuts. You can read about my quest for the hazelnut cake of my dreams here, here and finally the winner-here.

Combine hazelnuts with chocolate and I’m totally smitten. When I spied this recipe for homemade nutella on Emiko’s blog I knew that I would be making this for Christmas gifts. I used a food processor to make my nutella but do check out the video of Emiko making hers with a mortar and pestle. I made 4 times the original recipe which yielded 6 half pint (1cup) jars and that’s what I’m posting below. I did it in two batches and discovered that you may need a little more milk than the recipe calls for to get to a spreadable consistency.

This would be the perfect filling for a shortbread sandwich cookie or as I the title of this post says-grab a spoon!

Nutella

21 oz.hazelnuts, shells and skins removed
14 oz. of good quality milk chocolate
About 1/2 cup warm milk
8 tbs cocoa powder
8 tbs powdered sugar

Grind the hazelnuts in a food processor (or if you want a chunkier style, in a mortar and pestle) until it looks like fine sand. Add the cocoa powder and powdered sugar and continue blending. As you blend, the oil from the hazelnuts should begin creating a paste. Melt the milk chocolate over a double boiler, then add to the food processor to combine. Finally, add the warm milk, just a small amount at a time or as much as you need to reach a spoonable, creamy consistency and depending on the quality of your ingredients. Transfer to a jar and if not using right away, store it in the fridge.