Chocolate Hazelnut Spread Mock Nutella From Gale Gand Recipes

HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT SPREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the chocolate chips in a small bowl and place over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Stir occasionally until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Cool to room temperature.
• Grind the nuts in a food processor until pasty (the nuts will be stuck to the sides of work bowl), 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the condensed milk, honey and salt. Blend well, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add the cooled chocolate and pulse until combined. Transfer the spread to a small bowl.
• Serve with the toasts and sliced fruit. Cook's Note: The chocolate can also be melted in a microwave. Microwave the chocolate chips in a small microwave-safe bowl in 15-second intervals until the chocolate is very soft. Stir until melted and smooth.

CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT SPREAD NO-BAKES

Steps:

• Line an 8-inch baking dish with aluminum foil.
• Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir sugar, vanilla extract, and salt into the melted butter; bring to a boil and cook and stir until the sugar dissolves, about 1 minute.
• Reduce heat to medium; add the peanut butter and chocolate-hazelnut spread. Cook and stir until smooth, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add the oats; stir to coat evenly. Dump the mixture into the prepared baking dish; spread into an even layer using a spatula or spoon.
• Allow the mixture to cool completely, at least 30 minutes. Remove from baking dish, lifting by the foil. Cut into bars to serve.

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT SPREAD WITH CREPES

Steps:

• In a food processor, grind the hazelnuts into a paste. Add the oil, sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla and continue processing. Add the melted chocolate and blend well. Strain the mixture through a fine strainer to remove any large grains of nuts. The mixture will be thin and a little warm. Pour into a jar to let cool and thicken slightly. Keeps 1 month, covered, at room temperature.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. Whisk in the salt, granulated sugar, and flour. Set aside for 30 minutes, if you have got the time. In a nonstick 8 to 10-inch omelet pan, melt about 1/2 teaspoon butter over medium heat. When it foams, pour or ladle in about 1/8 cup (2 tablespoons) batter. Lift and swirl the pan so the batter coats the bottom. Replace the pan on the burner and cook just until set and the underside is lightly browned. Using a spatula or your fingers, flip the crepe, and cook until the other side is lightly browned. Transfer to a platter. Repeat until the batter is used up.
• One by one, spread each crepe with a thin layer of the chocolate hazelnut spread, then some banana slices, and roll up like a cigar or fold into quarters. Place 2 crepes on each of 4 serving plates. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar and serve.
• Notes about the recipe: While in Italy we discovered Nutella, a chocolate hazelnut spread that comes in a jar like peanut butter. We can't get enough of it but also have trouble finding it. So I figured out how to make my own! This recipe makes more hazelnut spread than you need but it keeps and is great to spread on toast, inside croissants or on brioche. I've even caught family members just spreading it on a banana as they peel it down, one schmear per bite.

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT SPREAD (MOCK NUTELLA FROM GALE GAND)

Steps:

• In a food processor, grind the hazelnuts into a paste. Add the oil, sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla and continue processing. Add the melted chocolate and blend well.
• Strain the mixture through a fine strainer to remove any large grains of nuts. The mixture will be thin and a little warm. Pour into a jar to let cool and thicken slightly.
• NOTE: To roast and peel hazelnuts: Preheat oven to 350°F Place nuts in a single layer on a shallow baking pan. Toast until the skins are almost black and the meat is dark brown, about 15 minutes, stirring halfway through baking so ensure an even color. Let cool, then place the nuts in a clean kitchen towel or paper towel, and rub until most of the skins have come off.

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT SPREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F Spread nuts on baking sheet and bake 10-15 minutes until lightly browned and fragrant. Transfer nuts to clean kitchen towels and rub until most of the skins are removed.
• Transfer nuts to food processor and grind into a smooth paste, about 5 minutes. Add sugar, cocoa and salt and process until combined.
• With processor running, slowly pour oil into work bowl through feed tube until fully incorporated. Transfer to storage jars. Keeps about 1 month in refrigerator.

BETTER THAN NUTELLA (CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT SPREAD)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread out nuts on a rimmed baking sheet or in an ovenproof skillet. Roast, shaking sheet once for even toasting, until deep brown, 13-15 minutes. Let cool completely. (If nuts have skins, rub them in a kitchen towel to remove.)
• Grind hazelnuts and sugar in a food processor until a fairly smooth, buttery paste forms, about 1 minute.
• Place chocolate in a medium metal bowl. Set bowl over a large saucepan of simmering water; stir often until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over saucepan; add butter and whisk until completely incorporated. Whisk in cream and salt, then hazelnut paste.
• Pour gianduja into jars, dividing equally. Let cool. (Gianduja will thicken and become soft and peanut butter- like as it cools.) Screw on lids. DO AHEAD: Gianduja can be made up to 4 weeks ahead; keep chilled. Let stand at room temperature for 4 hours to soften. Can stand at room temperature up to 4 days.