Made From Scratch: Nutella (White, Milk & Dark Versions)!

Nutella Made From Scratch

• 1 1/4 cup/175g/6ozs of roasted, skinned hazelnuts*

• 300g/10.6ozs milk chocolate

• 3 tablespoons icing or confectioners sugar

• 2 tablespoons oil (flavourless or a mild tasting oil)

• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• a pinch of salt

Buyer's tip: if you are based in Sydney, you can buy skinned, roasted hazelnuts at Paddy's Market at Nuts City

*To roast hazelnuts yourself, preheat oven to 180C/350F and lay the hazelnuts on a baking tray in a single layer. Roast for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and in a clean teatowel, rub these to remove most of the skin (not all of the skin will come off but that's ok).

Step 1 - Have suitably sized jars ready-this makes about 500ml or 1 pint of Nutella. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water (making sure that the base doesn’t touch the water) and stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth. You can also do this in a microwave on 50% in 60 second bursts making sure to stir between each burst.

Step 2 - Add the roasted, skinned hazelnuts to the food processor and grind until it becomes small particles. While the blades are going, add the sugar, oil, cocoa and vanilla down the funnel and add a small pinch of salt (a little goes a long way). Process until smooth scraping down the side once or as necessary. Then remove the lid and add the melted chocolate and process.

Step 3 - Pour into the jars while it is still warm and liquid-it firms up on cooling and is easier to place in jars and remove the air bubbles when it is liquid. Gently rap the jars against the counter to remove air bubbles and place lid. And then claim the rest of Nutella in the food processor as a cook's treat! ;)

Variations:

Dark Chocolate Nutella

• 1 1/4 cup/175g/6ozs of roasted, skinned hazelnuts*

• 300g/10.6ozs dark chocolate

• 2 tablespoons icing or confectioners sugar

• 2 tablespoons oil (flavourless or a mild tasting oil)

• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• a pinch of salt

Use the same method as above.

White Chocolate Nutella

• 1 1/4 cup/175g/6ozs of roasted, skinned hazelnuts*

• 300g/10.6ozs white chocolate

• 2 tablespoons oil (flavourless or a mild tasting oil)

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 teaspoon ground ginger (or you can use some ground cinnamon or other spices)

• a pinch of salt

Use the same method as above although you will be omitting the sugar and cocoa and adding ground ginger or a spice to it.