It's the best day of the year -- World Nutella Day!
The globe first fell in love with Nutella when it was created post World War Two as a solution to a shortage of cocoa. Pietro Ferrero, a pastry maker from Italy, created the sweet stuff from hazelnuts, sugar and just a little cocoa, which was rare at the time.
He shaped it into a loaf that could be sliced and served on bread, a bit like butter. In the 1950s it was transformed into a spreadable paste and the rest, as they say, is history.
To celebrate this glorious day please peruse this selection of 50 Nutella recipes -- and get ready to drool.
If you've given up sugar for Feb Fast, never fear. Jacqueline Alwill, nutritionist and founder of The Brown Paper Bag has a healthy alternative for you.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 ½ cups (200g) hazelnuts without skin, roasted until slightly golden
- 2 tsp vanilla essence
- 1/3 cup raw cacao powder
- 2tbsp coconut cream
- 2tbsp maple syrup
METHOD
- Place hazelnuts in high powered food processor or blender and until they become a fine nut meal.
- Add remaining ingredients and process for a further minute or two, or until a uniform consistency is created. Remove from blender and store in sterilized glass jar in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
- Serve with your favourite sprouted bread or have a spoonful as a little treat to resolve any chocolate cravings.
TIP: If your hazelnuts still have their brown skin, you can pop them on a tray in the oven (180C) for approx 5-8minutes. Once removed from oven, rub the hazelnuts together and the skins should fall off easily. Discard the skins prior to processing. This means the recipe isn’t 100% raw, but it still retains many of its wonderful nutrients and is a wonderfully healthy variation. Makes 300ml jar of 'healthy nutella'.