Just a Spread of Nutella

Nutella is one of the most heavenly confections in the world, in my opinion. This chocolate and hazelnut spread tastes like the lovechild of Godiva and Ryan Gosling. Not only is it delicious as a schmear on crackers and bread, but it is even great by itself. Yes, I am one of those people who eats Nutella straight out of the jar. How can I ignore the temptation?

I normally spread Nutella on Ritz crackers as a snack, but lately I have been seeing a number of interesting Nutella recipes on Pinterest, a blog similar to Tumblr. Curious yet timid about how other people have decided to utilize Nutella into their baking repertoire, I decided to test out three of the recipes that struck me as the most scrumptious. Two of the recipes are Gluten-free (the cheesecake mousse and the ice cream), and the ice cream is also lactose-free. I suppose the French toast recipe is for those blessed without food allergies and less sensitive stomachs.

In an attempt to make the recipes more versatile, I added a few extra ingredients and a couple of helpful hints, making these my own variations of the recipes I spotted on Pinterest. Of course, ingredients are always interchangeable, like if you’d prefer to use Oreos in your cheesecake mousse instead of Gluten-free cookies.

As I baked up a storm in the third floor community lounge in the Vaughn Center, two guys walked in to play ping pong. Intrigued by the mess I made in the kitchen, I agreed to appoint them as my official taste-testers.

Of my Nutella stuffed French toast, freshman criminology major Michael Shalosky said, “This came out really well…This is so delicious.”

“Yeah, you know those Lindhor truffles? It tastes like that,” his friend, freshman international business major Alex Russello added.

Aw shucks, guys.

Try out these recipes if you are a fellow Nutella fan, or if you are simply enticed to discover the powerful cooking capabilities Nutella has to offer. 

Gluten-Free No Bake Nutella Cheesecake Mousse

Ingredients:
12 Gluten-free Chocolate cookies, crushed and crumbled
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup Nutella
1 teaspoon Gluten-free pure vanilla extract
8 ounces whipped topping (like Cool Whip), thawed

Serves 2 people.

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the cookie crumbs and the melted butter. Press the mixture into the bottom of your pan (this will be the crust layer).
2. In a bigger bowl, mix (with an electric mixer or by hand) the Nutella and cream cheese together until it is smooth. If you’re doing this by hand, pop the Nutella and cream cheese in the microwave for 15 seconds to make the mixing process easier. Next, fold in the whipped topping until everything is perfectly blended together. There should be no chunks or streaks.
3. Refrigerate for two or or more hours.
4. This last step is optional, but when ready for serving, put a dollop of whipped topping on top, and sprinkle some cinnamon and powdered sugar.

Banana Nutella Ice Cream (lactose intolerant-friendly)

Ingredients:
3 bananas, sliced
1 cup Nutella
Pinch of Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Gluten-free pure vanilla extract
1 cup lactose-free milk

Serves 2-3 people.

1. Mix the Nutella, bananas, and milk in a blender. Since Nutella is fairly thick, you may need to put it in the microwave for 15 seconds in order to soften it.
2. Slowly add in the vanilla and cinnamon as you continue to blend.
3. Once the consistency is completely blended out and smooth, put the mixture in the freezer for 3-4 hours.
4. Devour.

Nutella Stuffed French Toast

Ingredients:
4 slices of bread
2 eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/8 cup powdered sugar
8 tablespoons Nutella

Serves 2 people.

1. Preheat a nonstick skillet over low to medium heat. Meanwhile, mix the eggs, heavy cream and powdered sugar in a medium bowl.
2. Take 2 slices of bread and spread one side of each slice with Nutella. Sandwich these sides together.
3. Lightly dip the entire Nutella sandwich into the egg mixture.
4. Grill on each side for roughly 3-4 minutes each or until golden brown.
5. Ready for serving. Garnish with maple syrup, cinnamon and/or powdered sugar for an added kick.