Homemade Nutella

I made homemade nutella for my friends/family as hand-outs this holiday season.  This recipes is very simple and made 4 jars of spread.  I gave them away with fresh crusty loaves of bread so they would have something to immediately spread the goodness on!  I bought the little jars at the Container Store.

2 cups of hazelnuts
1/4 cup sugar
1 lb semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Spread hazelnuts out onto a rimmed baking sheet.  Toast the hazelnuts for 13-15 minutes.  Take them out of the oven and cool completely.  Grind the hazelnuts and sugar in a food processor until a paste forms (~ 1 minute). 

Place the chocolate into a medium bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (a double boiler).  Stir until the chocolate is smooth and there are no lumps.  Remove from the heat and add the butter and whisk until completely incorporated.  Whisk in the cream and salt, then the hazelnut paste.  Viola, nutella!  Put paste into jars and let cool completely before closing the jars.  The spread will firm-up and turn the consistency of peanut butter.