Our four year old grandson, while visiting this weekend, made a restaurant out of Legos. I asked him what he was going to serve in his restaurant and he answered, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, lemonade, and Nutella for dessert. I asked him when he tasted Nutella, and he said in was in a snack with “sticks,” and he used the sticks to eat the Nutella, which he said he loves. I am surprised, and not surprised. He loves chocolate, as I do. I remember the first time I learned of Nutella. Our older daughter, when a teenager, had returned from Europe where she, also a chocoholic, also fell in love with Nutella. Our long (we never say old) dear friend, when I told her the story, said her grandchildren also love Nutella, and one eats it out of the jar with a spoon.
According to the Nutella website, Nutella was created after World War II in Italy by Pietro Ferraro. When cocoa was scarce, he made a paste of hazelnuts, sugar and a bit of cocoa and created this treat, first used as a spread for bread. There is actually an International Nutella Day February 5 of each year.
If I had known that not only are there Nutella and peanut butter sandwiches, but sandwiches made with peanut butter, jelly and Nutella, I would have suggested it for our grandson’s restaurant, and will make it for him the next time he visits.
There are lots of recipes to try on the Nutella website, but, when I randomly came upon a recipe for Nutella Fluff, I thought it is a great way to introduce grandchildren to the fluffy mousse consistency similar to puddings that they love, made with Nutella.
NUTELLA FLUFF
INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon unflavored powdered gelatin
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup Nutella
1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Pour 1/4 cup water into a saucepan. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon powdered gelatin over the surface. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Warm the water and gelatin over very low heat, stirring frequently until the gelatin is fully dissolved. This will happen quicker than you might expect: two or three minutes at most. Do not let the liquid bubble or boil.
2. Add 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and stir to combine. Add 1 1/2 cups whole milk and whisk until combined. Add 1/2 cup Nutella and whisk vigorously until fully incorporated.
3. Pour into a 9×9-inch baking pan. Refrigerate until set, at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
4. Place 1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream, 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and a generous pinch of salt in the bowl of a stand mixer (or large bowl if using an electric hand mixer or whisking by hand). Beat with the whisk attachment on medium speed until soft, billowy peaks form, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.
5. Take the chilled, set Nutella jelly from the refrigerator. Transfer to a medium bowl (if using a stand mixer, transfer the whipped cream to another large bowl and wash and dry the mixer bowl and whisk attachment to reuse). Beat on medium speed with an electric mixer until lightened, creamy, and like a thick, chocolate-y froth, about 2 minutes.
6. Add to the whipped cream and lightly fold together. It shouldn’t look completely incorporated; there will be streaks of chocolate and nubs of jelly. Spoon the mixture into a serving dish or individual cups. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days before serving. Serves 6-8.
The Nutella Fluff is gluten free.
When you introduce either Nutella Fluff or Chocolate Mousse, it is easier to call it pudding. Grandchildren understand pudding, whereas the other terms may cause them to turn up their noses, even to Nutella or chocolate. Names matter.
The blender chocolate mousse recipe was published in New York Times January 29, 2020. The author of the article about it, “Whipping Up Chocolate Mousse is Stressful. A Blender Makes It Easy,” Tejal Rao, says “it has somewhat murky origins in a Junior League cookbook from the 1980’s, and like all great shortcut recipes , it was shared and shared. The mousse passed through kitchens in Florida. . . .” I think we grandmas, especially Florida grandmas, will find it in our old recipe boxes. I know I made it with long before seeing the recipe again in the New York Times.
When made with Hazelnut liquor instead of the Kahlua (in the original recipe) or rum suggested in the article, you get the Nutella taste! I wonder how it would taste with Nutella instead of hazelnut liqueur? It is delicious, takes about 20 minutes, plus chilling and, is easier than it looks to make.
BLENDER CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
INGREDIENTS
1 ½ cups heavy cream
½ cup granulated sugar
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips or dark chocolate, roughly chopped
4 large eggs, at room temperature
¼ cup strong (brewed) coffee or espresso (decaf okay as long as strong)
1/4 cup hazelnut liqueur or Kahlua or light or dark rum
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
INSTRUCTIONS
1. In a large bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, whip the heavy cream to glossy, medium peaks, about 5 minutes. Set aside in the refrigerator.
2. In a small saucepan over gentle heat, melt the sugar with 1/4 cup water until dissolved. As soon as the syrup begins to boil, turn off the heat.
3. Add chocolate and eggs to a blender. Blend on medium-high speed while slowly pouring in the hot sugar syrup, which will melt the chocolate chips and cook the eggs. Keep the machine running until the mixture is extremely smooth, then stream in the coffee, hazelnut liquor, Kahlua, or rum, vanilla and salt. Keep blending until the mixture has cooled to room temperature, about 1 minute, pausing to scrape the sides as needed.
4. Fold 1 cup of the chocolate mixture into the chilled whipped cream until smooth, then add the rest of the chocolate mixture to the cream mixture and fold until there are no streaks.
5. Pour into individual bowls, and set in the refrigerator until firm, at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours. Serve chilled. Serves 8.
Because there is a waiting period for cooling, I suggest that we grandparents make it for the grandchildren, rather than with the grandchildren, and surprise them with the fluff or mousse. . .Nutella pudding!
Joy,
Mema
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