Help me unlock the secrets of Nutella
December 31, 2008 11:04 AM Subscribe
Nutella: what do you do with it?
Other than eating it with a spoon or putting it on bread, what the hell do you do with Nutella? I've had it in the past and was impressed by its deliciousness, but what do you do with it, other than that? It seems like there should be more you can do with it.
I'd like to buy some, but I just imagine taking it home and eating it a few spoonfuls a day, directly out of the jar, until there's none left, but that's not very interesting and I'm not that into sweet things so it would take a long time to get through it.
I'm looking for stuff like 'smear it on Pepperidge Farm brussels cookies' that kind of thing. I like foods that require some assembly. But any ideas are welcome.
Give me an excuse to buy some Nutella.
Other than eating it with a spoon or putting it on bread, what the hell do you do with Nutella? I've had it in the past and was impressed by its deliciousness, but what do you do with it, other than that? It seems like there should be more you can do with it.
I'd like to buy some, but I just imagine taking it home and eating it a few spoonfuls a day, directly out of the jar, until there's none left, but that's not very interesting and I'm not that into sweet things so it would take a long time to get through it.
I'm looking for stuff like 'smear it on Pepperidge Farm brussels cookies' that kind of thing. I like foods that require some assembly. But any ideas are welcome.
Give me an excuse to buy some Nutella.
I like crepes with fruit and nutella, fantastic contrast. Warm it up, it tastes great as an ice cream topping.
posted by Night_owl at 11:09 AM on December 31, 2008
posted by Night_owl at 11:09 AM on December 31, 2008
If you make your own ice cream (e.g., vanilla), you can mix it in at the end.
Also goes well with almonds.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 11:09 AM on December 31, 2008
Also goes well with almonds.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 11:09 AM on December 31, 2008
It's the perfect crepe topping, alone or with strawberry, banana, vanilla ice cream, and I'm sure all manner of less conventional things.
posted by lampoil at 11:10 AM on December 31, 2008
posted by lampoil at 11:10 AM on December 31, 2008
Waffles and crepes. I have also been known to cut a banana in half lengthwise, put nutella on each half, and stick it back together - making a sort of nutella-banana sandwich. Or, cover strawberries with it.
posted by pemberkins at 11:12 AM on December 31, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by pemberkins at 11:12 AM on December 31, 2008 [1 favorite]
Make your own poptarts using pie dough with nutella in the middle.
posted by foodgeek at 11:13 AM on December 31, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by foodgeek at 11:13 AM on December 31, 2008 [1 favorite]
Buy frozen puff pastry. Defrost. Cut sheet in half. Smear most of sheet with Nutella. Add almonds, chopped hazelnuts, or whatever you like. Roll up. Slice. Bake. (Or: like this.)
posted by holgate at 11:13 AM on December 31, 2008 [6 favorites]
posted by holgate at 11:13 AM on December 31, 2008 [6 favorites]
Oh great, now I'm jonesing for some...
Yeah, goes well with pancakes, you can put it in flapjacks and biscuits and stuff
And makes great sandwiches (esp with brown bread)
In the UK it comes in a glass that makes a good whisky tumbler when it's empty.
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 11:16 AM on December 31, 2008 [1 favorite]
Yeah, goes well with pancakes, you can put it in flapjacks and biscuits and stuff
And makes great sandwiches (esp with brown bread)
In the UK it comes in a glass that makes a good whisky tumbler when it's empty.
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 11:16 AM on December 31, 2008 [1 favorite]
Put it on buttered toast. Or just lick it off a spoon...thats what I usually do. It is SO good! One of my favorite foods!
posted by junipero at 11:17 AM on December 31, 2008
posted by junipero at 11:17 AM on December 31, 2008
ooh, I just read your question after jumping to respond and realized you have already done the toast thing and the spoon thing. sorry!
posted by junipero at 11:17 AM on December 31, 2008
posted by junipero at 11:17 AM on December 31, 2008
Seconding the pancakes and fruit suggestions. Also, why not be a little adventurous? Try it on potato chips or pretzels, dip chocolate-chip cookies in it, put it on ice cream.
Basic Nutella rule of thumb: if a substance is edible, you can and should put Nutella on it.
posted by Flipping_Hades_Terwilliger at 11:22 AM on December 31, 2008 [2 favorites]
Basic Nutella rule of thumb: if a substance is edible, you can and should put Nutella on it.
posted by Flipping_Hades_Terwilliger at 11:22 AM on December 31, 2008 [2 favorites]
Put it on graham crackers. Or put it on graham crackers and then add a layer of marshmallow cream.
Make a peanut-butter-and-Nutella sandwich.
Dip pretzels in it.
posted by punchdrunkhistory at 11:28 AM on December 31, 2008
Make a peanut-butter-and-Nutella sandwich.
Dip pretzels in it.
posted by punchdrunkhistory at 11:28 AM on December 31, 2008
Take two pieces of toast (or bread).
On one, smear a good layer of marshmallow fluff.
On the other, smear a layer of nutella to taste.
Press the two layered sides of toast/bread together.
Eat.
(my new year's resolution is to lose weight..)
posted by mrbill at 11:29 AM on December 31, 2008
On one, smear a good layer of marshmallow fluff.
On the other, smear a layer of nutella to taste.
Press the two layered sides of toast/bread together.
Eat.
(my new year's resolution is to lose weight..)
posted by mrbill at 11:29 AM on December 31, 2008
Bake it into the middle of muffins! I love this recipe, and my friends do too, especially if they don't know they're going to hit that gooey center. If you're feeling more bready, bake it into challah.
I tried it on cornbread yesterday, and liked it. YMMV.
posted by knile at 11:36 AM on December 31, 2008 [1 favorite]
I tried it on cornbread yesterday, and liked it. YMMV.
posted by knile at 11:36 AM on December 31, 2008 [1 favorite]
My kids (and their friends) like it on bagels, toasted or raw. Go figure. It's been on sale at Safeway recently. Get thee to your spoon.
posted by emhutchinson at 11:42 AM on December 31, 2008
posted by emhutchinson at 11:42 AM on December 31, 2008
Well you could smear it all over your body and be the biggest ice cream sundae in the whole world
(apologies to Bill Cosby)
posted by Gungho at 11:43 AM on December 31, 2008
(apologies to Bill Cosby)
posted by Gungho at 11:43 AM on December 31, 2008
If you're a baker/candy maker, Nutella can be substituted for praline paste (in a pinch).
I put it on oatmeal (thus nixing any healthy benefits of actually eating oatmeal) with nuts. Ice cream topping is good. You can also fill wonton wrappers with it and deep-fry them for a really bad-for-you dessert. Sometimes when I'm feeling especially immature, I spread it between Nilla wafers and make a Nilla wafer sandwich. Bonus points if you make one side peanut butter and one side Nutella.
My New Year's resolution is to also lose weight. Let's see how that goes.
posted by kerning at 11:44 AM on December 31, 2008
I put it on oatmeal (thus nixing any healthy benefits of actually eating oatmeal) with nuts. Ice cream topping is good. You can also fill wonton wrappers with it and deep-fry them for a really bad-for-you dessert. Sometimes when I'm feeling especially immature, I spread it between Nilla wafers and make a Nilla wafer sandwich. Bonus points if you make one side peanut butter and one side Nutella.
My New Year's resolution is to also lose weight. Let's see how that goes.
posted by kerning at 11:44 AM on December 31, 2008
In the UK it comes in a glass that makes a good whisky tumbler when it's empty.
Very true.
And I say, in the world of Nutella, he who experiments is King.
posted by knapah at 11:52 AM on December 31, 2008
Very true.
And I say, in the world of Nutella, he who experiments is King.
posted by knapah at 11:52 AM on December 31, 2008
Nutella ravioli makes me want to die a thousand happy deaths.
posted by mewithoutyou at 11:56 AM on December 31, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by mewithoutyou at 11:56 AM on December 31, 2008 [1 favorite]
I like to make chocolate lava cakes with nutella in the center.
Nutella Cheesecake Brownies are also awesome.
posted by arianell at 12:00 PM on December 31, 2008
Nutella Cheesecake Brownies are also awesome.
posted by arianell at 12:00 PM on December 31, 2008
Giada De Laurentiis has a lot of recipes using Nutella. Delicious.
posted by ginagina at 12:01 PM on December 31, 2008 [5 favorites]
posted by ginagina at 12:01 PM on December 31, 2008 [5 favorites]
With Peanut Butter. It's like a Reese's cup. As a meal. *swoons*
posted by pseudostrabismus at 12:34 PM on December 31, 2008
posted by pseudostrabismus at 12:34 PM on December 31, 2008
Yeah, I was gonna suggest fruit. Nutella & banana is my fav, although I can't believe I haven't thought of strawberries yet. I haven't tried pretzels, but I bet the salty/sweet/crunchiness of it would be awesome.
I currently have some dried cherries in my cabinet. You know what would be awesome? Chopping them up a bit, putting them on top of vanilla bean ice cream, and drizziling warm Nutella over the whole thing. (omgggg drooollll) Too bad I don't have any ice cream or nutella in the apt.
My mom also used to make cookies that incorporated nutella - kind of a sugar cookie & nutella sandwich thing.
posted by AlisonM at 12:34 PM on December 31, 2008
I currently have some dried cherries in my cabinet. You know what would be awesome? Chopping them up a bit, putting them on top of vanilla bean ice cream, and drizziling warm Nutella over the whole thing. (omgggg drooollll) Too bad I don't have any ice cream or nutella in the apt.
My mom also used to make cookies that incorporated nutella - kind of a sugar cookie & nutella sandwich thing.
posted by AlisonM at 12:34 PM on December 31, 2008
It really doesn't get better than dipping your finger in there, but try this: get some crappy soft white supermarket bread, and make two sandwiches of just a thick layer of Nutella and bread. Grill one of them, then compare.
Both are absolutely fantastic, but in very different ways.
posted by CunningLinguist at 12:45 PM on December 31, 2008
Both are absolutely fantastic, but in very different ways.
posted by CunningLinguist at 12:45 PM on December 31, 2008
Use it as dip for a fruit plate.
Ice a cake with it.
posted by blue_beetle at 12:49 PM on December 31, 2008
Ice a cake with it.
posted by blue_beetle at 12:49 PM on December 31, 2008
toast + nutella + cream cheese is divine
something about the sweetness of the nutella and the tartness of the cream cheese just works
posted by dawdle at 12:56 PM on December 31, 2008
something about the sweetness of the nutella and the tartness of the cream cheese just works
posted by dawdle at 12:56 PM on December 31, 2008
Frosting for cupcakes. Any kind of cupcakes.
posted by corey flood at 1:09 PM on December 31, 2008
posted by corey flood at 1:09 PM on December 31, 2008
Make the sandwich I think of as The Black Velvet Elvis: whole wheat bread spread with a thick layer of Nutella, paved with slices of banana and (this is key) sprinkled with coarse sea salt. Top with another slice of bread, and grill in butter. Mmmmm.
Quoting myself here, because I can't express it better than I did in the linked entry:
I sometimes use Nutella to make easy but fancy cookies: I bake very simple chocolate wafers (just a standard sugar cookie dough with the sugar and butter slightly reduced and a good bit of cocoa added to the dry ingredients) and sandwich a light smear of Nutella between two wafers. The austerity of the wafer contrasts nicely with the richness of the Nutella. Next time I make them, I'll roll the edge in chopped toasted hazelnuts, or shaved bittersweet chocolate, or a mixture of the two, to provide more contrast to the sweetness.
posted by Elsa at 1:42 PM on December 31, 2008 [1 favorite]
Quoting myself here, because I can't express it better than I did in the linked entry:
The Black Velvet Elvis is a sensation: rich, gooey filling under a crispy crust, and the dusting of salt zings against the creamy chocolate. The salt, that afterthought ingredient, is essential; it pulls the whole mess together and gives it an almost sophisticated edge.I think Nutella is improved by a foil of some sort: something sharp or salty or acid or austere to offset its sweet richness. All the fruit combinations above sound fantastic, as does the pretzel-dipping. Salt really makes the Nutella sing in a new way. Above, Dawdle recommends nutella and cream cheese, and I bet it's amazing. Sprinkle it with a faint dusting of salt (or maybe cayenne?) and it would be tremendous.
I sometimes use Nutella to make easy but fancy cookies: I bake very simple chocolate wafers (just a standard sugar cookie dough with the sugar and butter slightly reduced and a good bit of cocoa added to the dry ingredients) and sandwich a light smear of Nutella between two wafers. The austerity of the wafer contrasts nicely with the richness of the Nutella. Next time I make them, I'll roll the edge in chopped toasted hazelnuts, or shaved bittersweet chocolate, or a mixture of the two, to provide more contrast to the sweetness.
posted by Elsa at 1:42 PM on December 31, 2008 [1 favorite]
Make a buche de noel using it. We did one with an orange scented sponge cake rolled around whipped cream. The outside of the log was covered in a nutella whipped cream and then toasted almonds and powdered sugar.
Nutella whipped cream is like crack and can be added to any dessert, on top of hot chocolate, or on a mocha. Yummmmm. . .
posted by Mouse Army at 1:50 PM on December 31, 2008 [1 favorite]
Nutella whipped cream is like crack and can be added to any dessert, on top of hot chocolate, or on a mocha. Yummmmm. . .
posted by Mouse Army at 1:50 PM on December 31, 2008 [1 favorite]
grilled nutella and banana sandwiches are the bomb.
posted by thinkingwoman at 2:02 PM on December 31, 2008
posted by thinkingwoman at 2:02 PM on December 31, 2008
I used to enjoy it spread on Rich Tea Biscuits.
Sidebar: Oooh, 100th AskMe response. Sorry. Looks like I make one of my 2009 resolutions 2 hours early...
posted by Nice Guy Mike at 2:02 PM on December 31, 2008
Sidebar: Oooh, 100th AskMe response. Sorry. Looks like I make one of my 2009 resolutions 2 hours early...
posted by Nice Guy Mike at 2:02 PM on December 31, 2008
I put it on shortbread or vanilla wafers. Yum. Now I want some.
posted by immlass at 2:29 PM on December 31, 2008
posted by immlass at 2:29 PM on December 31, 2008
what I do with Nutella is hold the jar in my hand, imagining how many trips to the ER it would cause :=)
Before I became allergic to hazelnuts, I loved Nutella on pancakes. Or hot toast. Or rolled up in a crepe. Or any other way.
posted by pinky at 2:40 PM on December 31, 2008
Before I became allergic to hazelnuts, I loved Nutella on pancakes. Or hot toast. Or rolled up in a crepe. Or any other way.
posted by pinky at 2:40 PM on December 31, 2008
Biscotti! A thousand times, biscotti!
Also, I've been known to mix it with a bit of heavy cream and use it as a topping for cakes and whatnot.
There's also this food network recipe for grilled pineapple with a nutella topping. Looks delicious, but I've never made it.
posted by conradjones at 2:46 PM on December 31, 2008
Also, I've been known to mix it with a bit of heavy cream and use it as a topping for cakes and whatnot.
There's also this food network recipe for grilled pineapple with a nutella topping. Looks delicious, but I've never made it.
posted by conradjones at 2:46 PM on December 31, 2008
I had Nutella Hot Chocolate once. I think it was in Boston at a crepe restaurant. It delicious and I think all they did was put the nutella in a mug and pour hot milk on it.
posted by socrateaser at 2:53 PM on December 31, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by socrateaser at 2:53 PM on December 31, 2008 [1 favorite]
didn't read all the responses, so sorry if this has been said a million times already, but it's wonderful on saltines. salty and not sweet + sweet and choco-nutty = divine decadence.
posted by KenManiac at 2:56 PM on December 31, 2008
posted by KenManiac at 2:56 PM on December 31, 2008
heart attack on a plate: ice cream on a brownie topped with nutella.
posted by ye#ara at 4:45 PM on December 31, 2008
posted by ye#ara at 4:45 PM on December 31, 2008
A crepe place I regularly (too regularly) frequent does crepes with banana (half, sliced lengthways), custard and nutella all wrapped up together inside the crepe. The owner keeps telling me the chocolate brownie one's good too, but once converted, you can't get me off that nutella/banana/custard combination!
posted by springbound at 6:40 PM on December 31, 2008
posted by springbound at 6:40 PM on December 31, 2008
I have a friend who peels mandarin oranges and then slathers the entire orange in Nutella, eating it segment by messy segment. She made me try it after I doubted her, and it wasn't half bad - a singular taste, anyway.
The salted crackers route does it for me, though. Or did, until the sad day when hazelnuts started to make me wheeze.
posted by carbide at 7:11 PM on December 31, 2008
The salted crackers route does it for me, though. Or did, until the sad day when hazelnuts started to make me wheeze.
posted by carbide at 7:11 PM on December 31, 2008
Similar to the S'mores suggestions - but I use those nice little buttery Ikea Havreflarn cookies, with toasted marshmallows and Nutella. As well, I make ice cream sandwiches with Havreflarnmmmms and Nutella. There are many many Nutella-love Facebook groups, and suggestions are offered there too.
posted by peagood at 7:58 PM on December 31, 2008
posted by peagood at 7:58 PM on December 31, 2008
I just bought a big glass of imported Nutella, and I plan on eating it with a spoon. I can't think of anything in my house that is worthy of putting Nutella on. The Italian store I go to had brownies made with Nutella, though, that were out of this world. I'm not really sure how they were made. The top had a Nutella icing and there was a small amount of crushed hazelnuts. Finally, I'm not a cook/baker, but I imagine you could melt a little of it down for an amazing sauce for ice cream or a topping for a cake (pound cake, cheese cake.. or Belgian waffles). Or maybe a dessert fondue, and you can dip ladyfingers or something befitting the greatness of Nutella! Finally, Creperie Beau Monde in Philadelphia has a dessert crepe using Nutella: Banana, Nutella & Hazelnut Ice Cream. I'm not so sure about the banana business, though.
Also, I would try to make some of the packaged items I buy that use a hazelnut creme, like Manner wafers and Ferrero Hanuta. A light biscuit or wafer would be sufficient, and just make 'sandwiches'. I think homemade Hanuta would be good with a pizzelle and the nutella (skip the crushed hazelnuts unless you want to add some for crunch).
posted by Mael Oui at 8:26 PM on December 31, 2008
Also, I would try to make some of the packaged items I buy that use a hazelnut creme, like Manner wafers and Ferrero Hanuta. A light biscuit or wafer would be sufficient, and just make 'sandwiches'. I think homemade Hanuta would be good with a pizzelle and the nutella (skip the crushed hazelnuts unless you want to add some for crunch).
posted by Mael Oui at 8:26 PM on December 31, 2008
mmmm...nutella and banana toasties...the perfect dessert.
A friend once turned up to a shindig with little puff pastries with nutella filling. So easy. Ingenious. Yum.
When I was younger and more obsessed with Scooby Doo, my friend and I while on holiday in the UK and went into all the Tescos until we'd acquired every limited edition Scooby Doo nutella tumbler jar. We spent two weeks eating nutella out of twelve jars. I will never eat nutella with a spoon again.
posted by mooza at 9:46 PM on December 31, 2008
A friend once turned up to a shindig with little puff pastries with nutella filling. So easy. Ingenious. Yum.
When I was younger and more obsessed with Scooby Doo, my friend and I while on holiday in the UK and went into all the Tescos until we'd acquired every limited edition Scooby Doo nutella tumbler jar. We spent two weeks eating nutella out of twelve jars. I will never eat nutella with a spoon again.
posted by mooza at 9:46 PM on December 31, 2008
A couple of restaurants ('inoteca, Five Ninth) here in NYC have Nutella panini on the dessert menu and they're insanely delicious.
posted by nicwolff at 12:27 PM on January 1, 2009
posted by nicwolff at 12:27 PM on January 1, 2009
I usually eat it on bagels, but I've also had it on:
Toast
Graham Crackers
Shortbread
Made into a frosting for a chocolate cake
apple slices
on a sandwich with bananas
on french toast
The possibilities are really endless. Anything you could conceivably put peanut butter on will be a trillion times more delicious with Nutella on it.
posted by katyggls at 1:50 PM on January 1, 2009
Toast
Graham Crackers
Shortbread
Made into a frosting for a chocolate cake
apple slices
on a sandwich with bananas
on french toast
The possibilities are really endless. Anything you could conceivably put peanut butter on will be a trillion times more delicious with Nutella on it.
posted by katyggls at 1:50 PM on January 1, 2009
Response by poster: Thanks everybody. Not marking any best answers because how will I know until I try them all?
But I will. I will try them all.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 2:02 PM on January 1, 2009
But I will. I will try them all.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 2:02 PM on January 1, 2009
I just made a Nutella-and-swiss-cheese sandwich, which worked out really well.
Kind of like a cheesecake.
posted by dunkadunc at 5:41 AM on January 2, 2009
Kind of like a cheesecake.
posted by dunkadunc at 5:41 AM on January 2, 2009
There was a guy nearby my high school in Paris who used to make amazing Nutella panini. It's still a variation on Nutella and bread but somehow the ciabatta + sandwich press made it awesome.
I'll second combining it with peanut butter. It will disgust almost anyone in Europe, but it makes an awesome Reese's-like combination.
posted by kepano at 2:58 AM on January 3, 2009
I'll second combining it with peanut butter. It will disgust almost anyone in Europe, but it makes an awesome Reese's-like combination.
posted by kepano at 2:58 AM on January 3, 2009
Seconding nutella hot chocolate -- just dollop it into a saucepan with whole milk, turn on the heat, and stir / push the nutella around for a long time with a spatula or spoon (be patient, it takes awhile) -- once the nutella melts and incorporates into the milk, it's delicious!
posted by Zephyrial at 9:31 PM on January 8, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by Zephyrial at 9:31 PM on January 8, 2009 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Grither at 11:08 AM on December 31, 2008