“You know, Mom, I don’t like nutella. I never have.” *walks away with a smug shrug* I looked up from the sauté pan and shot my child that one-eye-brow-raised look that parents give that says, “Did I really give birth to you?” or “How are you the product of your parents?”

I had been excitedly telling the almost-ten-year old about a nutella making project I’d been thinking about for some time. As with a lot of my food DIY projects, I can’t remember how the idea came about. Sometimes I come across a recipe or method for making something that I really want to eat and sometimes, to be honest, it’s not something I hanker for at all but I’m drawn to the technique, concept or ingredient and I am compelled to make it. Having a captive audience to eat the final result is also a motivator.

Deflated and knowing I’d have a limited eating audience, I was almost ready to drop this nutella project. Then I discovered that a food-forward friend’s birthday falls on World Nutella Day, February 5. Imagine having a birthday on such an auspicious day! Homemade nutella would be the most fitting of gifts.

The project was a go! I wanted a sophisticated, full-fat, full-dairy, dark chocolate, not-too-sweet version and settled on an adaptation of David Lebovitz’s recipe (this guy is the bomb, check him out if you haven’t already). He uses whole milk but I substituted cream to lengthen the shelf life. Sometimes you can find already skinned hazelnuts which eliminates the skin rubbing step entirely.

After refrigeration, the nutella firms up, so you might want to leave it at room temperature for a while until it’s spreadable. It’s perfectly fine, though, not to wait and scoop and eat it straight from the jar.

Homemade Nutella

2 cups (about 225 g) whole hazelnuts
1 1/2 cups cream
3/4 cup powdered milk
2 tablespoon mild honey, optional
12 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
Pinch of salt

Place the hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and toast, stirring a couple of times, for 10 to 15 minutes or until they begin to brown and the skins split a little. If you are lucky enough to find already skinned hazelnuts, toast for 10 to 12 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk together the cream and the powdered milk in a saucepan and bring just to a boil. Add honey and whisk to dissolve.
Add chocolate and salt to the hot cream and let sit for 10 minutes. Whisk until all the chocolate is melted and incorporated.
When the nuts are brown, pour them all onto a tea towel, gather the corners and edges of the towel and rub them to remove their skins. Skip this step if you’re using skinned hazelnuts.
Place the warm nuts into the bowl of a food processor and grind them until a paste forms. You may still have some nutty bits. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add the hot cream mixture and process until well mixed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
The nutella will seem runny but will thicken up when chilled. You may also have some nutty bits left. If this really bothers you, you can strain the mixture. I wouldn’t bother.
Pour into jars, seal, refrigerate and use within 3 weeks, if it will last that long.

Makes 2 generous jars (one for yourself and one for a friend, World Nutella Day Birthday or not)