February 5, 2007

World Nutella Day 2007 - Nutella Mousse


When I told my husband I was participating in this event, he looked at me like I was a little crazy. Then he said, "I've never had Nutella before, what is it?"
Never had Nutella before? What planet was he from???

I explained that he had tasted it before, in the brownies I made a couple of years ago for a party and that it was a lovely concoction of chocolate and hazelnuts, but he just looked at me blankly. So I cracked open a jar, spooned out a big dollop and gave it to him. His eyes lit up.
He doesn't look at me like I'm crazy anymore.



All week I've been pondering what I should make for the first annual World Nutella Day.
I wanted to make those gianduja brownies, but couldn't find hazelnuts anywhere. So I looked through my notebooks of recipes torn out of magazines and I searched all of my cookbooks.
I finally found what I was looking for...on the internet. Quelle surprise.

I found this recipe while searching Google for Gianduja mousse and have now seen it on Recipezaar as Nutella Mousse.


It has three, yes, only three ingredients and it couldn't be easier.




Nutella Mousse

2 cups heavy cream, divided
1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder*
1/2 cup Nutella

Yep, that's it.

Pour 1 cup of the chilled, heavy cream into a bowl and stir in the espresso powder. Let it sit to dissolve, about 5 minutes.
Add the Nutella and beat with a hand mixer for 1 minute.
Scrape the bowl thoroughly to get any bits of clinging Nutella off the sides.
Beat again for 1 more minute, until soft peaks form.
(The mousse will seem pretty soft at this point, but it will set up once it's chilled.)
Pour into 4 cups or ramekins and chill for at least 4 hours.

Before serving, beat the other 1 cup of cream to make whipped cream. Top each dish of mousse with some whipped cream.
A nice addition would be toasted, chopped hazelnuts or chocolate shavings sprinkled on top.






*I think the espresso makes the difference between a very cloyingly sweet mousse and a really tempting dessert with rich undertones of hazelnut, chocolate and coffee. The original recipe I found calls for only 1/4 teaspoon of espresso powder. Pin It

9 comments:

Shelley - At Home in Rome said...

Just gorgeous! Grazie mille for joining in the scrumptious fun.

Katie said...

So, either your husband is not French or was never a child.
Nutella is like eating a peanut butter cup - but more chocolat-y.
Guilty confession - I like it on apples....

Jennifer said...

shelley
It was a fabulous idea!

katie,
:) He grew up in New York City but never came across Nutella.

Helene said...

Oh my...did I just die and am in heaven? This looks incredible!
Where are you in France, I moved to the US in 97, but am originally from Provence.

Anonymous said...

OH YUM! I have to make this!

Jennifer said...

helene,
We are halfway between Carcassonne and Narbonne. It is beautiful, with olive trees and vine, but doesn't have the amazing lavender fields of Provence.

ash
thanks for saying hi! I look forward to reading more of your blog.

Anonymous said...

Amazing! A world Nutella day - now i can justify my worst habits by having an official day for it. I'll admit to only eating Nutella when I'm in France.

Gigi said...

I didn't hear about this World Nutella Day!!! Why didn't I hear about it? Was it advertised in France?

That mousse sounds delicious and I'm definitely going to make it...if I can manage not to empty the jar before I finish...

I wonder if they have a World Marmite Day? Hmmm - perhaps not. Marmite Mousse? I don't think so...:-)

Jennifer said...

roger,
I've become really addicted to Nutella! I'm in the States for 2 weeks and I think I should have brought some with me. I miss it!

gigi,
you'll have to thank the two ladies living in Italy, Shelley and Sara, for coming up with World Nutella Day. It was a fabulous idea!