A few months ago, I went to Italy with a couple friends. There, I tried Nutella for the first time. Fortunately, it didn’t taste at all like I expected. It was, well, kind of good.
Even though I think of myself as a fairly disciplined person, I’m powerless in the presence of my favorite treats. For this reason, I can’t keep large quantities of junk food in the house. In order to indulge in a sugary snack, I have to go get it – from a place that’s not where I live.
However, if you’re like me, and you don’t enjoy eating Nutella directly from the jar by the spoonful, it’s a safe dessert to have on hand. So I thought it’d be fun to try a few, simple recipes (links included below) that feature its nutty sweetness.
But first, a warning. The maker of Nutella, Ferrero USA, Inc., recently settled a lawsuit filed against them for $2.5 million. Their crime? Convincing customers that a 100 calorie per tablespoon, chocolate, hazelnut spread is a HEALTH food.
In case anyone else thinks Nutella is nutritionally beneficial, I’m letting you know now, it’s not. The main ingredient is sugar for Pete’s sake.
So please eat responsibly.
As is often the case when I try a new dish, I learn some things.
Since the following foods weren’t prepared by a gifted chef, I hope you understand why they look so unappetizing.
Chocolate Strawberry Panini
In a YouTube video, Giada De Laurentiis recommends using a frozen pound cake for this recipe.
To save a whopping $0.20, I rebelled against Ms. De Luarentiis advice and picked up a fresh pound cake from my grocer’s bakery. That might’ve been a mistake.
Also, I don’t own a panini press. So, I improvised. I thought a George Foreman grill would do the trick. It didn’t.
Even though my panini didn’t look great, it tasted all right.
For my personal preference, I would’ve skipped the strawberries.
Why doesn't it look like Giada's?
Fried Nutella Ravioli
I had high hopes for this one. Primarily because crab and cream cheese wontons are so daggum delicious. That means everything placed in a wonton wrapper tastes amazing, right?
Hmm. Maybe not.
But the Nutella Ravioli actually turned out pretty good.
When you spoon Nutella onto the wonton, start with a small amount to see how well you can seal them without chocolate running over the sides. A tablespoon was waaay too much.
Here’s what happens when you over stuff your wonton wrapper.
Too much Nutella
You can’t secure the edges. The wonton bursts opening, spilling Nutella into the pot rendering your oil unusable being that it’s now swimming with burnt Nutella.
That nastiness floating on top of the oil is burnt Nutella
If you use your grease more than once, this is particularly upsetting.
You’re supposed to heat the oil to 350 degrees. But seriously, who has a thermometer?
To test the suitability of the oil for frying, break off a piece of the wonton and drop it in the oil. Then, fry one wonton and another wonton. Keep testing until you get what you’re looking for.
I obviously didn’t follow this advice. That’s why my ravioli is, uh, what I like to call “Cajun” style.
They taste a lot better than they look.
Nutella Rolls
Victory! Finally. I don’t know if the Nutella crescent rolls turned out so wonderfully because they’re just awesome or because I followed directions.
Thank you, Nutella rolls. You really came through for me.
Crepes Drizzled with Warm Nutella
This one was my least favorite.
My crepes weren’t thin enough.
Look at ‘em! If they weren’t rolled, you’d think they were pancakes.
These were so mediocre, I had no choice but to toss them.
Plus, I couldn’t get my Nutella to drizzle. *whine* At room temperature, it’s too thick. And unlike chocolate morsels that respond well to microwaving, the Nutella just dried up.
This looks like crap...literally.
Frustrated, the only thing left for me to do was smear Nutella all over my crepes. Gross.
Do you have any favorite Nutella desserts? Would you try any of the ones above?
Shawanda Greene is a free thinking, frugal gal whose only vices are boxed wine, lip balm and money grubbing. You can find more of Shawanda's musings at 
