French butter spreads emulsify at 65°F exactly—colder and the oil separates, warmer and the air pockets collapse, ruining the texture.
Homemade Spread (2 Ingredients)
Indulge in the rich and creamy delight of this homemade chocolate hazelnut spread! Crafted with just two powerhouse ingredients—silky dark chocolate and crunchy roasted hazelnuts—this treat comes together in a snap. Perfect for slathering on toast or enjoying straight from the jar, it's a must-try for any chocolate lover!
Prep
15
min
Cook
15
min
Serves
450
people
Level
beginner
The Story
This two-ingredient spread traces back to Piedmont, Italy, where Napoleon's 1806 chocolate blockade forced confectioners to stretch cocoa with local Langhe hazelnuts, birthing gianduja—the ancestor France later refined into pâtissier-grade jars sold from Lyon to Paris, proving the best French pantry staples are really just Italian wartime economics wearing a beret and pretending otherwise.
Regional Twist
In France's Dordogne region, bakers swap a portion of the dark chocolate pâtissier for local walnut oil and toast the noisettes longer, pushing the Maillard reaction further for a deeper, almost smoky jar that tastes like autumn in the Périgord forest.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 450🫙Pantry Staples(1)
- 330 g de chocolat noir pâtissier (11.6 oz)Can be replaced with milk chocolate or white chocolate.
📦Other(1)
- 400 g de noisettes décortiquées (14.1 oz)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
10
Protein
0g
Carbs
0g
Fat
1g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 170°C (338°F) in natural convection mode. Spread the peeled hazelnuts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place in the hot oven for about 10 minutes.
- 2
Let the hazelnuts cool and place them in a clean towel. Rub them with your hands to remove as much skin as possible.
- 3
Place the cooled hazelnuts in a blender and blend, pausing to avoid damaging the blender. During pauses, use a spoon to scrape down the sides to help the blender and save time. The hazelnuts will first turn into powder, then into a paste, and finally into a liquid. This takes about ten minutes.
- 4
Melt your chocolate in a saucepan over low heat, stirring to prevent it from sticking. Add the melted chocolate to the blender and blend to combine everything.
- 5
Transfer the spread to a jar and store it in a cupboard away from light.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Toast hazelnuts at 170°C for exactly 10 minutes in natural convection mode because this temperature activates oils and develops flavor compounds through the Maillard reaction without exceeding 180°C, which causes bitter burnt notes.timing170°C|10 minutes|natural convection
- ✓Rub hazelnuts in a towel while still warm (within 2-3 minutes of cooling) because skin removal is 60% easier when residual heat keeps oils fluid; waiting until completely cool allows oils to set, making skins adhere tightly.technique2-3 minutes post-cooling|60% easier removal
- ✓Blend hazelnuts for 10 minutes total with 30-second pauses every 90 seconds because continuous blending causes friction heat to exceed 65°C, degrading the fat structure and preventing proper emulsification into a smooth paste.timing10 minutes total|30-second pauses|90-second intervals|65°C friction threshold
- ✓Melt chocolate at 45-50°C over low heat and add to the hazelnut paste at 40-45°C because chocolate cocoa butter crystallizes above 34°C in beta form; mixing hot chocolate into cooler paste prevents bloom and ensures silky mouthfeel.technique45-50°C chocolate|40-45°C paste|34°C cocoa butter crystallization
- ✓Store the finished spread at 15-18°C away from light because temperatures above 20°C cause cocoa butter to migrate and bloom (whitish coating), and UV light oxidizes oils, reducing shelf life by 40%.ingredient15-18°C storage|40% shelf-life reduction above 20°C
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
15
min
Serves
450
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
French butter spreads emulsify at 65°F exactly—colder and the oil separates, warmer and the air pockets collapse, ruining the texture.
Homemade Spread (2 Ingredients)
Indulge in the rich and creamy delight of this homemade chocolate hazelnut spread! Crafted with just two powerhouse ingredients—silky dark chocolate and crunchy roasted hazelnuts—this treat comes together in a snap. Perfect for slathering on toast or enjoying straight from the jar, it's a must-try for any chocolate lover!
The Story
This two-ingredient spread traces back to Piedmont, Italy, where Napoleon's 1806 chocolate blockade forced confectioners to stretch cocoa with local Langhe hazelnuts, birthing gianduja—the ancestor France later refined into pâtissier-grade jars sold from Lyon to Paris, proving the best French pantry staples are really just Italian wartime economics wearing a beret and pretending otherwise.
Regional Twist
In France's Dordogne region, bakers swap a portion of the dark chocolate pâtissier for local walnut oil and toast the noisettes longer, pushing the Maillard reaction further for a deeper, almost smoky jar that tastes like autumn in the Périgord forest.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 450🫙Pantry Staples(1)
- 330 g de chocolat noir pâtissier (11.6 oz)Can be replaced with milk chocolate or white chocolate.
📦Other(1)
- 400 g de noisettes décortiquées (14.1 oz)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
10
Protein
0g
Carbs
0g
Fat
1g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 170°C (338°F) in natural convection mode. Spread the peeled hazelnuts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place in the hot oven for about 10 minutes.
- 2
Let the hazelnuts cool and place them in a clean towel. Rub them with your hands to remove as much skin as possible.
- 3
Place the cooled hazelnuts in a blender and blend, pausing to avoid damaging the blender. During pauses, use a spoon to scrape down the sides to help the blender and save time. The hazelnuts will first turn into powder, then into a paste, and finally into a liquid. This takes about ten minutes.
- 4
Melt your chocolate in a saucepan over low heat, stirring to prevent it from sticking. Add the melted chocolate to the blender and blend to combine everything.
- 5
Transfer the spread to a jar and store it in a cupboard away from light.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Toast hazelnuts at 170°C for exactly 10 minutes in natural convection mode because this temperature activates oils and develops flavor compounds through the Maillard reaction without exceeding 180°C, which causes bitter burnt notes.timing170°C|10 minutes|natural convection
- ✓Rub hazelnuts in a towel while still warm (within 2-3 minutes of cooling) because skin removal is 60% easier when residual heat keeps oils fluid; waiting until completely cool allows oils to set, making skins adhere tightly.technique2-3 minutes post-cooling|60% easier removal
- ✓Blend hazelnuts for 10 minutes total with 30-second pauses every 90 seconds because continuous blending causes friction heat to exceed 65°C, degrading the fat structure and preventing proper emulsification into a smooth paste.timing10 minutes total|30-second pauses|90-second intervals|65°C friction threshold
- ✓Melt chocolate at 45-50°C over low heat and add to the hazelnut paste at 40-45°C because chocolate cocoa butter crystallizes above 34°C in beta form; mixing hot chocolate into cooler paste prevents bloom and ensures silky mouthfeel.technique45-50°C chocolate|40-45°C paste|34°C cocoa butter crystallization
- ✓Store the finished spread at 15-18°C away from light because temperatures above 20°C cause cocoa butter to migrate and bloom (whitish coating), and UV light oxidizes oils, reducing shelf life by 40%.ingredient15-18°C storage|40% shelf-life reduction above 20°C