The Cultural Dish: Nutella Pots de Creme

Guess what today is? It's World Nutella Day! That's right... there is a whole day dedicated to the delicious, melt-in-your-mouth, chocolaty-hazelnut treat! Thanks to Sara from Ms. Adventures in Italy and Michelle from Bleeding Espresso, World Nutella Day was created in 2007 and has been going strong ever since! I mean, who doesn't love Nutella, right?

The first time that I participated in World Nutella Day, I made Mascarpone Cheesecake with a Nutella Glaze. This year, in honor of one of my favorite chocolate desserts, I decided to make a Nutella Pots de Creme! It is so easy to make and it tastes wonderful with the addition of nutella!

Nutella Pots de Creme

Ingredients:
-1 1/2 cups heavy cream
-1/4 cup sugar
-1/2 cup nutella
-2 egg yolks
-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
-Nutella whipped cream for topping (see below)
-Hazelnuts for topping

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream and sugar until the mixture is warm and the sugar is dissolved.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, lightly whisk the egg yolks. Set aside. In another bowl, scoop out the nutella and vanilla extract. Set aside.

Take the cream mixture and pour it over the nutella. Whisk until the nutella mixes in with the cream and sugar mixture. Then, take the nutella and cream mixture, and, whisking continuously, slowly pour it into the bowl with the egg yolks.

Once all of the ingredients are well-mixed, pour the mixture into four ramekins. Place the ramekins in a deep baking pan and fill the pan with hot water, halfway up the side of the ramekins. Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, or until the mixture sets and the center still slightly jiggles. Allow to cool and then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Nutella Whipped Cream:
While the pots de creme is chilling, make the nutella whipped cream. Pour 1 1/2 cups heavy cream and 1/2 cup nutella in a bowl or kitchen aid mixer and whip until stiff peaks form. Chill.