Nutella Hot Chocolate: World Nutella Day

Today is World Nutella Day! It's a bit nippy out, well, by California standards, so I thought I'd post an easy recipe for Nutella Hot Chocolate! What could be better? I always have a jar of Nutella hand.

Nutella is a hazel-nut chocolate spread that is popular all over the world. So much so, that in  Germany in 2013, thieves pulled of a $20,000 Nutella heist, stealing 5.5 tons from a parked truck!

Here's an interesting Nutella Fact (from MentalFloss: Napolean might be responsible for the World's Nutella Addiction. Back in 1806, Napoleon tried to freeze out British commerce as a means to win the Napoleonic wars (and take over the world). The result was a disastrous continental blockade that caused the cost of chocolate to skyrocket and left Piedmontese chocolatiers in the lurch. Ever resourceful, chocolatiers in Turin started adding chopped hazelnuts to chocolate to stretch the supply as much as possible. The ensuing deliciousness was a fateful paste dubbed “gianduia.”

Over a century later, chocolate again became expensive and scarce due to rationing in Europe during World War II. An Italian pastry maker named Pietro Ferrero once again turned to the mighty hazelnut for salvation in 1946 and created Pasta Gianduja, renamed “Nutella” in 1964.

So to celebrate 50 years of Nutella, here's a fast easy way to start your World Nutella Day!

NUTELLA HOT CHOCOLATE

Ingredients
2 cups whole milk
1/3 cup Nutella

Directions
In saucepan on medium flame, heat 1/2 cup milk with Nutella. Whisk to combine. Add remaining milk and heat up. Pour into your favorite mug and top with whipped cream or marshmallows.

Variation: Add a little Kahlua before the whipped cream!

***

Want to get more adventurous with your Nutella? 

Easy Anytime Nutella Cookies
Stuffed Challah Nutella French Toast
Nutella Brownie Muffins
Easy Nutella Pizza

I think of nutella as goodness in a jar!  You can buy it or make your own, but whatever you decide, celebrate World Nutella Day: February 5, 2014!

• World Nutella Day Fan Page on Facebook!
• Twitter stream @nutelladay for updates Use the Twitter hashtag #nutelladay to  participate!
  
•  700 Nutella recipes
• New to Nutella? Learn what the fuss is about

Nutella is more than just a “chocolatey hazelnut spread” -- it is a way of life.