Nutella Ice Cream with Chocolate Hazelnut Granola Topping

Nutella, everyone’s favorite chocolate-hazelnut spread.  I haven’t come across a single person who isn’t a fan.  I don’t know a lot of people who aren’t fans of ice cream, so this is pretty much the best of both worlds, right?

I couldn’t just leave it at that, though.  Not that creamy Nutella-flavored ice cream isn’t enough, but I wanted to step up the chocolate and hazelnut flavors, only in a slightly healthier way…so I decided to top off the ice cream with a homemade granola topping.  Chocolate and hazelnut granola is healthy in my book…

Ice cream + granola = Nutella goodness

Nutella Ice Cream &

Chocolate Hazelnut Granola Topping

Serves 6-8

Nutella Ice Cream Ingredients:

• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups heavy cream*
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 4 egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 1 cup Nutella

Nutella Ice Cream Instructions:

• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the milk, heavy cream (or half-and-half, if using) and sugar, and warm until hot (but not boiling).
• Once hot, pour about 1 cup of the milk mixture into the lightly beaten egg yolks, whisking constantly until combined.
• Pour the milk-egg mixture back into the saucepan, and cook on low heat, stirring constantly, until it reaches 175° F on a candy thermometer.
• Strain the ice cream custard through a fine sieve into a large bowl, then whisk in the Nutella until completely dissolved in the ice cream custard.
• Cover the surface of the ice cream base with plastic wrap, and freeze for 1-2 hours (or refrigerate overnight) until very cold.
• Once cold, pour into your ice cream maker and freeze.
• Pour the ice cream into a container and freeze for at least 3 hours before enjoying!

Granola Topping Ingredients:

• 1/2 stick butter, melted and cooled
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips, melted and cooled
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 1 cup quick oats
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts

Granola Topping Instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 325° and line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper.
• In the bowl of your mixer, beat the melted butter, melted chocolate chips, honey and sugar on medium speed until combined.
• Add the shredded coconut, oats, salt and chocolate chips, and mix on low until the ingredients are mixed in well.
• Pour the granola mixture onto the lined baking sheet, using your hands or a spatula to spread the mixture around.
• Bake the granola at 325° for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven.  Use a spatula to mix in the chopped hazelnuts.
• Return to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
• Once done, remove from the oven and use a spatula to break apart the granola.
• Cool completely before adding the granola topping to the ice cream, and enjoy!

*Feel free to substitute half-and-half for any or all of the milk and cream for a lighter version!

Original recipe by La Casa de Sweets