Nutella ice cream…in brioche. NUTELLA ice cream, in brioche. Nutella ice cream IN BRIOCHE. Nutella ice cream in brioche.
Do you ever make something and then realise that nothing you say could possibly live up to how great it is?
This is Nutella Ice Cream. I don’t know of a better way to explain it than that. It’s not chocolate and hazelnut ice cream. It’s not chocolate ice cream. It’s not a weird, third thing. It is nutella, in ice cream formation.
It is a magical transmutation of one chocolate spread into chocolate ice cream. The texture slightly changes, the temperature changes, but the taste stays mystically the same. Maybe with a hint of deeper smokiness.
Eating gelato in brioche is a Sicilian tradition, which I first read about in Nigella Lawson’s book Forever Summer. Yes, those crazy Sicilian geniuses have been serving their gelato inside a warm, crispy brioche bun for years it seems.
I’d like to say that I was skeptical at first, that my instincts told me not to eat ice cream on buttery french bread. But alas, my heart cried out for it. I knew it would be incredible, and friends, it is.
Chocolate and hazelnut is a well-loved Italian flavour combination, and with good reason. They go together like peas and carrots. In fact, they go together way better than peas and carrots, because peas and carrots don’t go that well together.
Like so much of Italy’s most delicious exports, this combination of flavours was born out of adversity. A shortage of cacao meant that local chocolate makers in the Alpine region of Italy needed to use something else to extend their bars, so they chose hazelnuts which are plentiful in the region.
On the other hand, eating a big scoop of chocolaty delicious ice cream inside brioche has nothing to do with adversity. That aspect of the eating experience is born out of sheer luxury.
And it is luxurious; subtly nutty, deeply chocolate flavoured, and perfectly complimented by a salty, buttery, soft and crisp bun of brioche. It’s everything all at once.
This could be an amazing Valentine’s dessert by the way. Plenty of hands-on, chocolate dripping, munchy crunchy action. I’m on a bit of a chocolate jag at the moment. I just read the book Chocolat (again) and pulled out all of chocolate-centric cookbooks. So stay tuned for that!
Are you sick of hearing about Valentine’s Day yet?
xx Sarah.
- 3 tbsp cream cheese
- pinch of salt
- ½ cup water
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ½ cup cocoa
- 1 cup nutella
- 2 cups milk
- 1 + ½ tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
- 1 cup cream
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 tbsp glucose (or corn syrup)
- Store bought brioche buns, to serve
- Place the cream cheese and salt into a bowl large enough to take all the ingredients later.
- In a small saucepan combine the water, sugar and cocoa and bring to the boil for 30 seconds.
- Whisk the cocoa mixture into the cream cheese slowly, bit by bit, making sure there are no lumps.
- Add the nutella and stir everything well to combine, then set aside.
- In a small bowl, stir together 2 tbsp of the milk with the cornflour and set aside.
- Place the remaining milk, cream, sugar and glucose into a large suacepan and bring to the boil, letting it boil for 4 minutes.
- Remove from the heat, whisk in the cornflour mixture, and then return to the heat for a minute or until thickened slightly.
- Stir the milk mixture into the Nutella mixture and place in the fridge to chill completely (I leave it overnight).
- Churn according to the manufacturer's instructions, and store in the freezer.
- Serve scoops inside brioche buns.
Ice cream technique from Jeni Britton Bauer, inspiration from Nigella Lawson.
Yep, my heart is crying out for this one. All I want for valentine’s day is this! Come make it for me? Just a quick flight over… :)
I would totally, you know I would.
No, I am not sick of Valentine’s Day, and I am definitely NOT sick of chocolate desserts, so keep them coming! This one sounds so incredible, I can’t imagine how you’re going to top it this week…but I also totally believe you can and will.
Nutella ice cream? Gah, I am dying, I want this !
In brioche?! YUM! This sounds killer!
Nutella ice cream…in brioche. I felt that needed to be repeated again.. because OMG!!!
I’m Sicilian! I knew I descended from genius, lol. THIS RECIPE IS OUT OF THIS WORLD AMAZINGGG! I love nutella, I love brioche, I love all things about this. Gah I neeeeeeed it
whaaaat?! That ice cream looks soo dreamy and I love any new ideas for ice cream shoving.
My oh my! Because I’ve been stuffing my face with Nutella at regular intervals my enormous Nutella jar is just short on the required amount, I think this is definitely worth the walk to the shops to restock though. That last photo had me hook, line and sinker. So creamy!
Jeni’s recipes are the beessttttttt. Like, ever. She opened up a shop here in Chicago and I had her coffee ice cream. I died after. It’ was pure coffee goodness.
sweet justice these look incredible.. I absolutely must eat one of these very soon!!
Nutella Ice Cream?? Get out. In a brioche bun?? How is it I’ve never heard of this delicious creation until now/ Definitely need.
Don’t worry, I think this speaks for itself! What an amazing dessert.
I LOVE ice cream in brioche cups but nutella ice cream? even better!
I get to eat ice cream inside bread? ( I love bread). This is the best Nutella sandwich ever. It’s a sand-wish.
Jeni’s ice cream method is sooooo wonderful! And your photos are KILLING IT in this post
Wow. Amazing idea. I’ll probably skip the bread and just eat all the ice cream at once. = )
You are NAILING it! That bottom photo!? Perfection. xoxo
i just found my way to your blog, and goodness girl – what a beauty of a site! and holy moles- you can cook and photograph like a pro. this nutella brioche reminds me of something i would have found in an overly expensive italian restaurant :)
Wow, thanks Jennifer!
That shot of a scoop of ice cream on top of bread has me on my knees. Ice cream and bread. Ice cream and bread. Why has it taken us this long??
Holy heck, girl! I already know these need to be made!!!
I had some honey pistachio ice cream on warm brioche recently, and I think the only thing that could have made it better is this Nutella ice cream. Looks so good!