Other than Nutella, do you have a favorite, "go-to" Chocolate-Hazelnut spread?

[ipsedixit]

I was under the (erroneous) belief that Nutella had cornered the market on Chocolate-Hazelnut spreads until I saw a shelf load of different brands at my local Big Lots.

Apparently Jif even makes a chocolate-hazelnut spread.

And there's one called "Landsberg" with cute chipmunks on the jar.

There's also a thing called "Nutkao" which purports to be an Italian version of Nutella, as well as one called "Loaker" and "Nocilla". If Marvel ever needed new villian names for Avengers 2, they can start with chocolate-hazelnut brand names, I suppose.

So, are you a rebel? Do you give Nutella the middle-finger and go indie? If so, which brand do you swear by?

[Kholvaitar]

Schwartau Nussfit

[MikeG]

It's just as mass-market as Nutella, but my favorite hazelnut spread next to Nutella, possibly preferred to Nutella these days, is a hazelnut-only version from Turkey. Like this: http://savasirgida.com.tr/sanalmarket... . I saw it at a Turkish grocery store, tried it and discovered that what I like most about Nutella was the hazelnut part...

They (Turks) also make a more traditional hazelnut spread without the hydrogenated fat or as much sugar which is arguably better (as well as more expensive), but lacks that junk-food-je-ne-sais-quoi you get from Nutella or other spreads made with hydrogenated fats and tons of sugar. You know, the part that gets your growing family to eat a healthy breakfast in the morning. (lol)

[MikeG]

That link seems to have gone wonky - it pointed to a page for Ulker brand Golden "Findik Ezmesi" if anyone's curious enough to google for it.

[Delucacheesemonger]

Few years ago in Paris, bought all l could find off supermarket shelf, Pain Quotidien's, and three very high priced 'artisinal' ones. Had a blind tasting, Nutella won hands down due it was the only one with the perfect almost melty ice cream creaminess, all 11 of my volunteer tasters thought pretty much the same. The others, some were good, but none had the same texture.

[circustance]

Not a 'foreign' product 'cause it's made in NYC, and also it's not hazelnut, but has anyone tried Peanut Butter & Co.'s Dark Chocolate Dreams or White Chocolate Wonderful? Feedback on these two has been generally pretty positive. Wanted to know what the Chowzers thought about these items...I myself haven't tried either.

[kubasd]

The White Chocolate Wonderful is just that.... wonderful. I don't know if you ever had the white chocolate reese's cups, but it tastes just like those. I actually posted on the lunch thread the other day that I had toasted bread with the White Chocolate Wonderful on it for lunch.... mmm delicious. It's definitely sweet (like you'd expect white chocolate anything to be).

[ctfoodguy]

Nutella is delicious but what is disappointing is that the first ingredient is palm oil and it's made in Canada

[paulj]

Canada isn't foreign enough? I thought it came from New Jersey and was made with hydrogenated soy oil - at least I think that's what jars from a decade ago listed.

An old thread about Nutella ingrediets
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/301594
and a newspaper review from that time
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article...

[vttp926]

Aldi's sell a version from Berryhill that taste just like Nutella. And so much cheaper. Only $2 a jar.

[tsl_saga]

I used to live off Aldi's knock-off Nutella when I was in college. But I thought they stop selling those a few years back. At least at Aldi's around here.

[vttp926]

This past Christmas was the first time I had ever seen it. It still has the seasonal tag but I think this probably will be a product that will be sticking around.

[jester99]

American spread, go with Askinoise and I think they are the only American chooclate producer. Amedi and Venchi both make a hazelnut spread that i have yet to try. I Like Nicolla aka Spanish version of Nutella. I would like to say i like Nocilla better, but I think it is just more of a rarity thing. There is asl Nusco, from the Dutch but I find that to taste pretty flat. Yea, Ive done some fatty research.

[pitterpatter]

Or you can make your own!

http://food52.com/recipes/16017_homem...

[coney with everything]

Serious Eats reviewed the Jif spread and they said it had the consistency of canned frosting...erk
http://sweets.seriouseats.com/2012/06...

[mpjmph]

Yep, I bought some to try it out. Too sweet, barely tasted of chocolate or peanuts, mostly just sweet crisco.

[njmarshall55]

There ARE others???

[Beach Chick]

'Do you give Nutella the middle-finger and go indie?'
You are so frigging funny ipsy..
I went to the .99cent store and found something like 'nut job' spread and it was horrid..

Cathy at Zanni foods...your stuff looks fab and I'm all over that pistachio cream spread..

[milklady]

It's expensive, and contains some almonds as well as hazelnuts, but I am crazy about Justin's Nut Butter brand chocolate hazelnut butter.

[Kathleen M]

When I saw the title to the thread, I opened it so that I could add that it's not chocolate hazelnut, but I LOVE Justin's Nut Butter brand chocolate almond spread. I keep telling my foody friends that it will ruin you for Nutella!

[debbiel]

Kathleen, have you had the Justin's chocolate hazelnut (which includes hazelnuts and almonds)? I absolutely love it. Tho maybe I will also try the chocolate almond now.

[debbiel]

Another vote for Justin's Chocolate Hazelnut! I've never tried their chocolate almond or chocolate peanut (yes, tho, the choc hazelnut does have almonds in it).

[Divamac]

Agreed. Justin's chocolate hazelnut butter is wonderful, and it's diary-free, which is a plus for me.

[debbiel]

And it's great on toasted ezekiel sprouted grain bread. I know this, because I just had it for lunch (along with a bowl of cherries).

[paulj]

Trader Joes current version uses almonds instead of Hazelnuts. Previously they had a version made in Turkey.

Nutella is originally Italian.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/820245
talks about Venchi, another Italian version, that some of us had bought at TJMaxx. I bought a jar, but gave it as a Christmas present, so don't know how it tastes.

[westsidegal]

NOCCIOLATA

1) ORGANIC
2) NO artificial ingredients
3) NO transfat

this is the real deal, not phoney food with phoney ingredients.
(imported from italy)

[Tripeler]

Wasn't there an Italian porn star with a name similar to Nocciolata?