Like any young kid, I loved Nutella.  When I was younger, I used to always feel like I had somehow managed to pull the wool over my parents’ eyes, by doing something so forbidden as eating chocolate on toast for breakfast! When I got older though, I realised the bread was pointless, and that it was much easier to dive into the jar with a tablespoon when nobody was looking.

After one these raids on the family Nutella jar, my Dad came home and caught me, spoon in mouth, looking very guilty. His response to this situation was a unique one, and I think he would be the first to admit it backfired.  ‘You can either eat that entire jar now and we’ll never buy it again. Or you can put it away and only ever have it on toast like you are supposed to.’  Needless to say I sat in front of him and ate the entire jar and we never bought it again.

My unwavering love for Nutella has lasted through the years, and I still need to ration myself as every time I buy Nutella as an adult!  This recipe is one inspired by Nigella Lawson’s famous Nutella cake. At Monsieur Truffe I helped to create our very own version of Nutella, using quality ingredients and less sugar than the supermarket variety.  Quality deep dark cocoa powder, caramelised sugar and Italian organic hazelnuts come together to form our version. I have since chosen to substitute our own hazelnut spread in Nigella’s cake recipe, as it lowers the sweetness in the cake and tends to make it much more dense and fudgy.

This cake is a great finish to a dinner party.  It is definitely a showstopper – however you only need a tiny slice due to the intensity!