Homemade gianduja
Gianduja is a melt-in-the-mouth praline chocolate made with just three ingredients. It is made with hazelnuts, powdered sugar and milk chocolate. Originating from the Piedmont region in Italy, it can be enjoyed on its own, appreciated for its sweetness and hazelnut aroma, or used in various desserts and pastries.
It is perfect for enriching cakes, ice creams, or as a filling for chocolates and candies.
The hazelnut paste used to make gianduja is called “duja.” It is made with an equal amount of roasted hazelnuts and powdered sugar. Once you have a smooth and almost runny duja, add melted chocolate and a pinch of salt to enhance the flavor and create gianduja chocolate.
Philippe Conticini’s almond duja is a well-known ingredient in his famous Cylan dessert.
You’ll need a good blender to obtain a smooth, grain-free paste. To avoid overheating your blender and burning out the motor, take breaks to let it cool down. Personally, I used a blender that also blends ice cubes, and the result was really excellent.
This recipe comes from pastry chef Christophe Michalak . You have his delicious homemade Nutella-like spread, which is simply to die for. Once you’ve tried it, you won’t want to do without it.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
NB : You can find the printable recipe card below.
For 750 g (26.4 oz) of gianduja, 9 bars of 8 x 3 x 2.7 cm (3.1 x 1.2 x 1.1 inches)
- 250 g (8.8 oz) hazelnuts (raw hazelnuts with skin, but unsalted roasted hazelnuts without skin can be used)
- 250 g (8.8 oz )powdered sugar
- 250 g (8.8 oz) milk chocolate (Valrhona Jivara)
- A pinch of salt
The recipe on video
Preparation steps
NB: For full details of ingredients, see the recipe card at the end of this article, which you can print out.
Preheat oven to 160°C ( 320° F)
I used a silicone mould from Silikomart
1. Place hazelnuts on a baking sheet and roast for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on your oven. The skin of the hazelnuts should peel off easily and they should be golden underneath.
2. Once the hazelnuts have been roasted, rub them between your hands to remove the skin. If you have a large-hole sieve, place the hazelnuts in it and rub them. The skins will pass through the holes.
If a few nuts remain with the skin, it’s not a problem.
3. Place the hazelnuts, powdered sugar and a pinch of salt in a food processor and blend until smooth and slightly runny.
The mixture heats up during blending, allowing the hazelnuts to release their oil and liquefying the paste. At first, the paste is rough and hard, but it will become smooth and runny as you continue to mix.
This can take up to 20 minutes, pausing if your food processor isn’t very powerful.
4. Melt the milk chocolate in a bain-marie and mix with the “Duja” hazelnut paste.
5. Mix well with a rubber spatula or whisk. You can pour the chocolate directly into the food processor over the duja and blend for a few seconds.
6. Pour this mixture into a measuring cup and fill the cavities of your mold. You can use smaller molds. Refrigerate for at least 6 h or overnight.
7. The gianduja bars will harden, allowing you to unmold them. You can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 6 months.
How to use gianduja?
To use Gianduja chocolate as is, melt it like normal chocolate. Use it in mousses, custards or creams. It can be used in all recipes where chocolate is used.
To discover more of Chef Christophe Michalak’s recipes, have a look at this delicious spread: Homemade Nutella
I hope you like this recipe, and don’t hesitate to make it.
Homemade Gianduja Recipe
EQUIPEMENTS
- Silikomart silicone mould
INGREDIENTS
For 750 g (26.4 oz) of gianduja, 9 bars of 8 x 3 x 2.7 cm (3.1 x 1.2 x 1.1 in):
- 250 g (8.8 oz) hazelnuts
- 250 g (8.8 oz )powdered sugar
- 250 g (8.8 oz) milk chocolate (Valrhona Jivara)
- A pinch of salt
PREPARATION
- Preheat oven to 160°C ( 320° F)
- I used a silicone mould from Silikomart
- Place hazelnuts on a baking sheet and roast for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on your oven. The skin of the hazelnuts should peel off easily and they should be golden underneath.
- Once the hazelnuts have been roasted, rub them between your hands to remove the skin. If you have a large-hole sieve, place the hazelnuts in it and rub them. The skins will pass through the holes.
- If a few nuts remain with the skin, it's not a problem.
- Place the hazelnuts, powdered sugar and a pinch of salt in a food processor and blend until smooth and slightly runny.
- The mixture heats up during blending, allowing the hazelnuts to release their oil and liquefying the paste. At first, the paste is rough and hard, but it will become smooth and runny as you continue to mix.
- This can take up to 20 minutes, pausing if your food processor isn't very powerful.
- Melt the milk chocolate in a bain-marie and mix with the "Duja" hazelnut paste.
- Mix well with a rubber spatula or whisk. You can pour the chocolate directly into the food processor over the duja and blend for a few seconds.
- Pour this mixture into a measuring cup and fill the cavities of your mold. You can use smaller molds. Refrigerate for at least 6 h or overnight.
- The gianduja bars will harden, allowing you to unmold them. You can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 6 months.
- To use Gianduja chocolate as is, melt it like normal chocolate. Use it in mousses, custards or creams. It can be used in all recipes where chocolate is used.
- I hope you like this recipe, and don't hesitate to make it.
Notes
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