Obessed With Spreads.....

This was not my idea.  It all happened by chance.  I had purchased a jar of Slitti hazenut spread on a recent trip to Soma in the Distillery District.  My friends had recently come home from France with jars of Caffarel and Angelina hazelnut spreads.  Then the idea of a blind taste test was born.  We wanted to see if these fancier and more expensive jars of hazelnut spreads were worth the price paid and how it fared to the more common and wallet friendly Nutella.

Everyone's heard of Nutella, a "healthy" option to go on bread made with hazelnuts, cocoa powder and milk.  Hey that's what the commercials advertise!  Just don't read the nutritional info on the jar, or look at the order of listed ingredients on the label.  No kid can say no to Nutella (unless there's allergies of course).  It's like eating a melted bar of chocolate on your bread.  Whats not to like?

Hazelnut Spreads

First thing we did was a visual comparison, after the samples were placed into bowls.  There were two that were different from all the rest.  One was darker, and stiffer than the rest of them.  This most likely had to do with the fact that it was a dark chocolate hazelnut spread.  Two of them had very similar visual characteristics.  Almost the same colour, the same consistancy and the same smell.  The last was very ugly looking.  It probably had to do with the fact that the "judge" for this blind taste testing did not stir the hazelnut spread in the jar before scooping it out into the bowl.

Bowls of Spreads

TIME TO DIG IN!  You can't hold a blind taste test without tasting!  We each took 4 toothpicks and dug into our samples.  Mmmm chocolate hazelnut heaven.  The first sample (Slitti), rich dark chocolate hazelnut flavor.  The downside it wasn't very spreadable.  The second sample (Angelina), milk chocolate, with a hint of toasted hazelnut.  Smooth, spreadable and quite sweet compared to the first sample.  The third sample (Caffarel), I was almost floored with how toasted hazelnutty this one was.  And then I got the milk chocolate taste.  Also very spreadable.  The fourth sample (Nutella).  I really should have tasted this one first, then maybe it wouldn't have tasted so bad.  There was no hazelnut flavor, minor chocolate flavor and holy sweet!  Did you know that sugar is the number one ingredient in Nutella? 

The rest of the hazelnut spread samples were devoured with crepes, fruit and whipped cream.  Delicious!  Except we were on a sugar high for the next few hours.  We started this at 11:30pm :(. My favorite spreads were (listed in order of preference): Slitti, Caffarel, Angelina.......and Nutella.  I'm a little biased.  I prefer dark chocolate over milk chocolate.

I now know, you get what you pay for.  I don't see myself purchasing another jar of Nutella in the near future even if it's wallet friendly.  And I will slowly devour my jar of Slitti dark chocolate hazelnut spread with the hopes that it will last forever and ever.

Crepes

All photos taken by Sandy Tam Photography.  Photos were arranged by me, hence the non straight edges.