Celebrate World Nutella Day With Death by Chocolate

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Nutella was a staple at our house when I was growing up. We thought of it as the Italian alternative to peanut butter. While all of my friends were bringing peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to school for lunch, I was bringing Nutella sandwiches. Sometimes, all by itself, sometimes with bananas, and sometimes with my favorite - marshmallow fluff! Now that I'm a grown-up with a much more sophisticated palate, I still love to eat Nutella.....in a sandwich, sometimes all by itself, sometimes with bananas and sometimes, with marshmallow fluff. I also get to eat big globs of it, right out of the jar. My house, my rules!

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I like to experiment with new ways to use Nutella too. It is wonderful spread on pancakes, French toast or crepes, as well as warmed up and served as a dip for fruit. I've even swapped out the peanut butter for Nutella in my Holycraptheseareamazing Cookies. Let me tell you, those are some serious cookies!

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The other day, I got an email from Michelle of Bleeding Espresso. She said that she had enjoyed my post on Torronutella Semifreddo Terrine, and suggested that I submit the recipe for the World Nutella Day event that she was hosting along with Sara, from Ms. Adventures in Italy and Shelley from At Home in Rome. I had just read about the event and was thumping myself on the head for, yet again, jumping the gun and posting a recipe that was perfect for an upcoming event. Fortunately, Michelle said that I could use the same recipe, which was really nice of her. I was going to do just that, but then I found out that I had been nominated to compete in Culinate's Death by Chocolate Contest. After I peeled myself off of the floor from hearing THAT news, I decided that such an honor warranted a a total revamp of the recipe.

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I tossed around a few ideas on how to add a little more of the chocolate "wow factor" to the Nutella Semifreddo. I didn't want to change it too much, because it really was already pretty fabulous as it was. So, I tweaked the recipe by adding a splash of Godiva chocolate liqueur, and not one, not two - but THREE different kinds of chocolate, both in the base of the dish and as a topping! Yes, you read it right. I combined a rich, deep, bittersweet chocolate, a creamy, silky Belgian milk chocolate and a light, mellow white chocolate to create a dessert so decadent, so sinfully scrumptious, and so mind-numbingly chocolaty that it ought to be illegal! This is truly a sticky, gooey, creamy, chewy dessert!

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Culinate's Death by Chocolate Contest is a chance for one of you and me to win a memorable (and free!) trip to one of the hottest food events in the US! Culinate will send one reader, and one food blogger, on a trip for two to Napa Valley to attend the Copia Center’s annual Death by Chocolate Festival on Feburary 23, 2008, featuring a day of chocolate and wine tasting, demonstrations by pastry chefs, and other sessions with chocolate aficionados and experts. The contest will also include daily drawings for cookbooks, additional festival tickets, and Valentine chocolates.

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The winner among readers will be chosen at random from all entries. This means that all you have to do is log on to Culinate, VOTE FOR ME, and you will automatically be entered to win yourself. Not a bad deal, huh? A little quid pro quo never hurts anything. Readers will vote for their favorite blog posts, to narrow the entries down to the top ten finalists. The winning food blogger will be selected by a panel of judges from the top 10 reader favorites.

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Now, I know that everyone always says this, but I will say it again. I am so honored just to be nominated for this great contest! You have no idea how touched I am that one of you thought enough of my little blog (and me!) to submit it to Culinate. I've poured so much of myself onto these pages and really tried my hardest to present quality content in an interesting and entertaining way. It is so gratifying to know that you guys noticed.

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That being said, I really would love to win! First of all, I've never been to Napa and have always longed to go there. Second, I'm a certifiable chocolate fanatic and attending the festival would be a dream come true. And third, I've never actually won anything in my life. It sure would be nice to change a forty year losing streak! So, if you can possibly find it in your hearts - click on the button below and

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PLEASE VOTE FOR ME!!!!!!!!!!!!

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And now, without further ado, I present to you my entry for World Nutella Day and the Death by Chocolate competition:

Drumroll please........

Sogooditshouldbeillegal Triple Chocolate Nutella Semifreddo

Printable Version

4 large eggs

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 13 ounce jar Nutella

1 cup heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks

1 tbsp chocolate liqueur (I used Godiva)

2 oz. each of bittersweet, milk and white chocolate, chopped into small chunks

1/2 cup plus 1/4 cup roasted pistachio nuts, coarsely chopped and divided

2 oz each of bittersweet, milk and white chocolate, melted and divided

Line a mold of your choice with plastic wrap, taking care to leave about a 3 inch length hanging over the edge.

Heat Nutella in the microwave for about 20-25 seconds to soften it up. Set aside.

Place eggs and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Place mixing bowl over a pot of simmering water and whisk until the eggs are warm, about 2 minutes.

Place the bowl in mixer stand. Using the whisk attachment, whip the eggs on high speed until pale and tripled in volume, about 5 minutes.

Add the Nutella and the chocolate liqueur to the egg mixture and mix on low speed until blended. Gently fold in the whipped cream, chocolate chunks and 1/2 c. chopped nuts.

Scrape mixture into into the mold and spread evenly. Cover top of mold with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 8 hours or overnight.

To serve, lift the the semifreddo out of the mold using the plastic wrap overhang. If it sticks, place the mold on a dish towel soaked in very hot water for a minute or two. This should soften the it a bit and make it easier to unmold.

Sprinkle the 1/4 cup of nuts on top. Melt the remainder of the chocolate by heating each kind separately in the microwave for 20-30 seconds. Let it rest for a few seconds and stir. Drizzle the melted chocolates over the top of the semifreddo.

Cut the semifreddo into slices and serve on your prettiest dessert plates.

Try not to let your eyes roll back into your head when you take that first bite.

Enjoy!