Author Notes
Nutella arancini are simple to make, but you need to start them the day before you want to eat. The result isn’t just good—it's nirvana. That doughnut-like cinnamon-sugar crunch into sweet vanilla rice is heavenly, but it’s the molten Nutella center that will take you over the edge. It explodes into your mouth, thick and sticky, coating your teeth with silky, hazelnut-y chocolate. But these are better than doughnuts because the rice gives it even more texture: they are crunchy, soft, chewy, and oozy all at once. Try stopping at one. —Liliana
Ingredients
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4 cups
water (divided; 1/2 cup for dredging station)
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2 1/2 cups
Arborio rice
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2 cups
caster (or superfine) sugar
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4 cups
whole milk
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2 teaspoons
vanilla extract
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400 grams
( 14 oz) Nutella
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1 cup
all-purpose flour
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2 cups
fine dry breadcrumbs
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4
eggs
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2 cups
granulated sugar
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1 tablespoon
ground cinnamon
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4 cups
neutral oil, such as vegetable, canola, or similar, for frying (use more or less as needed)
Directions
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The day before:
Pour 3 1/2 cups of the water into a large saucepan over high heat and bring to the boil. Add the rice and cook, stirring every now and then, over medium-high heat, until most of the water has been absorbed—around 10 minutes.
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Meanwhile, put the caster sugar, milk and vanilla into a medium saucepan. Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved and the milk is simmering. Do not boil.
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Once the rice has absorbed most of the water, pour in the milk mixture and turn the heat to medium. Cook, stirring every now and then, until the rice is cooked and resembles rice pudding (around 15 minutes). It will be thick and sticky.
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Transfer the cooked rice into a container. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
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Line a flat plate or baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop the Nutella into a piping bag fitted with a ½ cm (¼-in) nozzle and pipe roughly 2 cm (¾-in) balls (they will look like blobs more than balls) onto the paper. Freeze overnight.
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To assemble:
Get the rice out of the fridge and use your hands to form all the mixture into balls, around the size of golf balls.
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Get the Nutella out of the freezer. Take a ball of rice and use your finger to poke a hole into the center. Push a frozen ball of Nutella inside, then mold the rice around to enclose and form a smooth ball shape. You need to work quickly as it’s easiest to do this while the Nutella is hard. If it’s a warm day you may need to stop and put the Nutella back into the freezer to set.
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Put the flour into one bowl and the bread crumbs into another. Crack the eggs into a third bowl, add the rest of the water, and whisk together well.
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Dredge each rice ball in flour, dip into the egg mixture, and then finally dip into the bread crumbs, ensuring the ball is evenly coated. Set aside until ready to fry. At this stage they can be refrigerated for a few days or frozen for up to 3 months. Store them in a container with parchment separating each layer of arancini. When you’re ready to fry them, defrost prior to cooking.
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Mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon into a bowl.
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To cook: Heat enough oil in a deep saucepan to reach halfway up the sides (or use a deep fryer if you have one) to 180 C (355 F). Cook the arancini in batches until golden in color. Drain on paper towel quickly and add straight into the sugar/cinnamon mixture, tossing to coat.
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Serve warm. Take a big bite, close your eyes, and sigh.
I am an author, cook, traveller and proud Mama of two boys. I have published three books - 'Easy Home Cooking Italian Style', 'Food for Sharing Italian Style', and 'The Sweet Life - Easy Home Baking and Sweet Treats.' My books reflect my Italian heritage. I also write fiction and feature articles.
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