Nutella Brownies

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I am sure many of you will be either hosting or going to a Super Bowl party this Sunday.  I do not usually partake in that American tradition, but I do enjoy the good eats that are usually involved. All of those appetizers, snacks, finger foods, messy foods, sandwiches, chilis, SWEETS, etc...!  Now that's a party I can get after! Well here is another recipe you can add to that sweet table or simply to your recipe caché.  

How many of you keep that lip smacking, super delicious, chocolate hazelnut spread in your pantry?? Oh is my hand ever raised! I actually keep both size jars, the larger 26.5-ouncer and the smaller, 13-ouncer. Why you ask? Well the big one we use for slathering on just about anything and the smaller one is just right for this recipe because you use the entire 13-ounces (1 1/4 cup, divided).  But really, size does not matter here😉.  

The cool thing about this recipe is that there is no cocoa powder.  You don't even to melt chocolate. It is just Nutella, sugar, eggs, and flour. Well, of course, there is vanilla and a little salt.  I do like to add a little espresso powder because it always bumps up the chocolate flavor in most desserts, but if you don't have it, don't worry about it.  Remember that I said the Nutella is divided? Well that is because Nutella is in the batter and then it is dropped by teaspoons then swirled on top of that luscious batter.  Swoon! They should be called double Nutella Swirl Brownies.  Once baked, the "brownie batter" comes out with the perfect cake to fudge ratio with a nice shiny top.  And the Nutella swirl? Well, that stay in its natural Nutella glorious state.  My jaws just cracked!  

I like to finish the brownies with a little sprinkle of sea salt as soon as they come out of the oven because I like a little salt with my sweets, but again, that is optional. What is not optional is making these wonderful squares of Nutella heaven.  Don't put the recipe in a file, in your reader or in your bookmark.  Put it on your counter on bake away! 

Sunday Dinner

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Stuffed Brie

Cranberry Hazelnut Crisps

Roast Chicken 

Spinach Madeleine

Pomme de Terre Macaire

Toasty-Nutty Chocolate Hazelnut Tart

This is what I call a "Triple C" Sunday dinner-- Cheese-Chicken-Chocolate.  It's a combination of my three favorite food groups.

I have another Chocolate Hazelnut Tart that I have shared in the past, but this one gets a little nutty with the addition of chopped hazelnuts and some hazelnut liqueur.  Once baked, the hazelnuts rise to the top and the egg whites form a meringue-like crust.  It's wonderful warm and gooey or cold straight from the refrigerator. Whichever way you serve it, I highly recommend a nice dollop of whipped cream.  This tart is creamy, crunchy, and crazy good.  Maybe I should call it the Triple C Tart☺.

Sunday Dinner one year ago

Sunday Dinner two year ago

Sunday Dinner three years ago

Chocolate Hazelnut Coconut Sweet Rolls

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It is really hard to beat the smell of fresh bread baking in the oven.  But when you stuff that bread with Nutella and coconut... yeah, nuf said on that!  Seriously, there is really no good excuse to eat these unless you are a huge Nutella fan like I am or you have a teenage son who was taking final exams this week and needed a substantial breakfast before the start to his day.  And by substantial, I mean these things are huge (like 4 1/2 inches in diameter huge). 

This recipe is a basic white bread that is enriched with butter, sugar, eggs, and some sweet vanilla extract.  Once it has risen, the dough is slathered with some Nutella (or other chocolate hazelnut spread), coconut, and (my preference, but they can be omitted) some lightly toasted hazelnuts for further flavor and crunch. In case you didn't know, hazelnuts are rich in protein and have quite a few B viatmins, so these are good for you, right?  They are delicious warm from the oven, but they are just as good at room temperature.  You might think that with all that goodness rolled inside that an icing isn't necessary.  Well you might be right, but like I said-- there is a big fan of Nutella over here on the other side of the screen.

Sunday Dinner

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Crunchy Grits-Fried Pickles with Ranch Dressing

Hickory Smoked Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Western Carolina Barbecue Sauce

South Carolina Mustard Sauce

Stove-Top Baked Beans

Classic Creamy Coleslaw

Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

This Sunday is a belated birthday dinner menu.  My husband celebrated a birthday this past week, so it was his turn to choose the menu--and a good one it is.  Especially since I had a little pork left in the freezer (takes a little of the Sunday dinner work load off of me).

I made this cake a couple months back for my father's birthday.  My husband wasn't able to join us for the celebration, so I thought this would be a good excuse to make it again.  But once you taste this cake, you will realize there is no need to have an excuse to make it.  The cake itself is made with Nutella and ground hazelnuts.  It is light and moist, but sturdy enough to hold the frosting.  The frosting is a basic cream cheese frosting with Nutella added.  It is lick-the-bowl good and takes the cake from delicious to ridiculous.

Sunday Dinner one year ago

Sunday Dinner two years ago

Sunday Dinner

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Carrot Roulades with Goat Cheese and Radishes

Roast Chicken 

served with a white wine pan sauce

Pomme de Terre Macaire

Green Salad with Bacon and Croutons

Darkest Chocolate Crêpe Cake

served with a strawberry coulis

This Sunday marks the last day of summer vacation and the first school night of the school year-- a bittersweet feeling for all.   My children played a role in helping me create this back to school menu.  It is mostly good comfort food, but with a knock-out dessert.

It has been quite some time since I made this cake.  In fact, the last time I made it was for my mother's birthday over three years ago.  The recipe may seem daunting, but really all it takes is a little patience.   A jammed packed summer with three kids will teach one patience, won't it?  It was a good summer and I couldn't be happier to make this cake for them.  This cake consists of layers (upon layers) of chocolate crêpes.  In between these layers is a swiss meringue buttercream that is flavored with Nutella and lightened with a little whipped cream.  It is then finished with a rich chocolate glaze.

When I make the crêpes, I seem to come out with more than originally called for (thirty-nine to be exact).  However, I am unable to get all the way to the thirty-two layers for the final cake.  I come in between twenty-eight and thirty.  That leaves a few extra crêpes for snacking and that's o.k. by me.  I also add a bit of espresso powder to bump up the chocolate flavor in the crêpes.  The recipe calls for hazelnut cream, but I use Nutella and reduce the amount of sugar.  A bit of Frangelico in the filling is optional, but good.

Good Sunday comfort food with a decadent dessert and nothing but crêpe expectations for the coming school year!  Ooof!

Nutella Ice Cream

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My local readers know that it has been unseasonably warm here the past few days.  90º F at O'Hare airport on Tuesday?!  Time to break out the ice cream maker to cool off.  With just two ingredients, this recipe couldn't be easier.  It is soft, creamy, and very rich.  It's definitely not one of those ice creams where you want to pile three scoops into a waffle cone.  This ice cream lends itself perfectly to a moderately sized scoop complemented by a little cookie or perched atop a sugar cone to share with neighbors for an after dinner treat. Get lost in its velvety goodness.   

Nutella Fudge Brownie Bites

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School is back in session this week, so it is time to get into the school lunch/after-school snack groove.  What better way to do that than with a little treat?

I found this recipe in Desserts 4 Today by Abigail Johnson Dodge.  It is a cookbook filled with simple and delicious dessert recipes, all of which contain just four ingredients.  If baking and desserts are not your forté, I strongly urge you to check out this book.  Her technique is simple and straightforward, giving your "sweet" skills in the kitchen the best chance for success.  Johnson offers variations of each recipe listed in the book.  This gives the cook the opportunity to make them adaptable to his or her own taste.  As you know, I am a strong believer in making it for you and making it your own.  I followed my own advice with this recipe by adding a few tweaks.

These mini morsels are the perfect bite-sized snack.  They are fudgy without being overly sweet, and the Nutella completely satisfies that chocolate craving.  Normally, I don't care for nuts in baked goods like bars or brownies, but being as they are just sprinkled on top in this recipe, I'm good with it.  They add welcome flavor and texture in this case.  Now here comes the part where I make it my own.  Like most of my chocolate treats, I like to add a bit of espresso powder to bump up that chocolate flavor.  I also add a splash of Frangelico (a hazelnut liqueur) to bring out that hazelnut flavor.  Both additions are optional, but really good.  What I like best about this recipe is that they are made in a mini muffin pan, therefore I don't have to feel guilty about having that second one!

Nutella Pinwheel Cookies

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Well, it is December 1st and that means the holiday baking season has offically begun.  And after making the pumpkin roll, I was inspired to share this swirling recipe with you.

I love Nutella.  And for those of you who do not know what Nutella is (I say that because I have introduced many women and children to this delectable spread), it is a hazelnut spread that is made with skim milk and cocoa powder.  We enjoy it for breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dessert.  Spread it on bread, eat it with fruit, warm it and drizzle it over ice cream, or sandwich it between two Pepperidge Farm Bordeaux cookies for a particularly nice treat.

A couple of years ago I came across this site, World Nutella Day.  It was started in 2007 by Sara Rosso, an American blogger living in Italy. She felt the world needed a day to celebrate our love for Nutella.  Bless her soul:)

So, World Nutella Day 2009 rolled around and I saw a recipe for Nutella Pinwheel Cookies.  A simple butter cookie dough slathered with Nutella, rolled into a log, sliced and baked.  Yum!  These cookies are some kind of good.  I even had a neighbor who doesn't care for sweets (what?!?)  thoroughly enjoy them. 

Back to the holiday baking...these are perfect because you can make the dough in advance and store it in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.  And once baked they will keep for up to a week in an airtight container, but I doubt they will last that long.  So make a batch and share them with your family, friends, neighbors, and teachers.  They will love you for it!


*Update-- A reader contacted me and told me that she used Cocoa Bliss in lieu of the Nutella for her nut allergy friends.  Good to know so all can enjoy!

Sunday Dinner

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Caramelized Onions and Baked  Brie

Coq au Vin

Parslied Potatoes

Country Bread

Chocolate Hazelnut Tart

served with lightly sweetened whipped cream