Day 28 with Nutella

Here is a good idea that came to me from my friend Kristi.  She is very creative in her use of  Nutella as a fondue.  She says that all you need to do is heat Nutella over low heat in a saucepan. Add small amounts of condensed milk until you are happy with the consistency (thin, but not too thin). Stir constantly to avoid scorching. Serve immediately to the hungry troops along with items to dip in the delicious concoction (pretzel sticks, pineapple chunks, banana and apple slices, etc.).  Great idea!

You can also check out the link below for another Nutella Fondue recipe pictured here. 

http://www.partybluprintsblog.com/?s=nutella+fondue

Day 27 with Nutella

Today I tried Nutella on a dried apricot.  A tiny dried apricot with a dab of Nutella made for the perfect petit little snack.  I am thinking that Nutella would be good on other dried fruit, but more about that later! 

Day 26 with Nutella

Nutella Frosting – Cupcakes

I just love cupcakes…I love the name, cupcakes. It makes me happy when I think of cupcakes. I was wondering if I could make a yummy frosting out of Nutella for cupcakes. It was easy!
I made the cupcakes from a store bought cake mix. I used yellow cake mix, but I think you could use chocolate or white cake mix…whatever your heart desires. For the frosting I mixed half white frosting to half Nutella ( make as much as you need just do half frosting to half Nutella). These turned out really well. Kids of all ages love these!

Day 26 with Nutella

I always wanted to use Nutella in Brownies. It just seems like a good combo. I also love chocolate cheesecake. Two of my favorite things mixed together, chocolate and cheesecake! After my experience with the Nutella Blondies, I decided I had better get back to my “easy peasy” roots. I am not a Martha Stewart kind of gal, so doing things from scratch is not my forte. So, the inspiration is Chocolate Cheesecake and the result was Nutella Cheesecake Brownies, using a store bought box of brownie mix. I hope you enjoy!

Nutella Cheesecake Brownies

Ingredients You Will Need:

1 package store-bought brownie mix

1 package cream cheese

⅓ cup white sugar

1 egg

Tsp Vanilla

1 cup Nutella

Prepare the store-bought brownies first according to the package directions. Then, take a baking pan (13 x 9) and grease it with butter, and pour in the brownie layer. In a separate bowl, combine your cream cheese, sugar, egg and vanilla extract, and blend with a mixer. With a spoon, spread the cream cheese mixture on top of the brownie mixture in the pan.

Microwave the Nutella in a glass bowl for about 20 secs. It should be pourable. Pour the Nutella on top of the cream cheese mixture in rows or glob drops. Next use a chopstick to swirl the Nutella into the cream cheese and brownie batter. Don’t overdo it. You want it to be marbled.

Then bake your yummy cheesecake brownies for 35 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Day 25 with Nutella

Do blondes have more fun?  Nutella had to find out!  I took a Blondie Brownie recipe and modified it to make Nutella Blondies.    I must say that these Nutella Blondies  made for a party in my mouth!  Woo Hoo!  Talk about fantastic....if you like super gooey, rich and delicious, then this is the recipe for you...check it out!

Nutella Blondies


Ingredients You Will Need:


1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 stick butter, softened
1 ¾ cups brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
1 Cup Nutella


Heat oven to 350 degrees. Using two tablespoons of butter, grease brownie pan (pan should be 13” by 9”), reserving the other six tablespoons of butter for brownie batter.


Mix brown sugar, vanilla, butter and eggs until creamy. Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix well. Using a mixer blend all of the ingredients into a batter. Pour batter into brownie pan, scraping sides of bowl with a rubber spatula to get all of the batter.


Microwave the Nutella in a glass bowl for about 20 secs. It should be pourable. Pour the Nutella on top of the batter and spread around. Next use a chopstick to swirl the Nutella into the batter. Don’t overdo it. You want it to be marbled.


Bake for 30 minutes. Keep an eye on the blondies for the last few minutes of baking.  You want them to be golden brown and slightly firm, the batter should not giggle when you shake the pan.

Day 24 with Nutella

I have a dear friend who loves to bake! I mean she really loves to bake! She bakes almost every night and she comes up with the most beautiful creations. So last week I gave her a jar of Nutella and asked her to come up with some ideas…I mean I do have a long way to go (341 days to be exact), so I probably will need some help. Here is her creation:

Nutella Carmel Cake

CAKE

1 cup sifted all-purpose flour

1⁄3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter at room temperature

11⁄3 cups sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons hot water

1 tablespoon instant espresso powder or instant coffee powder

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup buttermilk



GLAZE
1 cup of Nutella

FILLING
Carmel Topping ( like Smucker's ice cream topping)



Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour two 9” cake pans. Line bottom with parchment paper, set aside.

Sift flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside. In large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add hot water to the coffee powder (in a little cup or bowl), mix and add to butter mixture. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla. Slowly add in dry ingredients, alternating with buttermilk. Divide batter between the two pans. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly pressed in the center. Watch carefully; over baking will make the cake dry.

Let the cake cool. Put one layer on a plate and spoon caramel topping. Then add the second layer. Put Nutella on the top layer. You will need to heat the Nutella up just a bit so it’s easy to spread (20 seconds in the microwave) you can then do a spider design like in the picture. It is super duper easy. Just pipe a spiral of caramel topping from the center to the edges and drag a toothpick out from the center at six points. Sprinkle chopped hazelnuts around the edges and you have a yummy cake that’s gorgeous!

Day 23 with Nutella

Nutella Scones: I don’t know about you, but I love scones! All kinds of scones. My favorite was a cinnamon sugar scone until now. I just made Nutella scones and they are incredible! And of course, very easy.

What you need:

2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

½ cup sugar

½ cup of salted butter or 1 stick (room temp)

¾ cup heavy cream

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Mix the first 4 ingredients together using a whisk to make sure that everything is blended well. Take your room temp butter and put it in the dry ingredients and start blending with your hands. You want the butter and the dry ingredients to become as one….it will resemble pebble like sand. Add the cream and work it into dough with a fork. Once it starts holding together, get your hands in there and ball it up. Take your dough, portion off a small section (size – between a golf ball and a racquet ball). Roll into a ball and then flatten. Take a tablespoon of Nutella and spread it on the top of the scone. Use a spoon to make a swirly design. Bake for about 15-20 mins until golden brown. Makes approximately 12 scones.