Nutella Biscotti

Happy World Nutella Day! And welcome to the fifth day of Nutella week here at Mignardise.

For all things Nutella, be sure to check out our hosts, Bleeding Espresso and Ms. Adventure in Italy. They will be posting hundreds of Nutella-filled treats and ideas.

There are a few things I've learned about Nutella this week.

1. It's a natural complement to coffee. Especially coffee ice cream. See Nutella coffee shake.

2. No matter how delicious the thing you make with Nutella is, it's difficult to photograph. The photos never look as good as the real thing tastes. See Nutella bread pudding.

3. Most things made with Nutella are enhanced with the addition of toasted hazelnuts. A little effort that's totally worth it.

4. My favorite way to eat Nutella is still smeared on a banana.

A biscotti is a cookie you eat when you know you shouldn't eat a cookie but you really want one.
Supposedly they have less calories and fat than "regular" cookies.

Guess what? That's true!
At least in this case it is.
These crunchy, nutty Nutella biscotti have no added fat - just the small amount that's in the Nutella itself.
So go ahead - have a biscotti. Have two!
They soften up perfectly when dunked in hot coffee.

I had never made biscotti before, but I am here to tell you it's extremely easy. The dough is quite stiff when you form it into rectangles. If you wet your hands when handling it, the dough won't stick to them.
I glazed the flat side of each biscotti with a melted Nutella/chocolate mixture and sprinkled on some toasted hazelnuts. You can do this and enjoy a bit of decadence with your low-fat cookie, or leave it plain.
Either way, it's delizioso.




Nutella Biscotti
adapted from Ginny Potter on The Nutella Forum

2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 Tbsps. cocoa powder

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

3 large eggs

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup Nutella

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts, lightly toasted

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
Beat eggs in a large bowl until frothy. Add sugar and continue beating on high for 2 minutes. Stir in Nutella. Add flour mixture to egg mixture and blend thoroughly. Stir in chips and hazelnuts.
Wet your hands, then divide dough into 2 or 3 portions on the baking sheet. Shape each portion into a rectangle about 1/2" thick.
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and turn down the heat to 300F.
Using a serrated knife, cut slices about 1/3 to 1/2" wide from each rectangle. Arrange slices cut side down on baking sheet and return to oven.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, turn biscotti over (onto other cut side) and bake an additional 10-12 minutes, depending on the thickness of your slices. Remove to a wire to cool.

If you want to add that special touch (and I do recommend it), melt 1/2 cup chopped semisweet chocolate along with 1/4 cup Nutella in a microwave safe dish. When the cookies have cooled, spread a layer of the melted chocolate on their bottoms, using a small knife or off-set spatula. Sprinkle with toasted hazelnuts and allow to dry completely before storing in an airtight container.
Or eating.

Check out more Nutella recipes on Mignardise...

Nutella Pancakes

Nutella Scones

Nutella Rugelach

Double Dark Chocolate and Nutella Thumbprint Cookies

Nutella Cupcakes

Nutella Coffeecake


This blog post has been linked to Fat Camp Friday on Mangoes and Chutney, as well as Designs by Gollum's Foodie Friday!

Nutella Bread Pudding

Welcome to my 200th post!
Hard to believe I've written that many. And you're still here.
Thanks. I really mean it.
Without you I would be nothing. Rien, as they say in France.

It's for you I sacrifice and experiment. Mix and chop. Simmer and stir.
For you, I ignore my children then force them to consume meals they are entirely unsure of.
It's for you I do things like make Nutella treats six days in a row.

Today's dessert is Nutella bread pudding. Honestly, the only bread pudding I've ever really liked is at Todd English's Figs restaurant. This version isn't as over-the-top decadent as Todd's (I like to pretend he and I are on a first name basis) and it's a bit simpler. It's really quick to put together and incredibly chocolate-y. Making it in the individual ramekins makes it look kinda fancy - enough so that you could serve it at a dinner party. Top with whipped cream, if that's what you like. I put a scoop of the leftover coffee frozen yogurt on top and it was ne plus ultra.
As they say in France.

Nutella Bread Pudding
from Baking Bites

5 cups cubed brioche or challah bread (approx. 1/2 loaf)

2 cups whole milk

2 large eggs

1/2 cup Nutella

1 Tbsps. cocoa powder

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375. Lightly grease six 6 oz. ovenproof ramekins.
In a large bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, Nutella, cocoa powder and vanilla until very smooth. Add in cubed bread and turn gently to thoroughly coat all pieces. Let stand for five minutes to allow bread to soak up liquid. Fold in chocolate chips, being careful not to break up the bread cubes.
Evenly distribute the mixture between the prepared ramekins. Place ramekins on a baking sheet lined with foil.
Bake 20-25 minutes until puddings are puffy and set.
Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Nutella Coffee Shake

In Nutella Land, lots of people are enamored with Nutella hot chocolate.


Make hot chocolate, stir in Nutella. Yum.


But I got to thinking about Nutella in a cold drink.

The idea occurred to me this morning as I was at the gym, working off yesterday's Nutella pancakes.
I often think about food while I exercise. Don't tell me you're any different.

I considered a Nutella smoothie. Maybe with some plain yogurt, a splash of cold coffee. Could almost pass for health food.
Coffee...coffee...coffee...coffee frozen yogurt! With Nutella. Yes!

Coffee Nutella Shake (Also referred to as a frappe in these parts.)

In a blender, combine about a cup of coffee frozen yogurt, 1/4 cup Nutella and about 1/3 cup whole milk (depending on how thick you want it). Blend well, pour into a glass.
Enjoy cold Nutella deliciousness. Be happy.

Note: Amounts are strictly approximate. Double if you want to share. Use skim milk if you must. Coffee ice cream also works well in place of the fro yo. Feel free to increase the amount of Nutella.

Nutella Pancakes Are Just the Beginning

There are two BIG things coming up fast this week.

Another major snowstorm, predicted for Wednesday. (Please, spare me.)
And World Nutella Day on Saturday.

The combination of these two events has made me decide that this week should be all-Nutella here at Mignardise.
Because I believe that enough Nutella can cure cabin fever.
It can give me my son the energy needed for marathon shoveling.
And of course there's nothing better than baking while the snow piles up outside.

Let's begin at the beginning. Breakfast!
Of course you could spread a little Nutella on your toast and call it a day. But that wouldn't make much of a blog post would it?
So let's have pancakes. Nutella pancakes. With caramelized bananas. And maple syrup.
Send Aunt Jemima and Mrs. Butterworth out to shovel the driveway. They're not invited to this party.

Nutella Pancakes
adapted from Inn Cuisine

2 eggs

1/2 cup Nutella

1 1/2 cups milk

1 Tbsp. cooking oil

 2 cups all-purpose flour

1 heaping Tbsp. cocoa powder

2 tsps. baking powder

2 Tbsps. butter

1/4 cup sugar

2 bananas, sliced

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1/2 cup chopped hazelnut, toasted (optional)

In a medium bowl, whisk eggs and Nutella until smooth. Add milk and oil, whisking until well combined. In a large bowl, mix together flour, cocoa powder and baking soda. Add egg mixture to dry ingredients, mix well until most lumps are gone. Allow batter to rest.

While batter is resting, heat a skillet over medium heat. Melt butter in skillet, then add sugar. Stir constantly until mixture becomes lightly browned (watch carefully and don't let it burn). Add bananas and cook until softened and throughly coated with sugar mixture. Add maple syrup. Let it warm briefly, then remove from heat.
Drop pancake batter onto hot griddle. When bubbles appear (2-3 minutes), flip pancakes and cook another minute. Serve with caramelized bananas, toasted hazelnuts (if using) and pan syrup. Pass more syrup if desired.

Come back tomorrow for more Nutella!

Double Dark Chocolate and Nutella Thumbprint Cookies

How's that holiday cookie baking thing going for you?

How many pounds of butter have you blended into little nuggets of joy? Is there powdered sugar in every possible crevice of your kitchen? Is your head spinning with all the cookie possibilities?

Are we having fun yet?

If you detect a note of sarcasm in this post, you're not mistaken.
It goes without saying that I love to bake (yet...I said it). But not so much under pressure. The gazillion cookie recipes out there make me feel a bit frantic. What if I miss a really good one? And to be honest, I prefer making brownies and cakes.
I have loads of admiration for those who can produce beautifully decorated sugar cookies, using all kinds of fancy techniques and sparkly sugars. Oh to be an artist like that!
Maybe in my next life.

What's coming out of my kitchen is simpler on style, but no less delicious  - maybe even more so.
Especially if you like adore chocolate.
These cookies were pretty easy to make, and by using a very small ice cream scoop, they all came out the same size. They are absolutely packed with deep chocolate flavor, and in case that wasn't enough, I added a dollop of Nutella and a white chocolate drizzle.

Double Dark Chocolate Thumbprints
adapted from Fine Cooking


6 oz. (1 1/2 cups) all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

4 oz. (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened

1 1/3 cup sugar

1 1/2 oz. (1/2 cup) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted if lumpy

3 large eggs

3/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract

3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted and slightly cooled

1/2 cup Nutella

1/2 cup white chocolate chips, or chopped white chocolate, melted (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line 3 cookie sheets with parchment or nonstick baking liners (Silpat).

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar and cocoa powder on medium speed until well blended, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for 30 seconds after each addition. Add the vanilla along with the last egg.
Continue mixing on medium speed for another minute, until well-blended. Add the cooled melted chocolate and mix until just blended, about 30 seconds.
Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until well incorporated, about 1 minute.

Using a 1 Tbsp. measure or a mini ice cream scoop, drop tablespoons of the dough onto prepared cookie sheets, about 1 1/2" apart. Bake until cookies are puffy and the tops are cracked 11-13 minutes, rotating cookie sheets half way through. As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, use the rounded side of a 1/2 tsp. measuring spoon to make a small, deep imprint in the center of each cookie. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.
At this point, you can fill the cookies right away or store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

To make the filling, place Nutella in a small, microwaveable bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds until slightly softened. Using a small spoon, carefully spoon a bit of Nutella into the center of each cookie.

If you'd like to decorate them with the white chocolate drizzle, place white chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl. Melt in microwave, in 30 second intervals, until smooth. Transfer to a small plastic bag, pushing chocolate into a corner . Snip of a tiny corner of the bag, and squeeze out the white chocolate onto the cookies. Allow to set before stacking or storing cookies.

An Excuse to Eat Nutella. Like I Need One.

Woo-hoo!
 World Nutella Day is finally here.
An excuse to eat Nutella out in the open.
I can take that jar that's been hidden behind the chicken broth in the pantry, just to the left of the arborio rice, and dip my knife proudly into it. No hiding shamefully with it in the garage today (just checking my tire pressure - be right in!).
I'm thinking Nutella for breakfast (on a banana), lunch (Nutella panini) and dinner (Nutella chicken mole anyone?).
There's even a Nutella cocktail. It's Friday isn't it?

So what if World Nutella Day is a pretend holiday (may I remind you that so is Mother's Day, Valentine's Day and Administrative Assistant Day)? It's the delicious brainchild of Sara Rosso at Ms. Adventures in Italy and Michelle from Bleeding Espresso, now in it's fourth year.

My entry this year is Nutella Rugelach. Traditional rugelach are mini pastries, made with a cream cheese and butter dough, and filled with apricot jam or brown sugar and nuts.
Delish.
But not quite as yummy as this decadent version.
The rolling part requires a little muscle, which is fine. You'll burn a few calories.
Permission granted to have another rugelach.

Nutella and Toasted Hazelnut Rugelach
adapted from Alice Medrich's Cookies and Brownies


Dough:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 Tbsps. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold

8 oz. cream cheese, cold

Filling:

1 cup hazelnuts, chopped and toasted

1 13 oz. jar Nutella chocolate-hazelnut spread (you won't use all of it)

Combine the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse a few times to mix. Cut the butter into eight pieces and add to the flour mixture. Pulse until the the butter pieces are the size of breadcrumbs. Cut the cream cheese into four pieces and add to the mixture. Process until the dough begins to clump together, about 30 seconds. Remove from processor and divide into four equal pieces. Press each piece into a flat circle, wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm, about 4 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350.
Remove one piece of dough from refrigerator. Roll between two pieces of wax paper into a 12" circle, approx. 1/8" thick.  Peel the top sheet of wax paper from the dough and place it on the counter or a cutting board. Flip the dough over onto the paper and peel off the second sheet.

 Spread a thin layer of Nutella over entire circle of dough, then sprinkle generously with hazelnuts.

Cut the dough like a pie into 12 equal wedges. Roll the wide outside edge of each slice up around the filling towards the point. Place the roll, point side down, on a cookie sheet (lined with Silpat if you have it). Repeat with remaining wedges, placing cookies about 1 1/2" apart. If at any time the dough becomes too soft, return it to the refrigerator to firm up for a little while.
Roll, cut and fill the remaining pieces of dough.

Bake about 25 minutes or until light golden brown at the edges.
Remove from oven and set baking sheets on cooling racks.
Cool completely before storing or stacking.
They're best the day they're made, but can be stored airtight for a few days.

Note: I brushed the top of each rugelach with a little beaten egg and a sprinkle of vanilla sugar before baking. It doesn't change the taste, but they look pretty.

See the World Nutella Day website for LOADS more chocolate-y, hazelnutty recipes.

Nutella Coffeecake and What Happened to My Camera

I had a lovely blog post all set to go, but there's no picture. 

Why? Why is there no photo, you ask?

Because I foolishly tucked my camera into the pocket of my jacket when I went kayaking this weekend. I'm not sure why I thought this would be a good idea. I did think it would be fun to have pictures of my friends paddling along. But cameras don't like water.

No, they don't.

I didn't capsize, but I got much wetter than I anticipated. The river was moving fast due to all the rain we've had, and even as I paddled furiously, it came up over the sides. We might have been better off with surfboards.

Within just a few minutes I was sitting hip deep in water, yet somehow managing to stay afloat. And the camera, while zipped securely in my pocket, sucked up water like a sponge. 

So sad for my little camera. Now I have to find a new one. One that will hopefully take excellent pictures of all kinds of food.  Do you have any suggestions? I could really use some words of advice from those of you who take such beautiful food shots - what do you use?

I did promise to post the Nutella Coffeecake recipe from last week. So here it is, with a picture I had already taken. It's a nice sweet ending to a brunch. And it's great to do ahead of time - keep it in the freezer until ready to serve.

Nutella Coffeecake, adapted from Cooking Light

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 (16 oz.) container sour cream (regular or lowfat)

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts, toasted

1/2 cup (approx.) Nutella

Preheat oven to 350. Coat a 12 cup Bundt pan with cooking spray for baking (such as Baker's Joy).

Place sugar and butter in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and sour cream and beat until well blended.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk lightly to blend. Add flour mixture to sour cream mixture, stirring until just combined.

Spoon half of batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle evenly with hazelnuts. Drop spoonfuls of Nutella over nuts,and spread to almost cover batter. Spoon remaining cake batter over Nutella. Swirl gently with a knife.

Bake for 55 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan, on a wire rack, at least 15 minutes. Remove cake from pan and cool completely on wire rack. When ready to serve, sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar.

Do you love Nutella?

Check here for more.

Graduation Brunch

Yesterday was one of those events that you know will come sometime, yet you're never quite prepared for it.
When you've picked the thousandth Lego off the floor, when your three year old won't sleep through the night, when you step on a Barbie shoe barefoot, when your kid won't eat anything but white food, when they don't get long division, you think this day is so far off, it's unimaginable.

Then suddenly, there it is.
High school graduation.

It was a beautiful June day, full of sunshine and anticipation.
 One hundred and twenty five fresh-faced young adults, clad in blue and white robes, marched purposefully into the tent. They took their seats facing proud parents. There were encouraging speeches and music performed by a few from this very talented class.

 In a small town, you know a lot about each other. Who's going to what college, who's working (or not working) where, and whose family needs a little extra hug and support. As each student came forward to accept his or her diploma, the cheering was loud and sincere. Parents and parents of friends who'd seen them grow up, were there now, one last time.
There was a cool breeze inside the tent, but so much warmth in the air that no one minded.

Afterwards, the kids indulged their parents as they snapped photo after photo. They tolerated all the hugs and congratulations with smiles and grace.

It was a beautiful June day that we thought was always a million years away.

Ok, of course you want to know, what did we eat?
For the five us, plus grandparents and an uncle, I put together a brunch that guaranteed no growling stomachs during the ceremony.

Fruit salad (with all the fruit I like and none that I don't), a divine coffeecake* with a swirly Nutella center and this delicious...

Crustless Mushroom, Spinach and Leek Quiche adapted from Baking Bites 
(I think it's better to have crustless quiche and save the calories for an extra piece of coffeecake)

1 medium leek, thinly sliced

6 oz. fresh baby spinach

4 oz. fresh white mushrooms, thinly sliced

3 large eggs

2 large egg whites

1/2 cup flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/3 cups milk

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400F.
Lightly grease a 10" quiche or tart pan.
Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a skillet. When hot, add leeks and mushrooms. Saute until soft, but not browned. Add spinach and cook about one minute until it is wilted. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk in milk, then stir in vegetable mixture and cheese. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the center is set and the edges are golden brown.
Let set for at least 5 minutes before slicing.

I also made a second quiche that was very popular with the guys. Follow same directions, but swap out vegetables and Parmesan for smoked ham and pepper jack cheese.

Enjoy, because it'll be gone before you know it.


* Recipe to come later. There have been a lot of cake posts lately.

Celebrating World Nutella Day

Did you get the memo that said Thursday February 5 is World Nutella Day? I did.
I got it from Ms. Adventures in Italy, a blog by a lucky young American who happens to live in Italy. Go to her site and learn 50 ways to eat Nutella.
My favorite way? On a banana! Or in a crepe. Or in a crepe with a banana!

If you haven't yet been introduced to Nutella, it's a chocolate-y, nutty, yummy, creamy treat from Italy that you can find in your own grocery store. Smooth and spreadable like peanut butter, but chocolate with a hint of hazelnut. And you don't even have to go to la groceria italiana to get this little bit of heaven.

Go get yourself a jar. Now, before World Nutella Day passes you by! Try one of Ms. Adventure's delicious suggestions, or use it to bake...



Nutella Cupcakes, from Baking Bites

10 Tbsps. unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup white sugar

3 eggs

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 3/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
(that means sift first, then measure)

1/4 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking powder

Nutella, about 1/3 cup (a little more is always better)

Preheat oven to 325. Line 12 muffin tin with paper liners.
Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add in eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated. Don't worry of the batter looks curdled. Add vanilla.
Stir in flour, salt and baking powder until thoroughly combined and no flour remains.
Fill each paper liner with batter, 3/4 full. Top each cupcake with approx. 1 1/2 tsps. Nutella.
Swirl Nutella and batter together with a toothpick, making sure to fold a bit of the batter up over Nutella. Bake 20-25 mins., until toothpick inserted into middle comes out clean (except for the Nutella). Remove to a wire rack and cool completely.

Caution! Once you've tried Nutella, it's easy to get hooked. See this post by Bleeding Espresso (another lucky girl living and drinking coffee in Italy) to find out if you are truly addicted.