{Sweet Treats} Ode to Nutella

3 simple ingredients: Hazelnuts, CoCoa and Skim milk are use to make this rich spread.

Nutella originated in Italy and was created by Italian pastry maker, Pietro Ferrero. Because there was a shortage of chocolate, Mr. Pietro discovered that Hazelnuts could be added to stretch and enrich the cocoa flavor. Once it was formulated in a spread the popularity of Nutella caught on like wild fire! All through out Europe, families were spreading Nutella over breakfast toast and on bananas, apples and other fruits. 25 years ago the US got its first taste of this sweet dessert and hasn’t looked back since! There are hundreds of recipes for snacks, desserts and even entree`s that include Nutella. Because of my own personal obsession with this Italian treat I wanted to share 3 of my favorite Nutella recipes.

1. Nutella Buttercream Icing

Best spread over chocolate cupcakes, this recipe will become a family favorite instantly!

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Makes enough buttercream to frost 24 cupcakes

Ingredients
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 13-ounce jar of Nutella
pinch of fine grain sea salt
1 tablespoon clear vanilla extract
2 pounds confectioners’ sugar, sifted
6-8 tablespoons heavy cream or milk

Directions
1. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and Nutella until well combined. Slowly add in confectioner’s sugar, and continue creaming until well blended.
2. Add salt, vanilla, and 3 tablespoons of heavy cream or milk. Blend on low speed until moistened. Add an additional 3-5 tablespoons of heavy cream or milk until you reach the desired consistency. Beat at high speed until frosting is smooth and fluffy.

Notes
-This recipe will make enough frosting to generously frost 24 cupcakes or one 9 inch layer cake.
-You can easily adjust the consistency of this recipe by simply adding in more heavy cream or milk.
-Covered and refrigerated frosting can be stored for up to three days. Simply bring it to room temperature and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. You may need to add a couple of teaspoons of heavy cream or milk to revive the consistency.

2. Nutella Macarons

A nutty twist on a new favorite!

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Ingredients

Macaron Batter
1 cup (100 gr) powdered sugar
½ cup powdered almonds (about 2 ounces, 50 gr, sliced almonds, pulverized)
3 tablespoons (25 gr) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 large egg whites, at room temperature
5 tablespoons (65 gr) granulated sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350º F (180º C).

2. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and have a pastry bag with a plain tip (about 1/2-inch, 2 cm) ready.

3. Grind together the powdered sugar with the almond powder and cocoa so there are no lumps; use a blender or food processor since almond meal that you buy isn’t quite fine enough.

4. In the bowl of a standing electric mixer, beat the egg whites until they begin to rise and hold their shape. While whipping, beat in the granulated sugar until very stiff and firm, about 2 minutes.

5. Carefully fold the dry ingredients, in two batches, into the beaten egg whites with a flexible rubber spatula. When the mixture is just smooth and there are no streaks of egg white, stop folding and scrape the batter into the pastry bag (standing the bag in a tall glass helps if you’re alone).

6. Pipe the batter on the parchment-lined baking sheets in 1-inch (3 cm) circles (about 1 tablespoon each of batter), evenly spaced one-inch (3 cm) apart.

7. Rap the baking sheet a few times firmly on the counter top to flatten the macarons, then bake them for 15-18 minutes. Let cool completely then remove from baking sheet.

Notes:

To make the filling, make a dark chocolate ganache with heavy cream and then mixin a generous amount of Nutella. These macarons are like little bites of Nutella chocolate heaven!

3. Nutella and Banana Milkshake

This just sounds deliciously sinful! Yummm.