Nutella Fudge

So, at my wedding (there’s a few pics on our facebook page) my Dad decided to share with everyone what a gross child I was in his speech and how I used to eat Nutella by the spoonful and hide the empty jar under my bed.  It’s a true story, but still.  I remember feeling mortified rather than any nice words he might of said! 

Anyway, we popped around to Courtenay’s place last weekend because it was Max’s 4th birthday party.  (Yup.  Can you believe it?  We’ve been blogging since before he was born!  Want a trip down memory lane?  Take a look back to check out one of the very first pics of him or a very pregnant Courtenay in our old posts.)  While there Simon and I were given two big jars of Nutella to take home since Courtenay’s husband Shane was at the wedding and heard my Dad’s speech and he has decided to try out a Paleo diet.

I decided to use some of it up by making this Nutella fudge.  It is super easy to make and made in one pot, so very little mess.  The fudge has a delicious Nutella flavour and a smooth creamy texture.  I figured I love Nutella and making fudge, so why not combine the two.  Yum!

Ingredients:
1 cup Nutella
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 can condensed milk
250g milk chocolate, broken in to chunks (I used Whittakers Milk Chocolate as I love the smooth, creamy texture it has)
60g butter

Method:
Grease and line a slice tin with baking paper (I used a 20 x 20cm square pan).  Place all the ingredients in a large saucepan.  Place the saucepan of ingredients over the top of a slightly smaller saucepan filled with simmering water.
Melt all the ingredients until the mixture is smooth.  This takes about 10 minutes.
Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and refrigerate until set (I left mine overnight but it shouldn’t take anymore that 5-6 hours at the most).
Cut into squares and serve.  Keep stored in the refrigerator.

Nutella Cheesecake

I love Nutella.  I love Cheesecake.  So, I combined the two to make a delectable dessert.  I am in love.  I don’t think I need to say anymore – the pictures speak for themselves.


Ingredients:
250g biscuits (I used Choc Chip Fudge Cookies by Farmbake)
80g butter, melted
250g cream cheese, softened
½ cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 cup cream
1 cup Nutella
3 teaspoons gelatine, dissolved in ¼ cup boiling water
¼ cup hazelnuts, roughly chopped
1 x 30g flake chocolate bar

Method:
Place the biscuits in a food processor and process into fine crumbs.  Add the butter and process to combine.  Press the mixture in to a greased 20cm round spring-form tin and chill in the refrigerator.
Beat the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and Nutella together with an electric mixer until smooth, then beat in the cream.  Stir through the gelatine. 
Pour the filling over the cookie base.  Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes so that the top of the cake sets. 
Crumble the flake chocolate bar over the top of the cheesecake.  Sprinkle over the chopped hazelnuts.  Return the cheesecake to the refrigerator and leave for 3 hours or until set.  Cut into wedges and serve with fresh whipped cream or your favourite ice cream.

Chocolate, Hazelnut and Chocolate Chip Cookies

Things have been pretty crazy lately, I am approaching the end of my first year back at work full time (after two years at home with Max), that in itself has kept me pretty busy but health wise our wee family has not been able to catch a break – Max in daycare and me at school means are surrounded by germs constantly. As I type I am chatting to my spot covered wee boy – I am off work the next few days thanks to the nasty case of chicken pox Max came down with at the end of last week.

It’s easy to lose your baking mojo when it seems like there are a million other things on the ‘to do list’ (well maybe not a million – but say 300 reports, no that is not an exaggeration that is how many kids I teach over the course of each week!). Mel and I were lucky enough to be invited to the Bluebell’s Cakery book launch a couple of weeks ago and the beautiful recipe book I purchased at the end of the evening has me feeling really inspired! I loved the look of the ‘Chunky Chocolate and Macadamia Bisucuits’ Karla has in the ‘Biscuits’ section of the book that is what inspired these cookies. I must say that time in the kitchen baking something yummy was just what I needed. These cookies are delicious, they even managed to put a smile on the face of my spotty dot!

Ingredients:
125g butter, softened
3 tablespoons Nutella
1 teaspoon vanilla paste
1 egg
¾ cup brown sugar
¾ cup caster sugar
1½ cups flour
4 tablespoons cocoa
½ teaspoon baking soda
100g hazelnuts, roughly chopped
100g chocolate chips

Method:
Pre-heat your oven to 180°C and line a baking tray with wax paper.
Cream the butter and Nutella in the bowl of your mixer until well combined and becoming light.
Beat in sugars until your mix is light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as required.
Add egg and vanilla and beat to combine.
Sift in flour, cocoa and baking soda, mix on a low speed until just combined.
Fold through chocolate chips and hazelnut bits (if you want some on top of your cookies just keep a small amount of each aside).
Create ping pong sized balls of dough by rolling it between your hands and place on the lined baking tray, keep balls 8-10cm apart as they will spread. If you are adding nuts and choc chips to your tops place them and use the palm of your hand to flatten each cookie slightly.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until they are firm.
Once you remove them from the oven leave them on the tray for 2-5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack to cool completely.

These are definitely going to be be my go to cookie for the next wee while! They may even make it into some gift boxes for colleagues since we are approaching that time of year.

Peanut Butter and Nutella ‘Thumbprint’ Cookies

If you’ve been following the blog for a while now you’ll know that both Mel and myself are big fans of Nutella, you’ll also be aware we both have a soft spot for peanut butter so these were always going to be winners. If you aren’t a Nutella fan you could swap it out for jam, the classic PB&J combo always works well.

Ingredients:
1⅓ cups flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
225 grams butter. softened
⅓ cup packed brown sugar
⅓ cup white sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
¼ cup Nutella or Jam

Method:
Pre-heat oven to 180°C and line an oven tray with wax paper or a silicon mat.
Beat butter and peanut butter with a mixer on a medium to high speed until smooth.
Add sugars and beat until pale and fluffy.
Add egg and vanilla and beat until they are combined.
Stop mixer and sift in flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Fold with a spatula before turning your mixer on and mixing on a low speed.
Use a tablespoon to remove dough from your mixing bowl, form it into balls and place on your lined tray 4-5cm apart.
Bake until cookies puff up, about 10 minutes, remove from the oven and use the bottom your round teaspoon measure (or similar) to make indentations in the centre of each cookie.
Return to the oven and bake until the edges are golden , 5-7 minutes.
Remove and let cool completely on wire racks before piping Nutella into the centre or spooning jam in.

Nutella Cookies

I had to laugh when I read Courtenay’s post about Nutella Truffles last week; I too was a Nutella addict.  I would eat Nutella out of the jar with a spoon, and keep eating it, and then hide the empty jar under my bed.  Mum used to find the containers later and get so angry at me (so much so that she just stopped buying it).  She likes to share this story every now and then to embarrass me and I still feel ashamed.

My habit meant we also amassed quite a collection of drinking glasses as there was one point when Nutella came in these mexican looking glasses, or ones with characters from The Simpsons on them.  Does anyone remember them?  I think we still have some at our family bach.

I’m not so Nutella crazy now but, these cookies are pretty amazing.  They are soft in the middle, which takes me back to the days where I ate Nutella by the spoonful.  The almonds and choc chips make them extra special.  The cookies disappeared pretty quick in my house and I am sure they will be a hit at your place too.  Enough said; I’ll get on to sharing the recipe.

 Ingredients:
1 ½ cups flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup sugar
½ cup butter, softened
½ cup Nutella
1 teaspoon honey
1 egg
⅓ cup slivered almonds
⅓ cup chocolate chips

Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C.  Line two baking trays with baking paper.
Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium sized bowl.
In another bowl cream together the Nutella, sugar and butter.  Mix in the egg and honey.  Add the dry ingredients along with the chocolate chips and slivered almonds and mix until combined.
Roll tablespoons of the mixture into balls and place 5cm apart on the prepared trays.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Cool on the trays for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack.

P.S. Here’s an idea for any left over Nutella: stick some in a blender, add some milk (and perhaps some ice cream or frozen yoghurt if you have any) and blend until smooth.  I’ve recently discovered Nutella Milkshakes and they are the best.

Nutella Truffles

As a kid I was a Nutella addict, it was my choice of spread for toast or sandwiches, I’d have it on a spoon straight out of the jar. As an adult… Well I still love it and have been wanting to incorporate it into something for the blog for a wee while now. I had a potluck dinner to go to over the weekend so whipped these up to take along as my contribution to dessert, sophisticated enough for adults but a taste that can be enjoyed by everyone!

Ingredients:
200 grams milk chocolate melts
200 grams Nutella
4 tablespoons cream
100 grams of oven roasted hazelnuts, crushed (skins removed)
6 round wine or other plain biscuits, crushed

Method:
Create a double boiler by placing a bowl over a pot of simmering water, ensuring that the bubbling water does not touch the bottom of the bowl.
In your bowl place your milk chocolate and cream, stirring occasionally until it is combined.
Add the Nutella to your chocolate mixture and stir to combine.
Once combined, remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly before putting it in the fridge for 2-3 hours to set (this could be done a day ahead).
While waiting for your chocolate to set you can make the coating for your truffles by placing the biscuits in a food processor and whizzing until they are rough crumbs. Place your hazelnuts in as well and whizz until they are finely chopped.
Spread the coating onto a large plate.
Remove your chocolate mix from the fridge and use a teaspoon to scoop out the mixture, roll in your hands to create balls and then roll in the hazelnut/biscuit mix to coat the outside.
Return to the fridge in an airtight container for at least 30 minutes before serving. These could be stored in the fridge in an air tight container for up to a week but I really don’t see them lasting that long in anyone’s household!