>More Nutella

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I went to breakfast this morning with G+S, and G asked (jokingly) if I wanted Nutella-stuffed french toast. Of course I wanted Nutella-stuffed french toast, but I couldn’t have it. I spent the better part of my morning thinking about Nutella; how perfectly the chocolate and hazelnuts blend together, how I can’t have it, how every 13 oz. jar contains over 50 hazelnuts, how I can’t have it.

To put my thoughts at bay I decided it was time I make a Nutella version of the peanut butter cookie. I’ve been wanting to write a recipe for quite some time, but I never got around to it. Cough-lazy-cough. Instead, I winged it in the kitchen, slugged down two mimosas and added the ingredients as I saw fit (last time I did this, it didn’t turn out so well). Oh, and in case you were wondering, I had scrambled eggs, potatoes and dry wheat toast for breakfast. Exciting, I know. But between you and me, I would have much rather had Nutella-stuffed french toast.

Nutella bites

1/2 c. butter, room temperature
1/2 c. cane sugar
1 c. brown sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 c. Nutella
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 c. cocoa powder, sifted
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 2/3 c. unbleached flour
2 TBS vanilla sugar, for coating (optional)

• Cream butter, sugars and vanilla together
• Add egg and Nutella – mix well
• Sift cocoa into mixture
• Add salt, baking soda and baking powder – mix well
• Add flour, 1/3 c. at a time

Baking:

• Line cookie sheet with parchment paper
• Roll cookies into quarter-sized balls and space 2 inches apart
• Sprinkle with sugar (or you can coat them in sugar after rolling)
• After baking, allow cookies to sit on baking sheet for 2-3 minutes

Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes

* These spread in the oven and turn into a thin, chewy cookie with a crunchy outer. For thick, cakey cookies use 2 c. flour, 1/4 c. less of each sugar and only 1/4 tsp baking powder. And I suggest baking at 350 – you’re on your own with the baking time.


* For vegan cookies: use Ener-G egg replacer for the egg, Earth Balance or non-hyrdogenated shortening (Spectrum brand) for the butter – and I regret to inform you that Nutella is made with milk, so mix 3/4 c. hazelnut butter with 3 TBS non-dairy milk and 1/3 c. cocoa powder for the Nutella.

                                        

And I’ll have you know, it took every ounce of strength in my body to keep me from licking the bowl clean. I snuck a tiny crumb bite of one of the cookies, and I would have eaten each and every one of them if I was certain there wouldn’t be a couch and stomach ache in my imminent future. If you’re on a diet, I suggest you run, not walk, far away from this recipe; you will not forgive yourself for eating the entire contents of the cookie jar.

>Nutella no-bakes

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I’ve been eyeing Vic Firth’s line of rolling pins for quite some time now. Coming from a family of drummers, I grew up with Vic (figuratively, not literally). I stumbled upon his line of rolling pins in Sur la Table a few weeks ago and thought What could this old dude possibly know about rolling pins? Until I handled one of them and realized Whoa! This old dude doesn’t fuck around. I have never held a better quality rolling pin in my life. Sometime in the near future I’m going to treat myself to Vic’s bakery rolling pin. It’s a total babe, and it belongs in my kitchen. Did you count how many times I said rolling pin(s)?

I have only ever met one person in my life who doesn’t like Nutella. And to this day I think that person is slightly crazy. Unfortunately my GI-tract doesn’t allow me to eat such a concoction, but when I opened the container this morning I sniffed it’s chocolatey-hazelnut contents for a good 2 minutes. No judging.

Nutella no-bakes

1/2 c. butter, room temperature

1/3 c. milk

1 c. sugar

2 TBS agave nectar

1/3 c. cocoa powder

1/2 c. Nutella

1 1/2 tsp. Frangelico

3 1/2 c. oats (these cookies would also be awesome with crisp rice – really awesome)

• Toss butter, milk, sugar, agave nectar and coca powder into a sauce pan on medium-low heat
• Bring to a boil for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally
• Remove from heat, stir in Nutella and Frangelico
• Transfer mixture to mixing bowl and allow to cool for 20 minutes (this would be the appropriate time for you to submerge your entire hand into the mixture and lick it clean)
• Add oats and spoon onto wax paper

                                        

PS – I found Hagrid (whose name is actually Bill). Turns out he was arrested and put in jail for sleeping on private property. And the stalking ensues.