Hello everyone.
This past Saturday we celebrated World Nutella Day – an entire day dedicated to the creamy smooth chocolaty spread that is loved by so so many.
Filled with flavours of chocolate and hazelnuts, Nutella was first manufactured by the Italian Company Ferrero in 1964 and has been labelled as a ‘decadent hazelnut cream’.
World Nutella Day was first celebrated in 2007 by American blogger Sara Rossa.
She believed herself to be Nutella’s biggest fan and felt it deserved a worldwide celebration.
She along with other Nutella lovers started sharing recipes, ideas and inspiration on social media platforms and before you knew it, World Nutella Day was born.
What makes Nutella special in my home is that I can use it for anything!
It’s yummy when spread on bread as a once in a while treat but my favourite is when I use it in my baking.
Whenever a recipe calls for melted chocolate, I grab my jar of Nutella instead, because it adds the perfect sweetness and just makes everything taste better.
If I need to add a quick drizzle of chocolate on something like a pastry, a cupcake, or even a marshmallow or fruit, I dish out some Nutella, pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds and I have the perfect runny chocolate.
Next week on 14th February, we also celebrate the day of love, and no Valentine’s Day is complete without sharing or gifting some chocolate to your loved ones.
Chocolate is associated with tokens of appreciation, friendship, love and romance, and it makes everyone happy.
This week in honour of World Nutella and Valentine’s Day I’m sharing my favourite chocolate recipes for you to enjoy.
Love your Cooksister.
Nutella Pinwheels
Recipe Credit Farzana Kumandan
Ingredients
*For the Pinwheels
1x 400g puff pastry
3 x tbsp Nutella
*For the Topping
Icing sugar for dusting
2 tbsp Nutella
Method
Allow puff pastry to thaw in the fridge. Open the roll of puff pastry and using your fingers gently flatten and straighten out the sides.
Spread 3 tablespoons of Nutella on the top side facing you, ensuring you cover all of the top of the pastry.
Roll into a Swiss roll, starting from bottom to top.
Using your fingers, gently pinch the roll closed.
With a serrated knife, cut 3cm size Pinwheels.
Slightly flatten each pinwheel in the palm of your hand and transfer to bake on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake for 15 minutes on 200°C.
The top of the pastry should be slightly golden. Do not overbake.
Remove from oven and allow to cool.
Sprinkle and dust with icing sugar and add a drizzle of Nutella.
I warmed the Nutella in the microwave for 20 seconds just to thin it out before drizzling.
Nutella Eclairs
Recipe Credit Farzana Kumandan Ingredients
125g soft butter
5 eggs
1cup boiling water
1cup flour
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C.
In a heavy based pot on a low heat, bring your soft butter and boiling water to a slow boil.
Add in your flour and stir until a smooth, soft ball of dough is formed.
Remove the dough from the pot and transfer to a glass bowl.
Allow to cool for 5 minutes.
With an electric whisk, add your eggs one at a time, whisking after each addition.
Transfer your eclair dough to a piping bag and pipe your eclair rounds on a baking tray, lined with baking paper. (I use a Macaron mat)
Bake on 200°C for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 180degrees and bake for a further 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, turn the oven off but leave the door open and allow the eclairs to cool for at least a half hour.
Once cooled, fill with Nutella and fresh cream.
Drizzle with Nutella until someone tells you to stop!
Lindt Lava Cups
Recipe Credit Farzana Kumandan @sprinklesandspicect
Ingredients
225g butter
90g dark Lindt chocolate (70%)
4 eggs
1¼ cups sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla essence
1 heaped cup flour
½ teaspoon baking Powder
¼ teaspoon salt
12 - 15 Lindt balls of your choice
Method
Freeze the Lindt balls overnight
Chop the butter in pieces and melt the butter and dark chocolate over a stove top.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar and vanilla essence.
Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt.
Add in the melted chocolate and butter and mix until a smooth batter is formed
Grease spray a Ramekin or line a muffin tray with cupcake cups.
Add 1 tablespoon of the batter per cup and add the frozen Lindt ball
Top with batter and fill the ¾ cup full.
Bake in a preheated oven at 175°C for exactly 15 minutes.
Allow to cool completely in tray before removing.
Dust with icing sugar and serve with berries and Ice Cream
Chocolate Rolo Fudge Tart
Recipe Credit Farzana Kumandan
Ingredients
150g butter
50g dark chocolate (I used Lindt 70%)
1 ¼ cup light brown sugar
1 tbsp vanilla essence
¾ cup nestle cocoa
3 eggs
¾ cup cake flour
1 roll nestle Rolo chocolate roughly chopped
Method
Chop the butter and dark chocolate into tiny pieces.
In a microwave safe bowl add the butter, dark chocolate and top with the sugar.
Microwave for 1 minute on high power.
After 1 minute, add in the vanilla essence and cocoa and stir until smooth.
(If there's tiny pieces of butter or chocolate not melted, continue to stir until its melted and the mixture is smooth)
Add the mixture to your cake mixer, add in the eggs and whisk on high for 30 seconds.
Add in the flour and whisk on a medium speed for 1-2 minutes.
body copy_bold: The mixture will resemble a soft cookie dough.
Line a 24cm pie or tart dish with baking paper and grease spray.
Press half your batter into the tart dish and sprinkle over the rolo bits.
Cover with the rest of the batter.
Bake on 175°C for 30-35 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Do not overbake or you will have a firmer, more crisp texture.
Dust with icing sugar before serving.
Enjoy with a scoop of your favourite ice cream
Nutella & Strawberry Scones
Recipe Credit Farzana Kumandan
Ingredients
3 cups self-rising flour
2 tbsp sugar
550ml fresh cream (If it’s past the sell by date, even better)
Method
Mix all 3 ingredients with a butter knife.
Cut out scone rounds, brush with milk and bake on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
Bake in a preheated oven @ 200°C for 10-15 minutes until bottoms or tops are golden.
Serve with fresh cream, strawberries and a drizzle of Nutella.
Churros dipped in Nutella
Farzana Kumandan
Recipe Credit Farzana Kumandan @sprinklesandspicect
Ingredients
125g soft butter
5 eggs
1cup boiling water
1cup flour
Oil for deep frying
Cinnamon Sugar for dusting
Method
In a heavy based pot on a low heat, bring your soft butter and boiling water to a slow boil.
Add in your flour and stir until a smooth, soft ball of dough is formed.
Remove the dough from the pot and transfer to a glass bowl. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.
With an electric whisk, add your eggs one at a time, whisking after each addition.
Transfer your dough to a piping bag, with a medium or large star nozzle (depending on your preference)
Pipe a finger length dough on baking paper and pop in the fridge for 5 minutes.
Fry in medium-hot oil until all sides are golden brown.
Drain in a colander for 2 minutes and roll in cinnamon sugar, white hot.
Serve with ice cream, chocolate sauce, fruit or anything your heart desires