Happy Valentine’s Day…. Grandma Felicia always told me…

“The fastest way to a man’s heart is through his stomach”…and she was right!

Who doesn’t love Nutella? It has been a favorite of mine for many years, and has been a staple in my family’s pantries for as far back as I can remember. I can still see it lined up neatly on the second shelf, and left -hand side, of the center aisle of my grandfathers’ Italian variety store, Pats Center Grocery. I still enjoy the snack my Nona Rose prepared for me during my many visits to the store after school. Back then, most children snacked on PB&J after school, but Italian kids…we snacked on Italian toast with Nutella!

Today Nutella is gaining popularity, and justifiable so! It’s rich, creamy, chocolate, nutty flavor is out of this world delicious all on its own…but did you know combined with 2 other simple ingredients you could make one of the most decadent desserts known to mankind…Talk about “the fastest way to a man’s heart” …It’s only 3 ingredients away!

Nutella Brownies with Nutella Butter Cream Frosting and Macerated Strawberries

 

Nutella Brownie Ingredients

1 cup Nutella Hazelnut spread

2 large eggs

10 tablespoons flour

Nutella Butter Cream Frosting Ingredients

1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup Nutella
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

2 tablespoon Hershey coco powder
4 tablespoons heavy cream

Macerated Strawberries Ingredients

1 pint fresh strawberries

½ cup sugar

1/4 cup Crème de Strawberry Fraise liquor

Garnish Ingredients

5 whole strawberries

 

Macerated Strawberries Step-by-Step

1 remove stems from strawberries using a paring knife, discard stems

2  slice strawberries in half, then into thirds or fourths depending on the size of the strawberry

3 place prepared strawberries into a mixing bowl and add sugar

4 combine ¼ cup Crème de Strawberry Fraise liquor with sugar and strawberries, mix well, and let rest on counter 1 hour

 

 

 

 

 

Nutella Butter Cream Frosting Step-by-Step

1 combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, whip 2 minutes or until a creamy light textured frosting is formed

2 transfer frosting a pastry bag fitted with a star tip, reserve in refrigerator

 

Nutella Brownie Step-by-Step

1 combine all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment

2 beat 1 minute on a medium speed (batter will be very thick)

3 generously grease and flour an 8×8 tart pan (I prefer to use Baker’s Joy non-stick spray)

4 using a rubber spatula, transfer and evenly spread batter

5 bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 25 minutes

6 remove from oven and cool 20 minute

7 remove the outer potion of the tart pan, and carful slide Nutella brownie onto a cake plate

8 using a pastry bag, fix 5 large dollops of Nutella frosting 1 inch from the outer edge of the brownie an, and top each dollop with 1 whole strawberry

9 pipe frosting around the top edge of the brownie

*Note~practice your pastry bag piping skills on a piece of wax paper

10  Slice into 5 equal slices, garnish with macerated strawberry

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Note~ alternative serving option… omit Nutella frosting and simply dust the top of the Nutella Brownie with a generous dusting of confectioners’ sugar, and garnish with whipped cream and a generous portion of macerated sliced strawberries

Enjoy!