nutella brownies

recipe from www.bunsinmyoven.com

 

"Mom, did you know that I can cook just like Barefoot Contessa?"

 

Baking with my pint sized Betty Crocker is one of my favorite ways to spend an afternoon.  This year's Valentine's Day dessert was inspired by her love of both chocolate and Nutella.  Decadent and rich, these brownies will satisfy any chocolate lover's craving for something sweet.

 

 

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

2 1/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup Nutella

4 large eggs

1 1/4 cups cocoa powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon espresso powder, optional

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

10 ounce package Hershey's Milk Chocolate Baking Melts (or chocolate chips) (I used Ghirardelli chocolate chips.)

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Butter a 9x13 baking dish.

In small saucepan over low heat, melt butter completely.  Stir in sugar and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Do not allow sugar mixture to boil.

Remove from the heat and stir in Nutella until well combined. 

Pour butter mixture in to a large bowl or stand mixer, beat in cocoa powder, eggs, salt, baking powder, espresso powder, and vanilla extract.  Mix until well combined.

Stir in the flour and baking melts until just combined.

Spread into prepared pan (batter will be thick and sticky) and bake for 30-35 minutes, until tester comes out mostly clean.  The edges should be set and the center should still look slightly moist, but not uncooked.  Cool on wire rack.

 

The brownies do not have a strong Nutella flavor; however, the Nutella does add to the smooth texture of the brownie batter and enhances the chocolate flavor.