Winter is no longer coming — it's here. So from now until the ice melts, we'll be hibernating beneath fuzzy blankets and foraging our cupboards for expiration-less provisions. When the weather turns against us, canned, boxed, and jarred pantry staples become our strongest allies. And when forced to pick the one packaged good to rule them all, we'd spoons down pick Nutella every, single time.
This glorious jar of chocolatey hazelnut spread is the ideal winter condiment. Sure, you can spread it on toast, eat it with a banana, or simply spoon it from the jar directly into your mouth. But that would still only be grazing the surface of edible potential here. And thanks to Keda Black's Nutella cookbook, Nutella Mug Cakes and More, we now have six foolproof, couch potato-friendly, recipes at our fingertips.
From microwavable mug cakes to mocha coffees and more, these Nutella hacks will enable you to stay warm and cozy (and indoors) until winter is finally over.
Chocolate Orange Mug Cake With Nutella ® Drizzle
Serves 2
Ingredients
45 g (1 1/2 oz./scant 1/4 cup) soft butter
110 g (4 oz./1/2 cup) caster superfine sugar
1/2 tsp orange extract
2 tbsp orange juice
1 egg
150 g (5 oz./1 1/4 cups) self-raising flour
35 g (1 1/4 oz./1/4 cup) cocoa powder
For the drizzle:
2 tbsp Nutella®
30 g (1 oz./scant 1/4 cup) milk chocolate chips
60 g (2 oz./scant ½ cup) icing sugar, confectioners’
50 ml (2 fl. oz.) orange juice
Instructions
1. In a bowl, beat together the butter with the sugar until pale.
2. Stir in the orange extract, juice and egg. Add the flour and cocoa powder and mix until really smooth.
3. Ladle the mixture into 2 mugs — they should be 3/4 full.
4. Microwave one at a time for 2 minutes (800 watts).
5. Make the drizzle. Add the Nutella®, icing sugar and orange juice to a saucepan and gently melt, over a medium heat. Drizzle over the mug cakes and serve immediately.
*Excerpted from Nutella Mug Cakes and More, © Keda Black. Used with permission of Hardie Grant Books Publishing.
Photographed by Danielle Wood.
Spiced Brownie Mug Cake with Nutella ®
Serves 1
Ingredients
4 tbsp plain all-purpose flour
3 1/2 tbsp milk
2 tbsp caster superfine sugar
2 tbsp ripe banana, mashed
1 tbsp Nutella®
1 tbsp milk chocolate chips, plus extra for sprinkling
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
1. Combine all the ingredients in a mug, leaving a few chocolate chips for the topping.
2. Microwave for 1 minute (800 watts) or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Let it cool for 1 minute.
3. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and serve.
*Excerpted from Nutella Mug Cakes and More, © Keda Black. Used with permission of Hardie Grant Books Publishing.
Photographed by Danielle Wood.
Mocha Coffee with Nutella ®
Serves 2
Ingredients
50 ml (2 fl. oz./1 1/4 cup) whipping cream (optional)
100 ml (3 1/2 fl. oz./scant ½ cup) milk
4 small shots of hot espresso coffee (or equivalent quantity made in an Italian stove-top coffeemaker, or filter coffee made extra strong)
1 1/2 tbsp Nutella®
A little cinnamon or four-spice mix (pepper, cloves, nutmeg and ginger), for sprinkling
Instructions
1. Whip the cream until thick (ideally, make a larger quantity and use the excess for another dessert).
2. Heat the milk.
3. Whisk the hot coffee with the Nutella® and add the milk. Gently reheat if necessary.
4. Pour the mocha into two mugs, top with whipped cream and sprinkle a little cinnamon or four-spice on top.
*Excerpted from Nutella Mug Cakes and More, © Keda Black. Used with permission of Hardie Grant Books Publishing.
Photographed by Frédéric Lucano.
Star Shortbread with Nutella ®
Makes 8 biscuits
Ingredients
100 g (3 1/2 oz./scant ½ cup) soft butter
200 g (7 oz.) plain all-purpose flour, sifted
½ tsp baking powder
75 g (2 1/2 oz./scant 3/4 cup) icing sugar, confectioners’
A generous pinch of cinnamon or seeds of ½ vanilla pod
2 egg yolks
100 g (3 1/2 oz./scant ½ cup) Nutella®
Instructions
1. Mix together the butter, sifted flour, baking powder, icing sugar and cinnamon or vanilla seeds until you have a smooth mixture.
2. Add the egg yolks and bring together the mixture into a dough. Drizzle in a little water, if needed. Wrap the dough in cling film (plastic wrap) and let it rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4). Line 2 baking sheets with baking paper.
4. Roll the dough fairly thin, about 3 mm (1/4 in). Cut into rounds approximately 8–10 cm (3–4 in) in diameter using a pastry cutter or rim of a glass. Take half the cut circles and, using a star pastry cutter, cut shapes out of the dough.
5. Transfer the biscuits to the prepared trays and bake in the oven for 12–15 minutes. Cool the biscuits on a wire rack.
6. Spread the biscuits without holes with Nutella®, place the biscuits with holes on top and add a little more Nutella® to the holes. These biscuits will keep for several days in an airtight container.
*Excerpted from Nutella Mug Cakes and More, © Keda Black. Used with permission of Hardie Grant Books Publishing.
Photographed by .
Walnut-Banana Muffins with Nutella ®
Makes 6 large (or 12 mini) muffins
Ingredients
50 g (2 oz./ 1/4 cup) butter, plus extra for greasing
150 g (5 oz./1 1/4 cup) plain all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
125 ml (4 fl. oz./ ½ cup) milk
3 tbsp caster superfine sugar
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 very ripe banana, mashed
50 g (2 oz./ ½ cup) chopped walnuts
75 g (2 1/2 oz./ 1/4 cup) Nutella®
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/Gas 6). Grease a 6-hole muffin tin (or a 12-hole mini muffin tin), or line the holes with paper muffin cases.
2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Put the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl and mix well with a whisk.
3. In a large measuring jug or a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter, egg, milk, sugar and cocoa powder.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and add the mashed banana and chopped walnuts. Lightly stir with a wooden spoon, taking care not to overdo it — some lumps should still remain.
5. Pour the batter into the muffin tin and bake in the oven for around 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of a muffin comes out clean.
6. Remove from the oven. Fill a piping bag with the Nutella® and pipe into the centre of the muffins.
*Excerpted from Nutella Mug Cakes and More, © Keda Black. Used with permission of Hardie Grant Books Publishing.
Photographed by Frédéric Lucano.
Madeleines Topped With Nutella ®
Makes 10 madeleines
Ingredients
2 eggs
50 g (2 oz./ 1/4 cup) caster superfine sugar
150 g (5 oz./1 1/4 cups) plain all-purpose flour
A pinch of salt
100 g (3 1/2 oz./ ½ cup) very soft unsalted butter
2 tbsp milk
90 g (3 oz./scant ½ cup) Nutella®
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F/Gas 5) and grease a madeleine tray.
2. Whisk together the eggs and sugar until they are very pale and fluffy. Gently fold in the flour and salt, then add the butter and milk. Mix well.
3. Drop spoonfuls of the mixture into the madeleine wells without filling them to the top. Bake in the oven for 12–15 minutes, until golden (keep an eye on them so they don’t burn as the baking time will depend on your oven). Allow to cool.
4. Soften the Nutella® by putting the jar in a saucepan of hot water.
5. Once the madeleines have cooled, carefully turn out of the mould, and use a pastry brush to lightly coat the base of each with Nutella®. Place the madeleines upside down on a dish and put in the fridge to set more quickly. Serve straight away or keep in an airtight container.
*Excerpted from Nutella Mug Cakes and More, © Keda Black. Used with permission of Hardie Grant Books Publishing.
Photographed by Frédéric Lucano.
Nutella Mug Cakes and More by Keda Black, $11.99, available at Amazon.
Photographed by Frédéric Lucano.
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