Cake, Batter, and Bowl

Nutella Brownie Cups

Desserts

So, I had this idea to make some Nutella mousse – slightly sweetened whipped cream mixed with a generous amount of chocolate hazelnut goodness. My original plan was to top some cute little brownie cups with it, but umm, by the time the brownies were cooled, there was only enough mousse left to top half the batch…no idea what happened to the rest of the mousse. No problem though, because I got a photo of the finished product and that’s all that counts, right?

Apolinaras always jokes that Nutella should be banned from recipe contests because it makes everything so delicious that using it is kind of like cheating. I have to agree with him – this mousse is just way too addicting!

Nutella Brownie Cups
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

Brownie Cups:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 (1-ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup Nutella

Nutella Mousse:
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup Nutella
3 tablespoons mini chocolate chips

Directions:
To make the brownie cups, heat oven to 350˚F. Microwave the butter and unsweetened chocolate in a microwavable bowl at high power until the butter is melted, about 2 minutes. Stir until combined, then mix in the vanilla extract. Meanwhile, beat the sugar and eggs in a large bowl and then add in the melted chocolate mixture until smooth. Stir in flour and salt; stir in Nutella until smooth. Line a regular muffin tin with 12 paper cups and evenly divide brownie batter between the cups. Bake at 350˚F for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and immediately use the back of a 1/2 tablespoon measuring spoon to make a round depression in the center of each cup. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the Nutella mousse. Place heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract in a well chilled large bowl and beat with a mixer until stiff peaks form. Stir in Nutella until smooth. Top cooled brownie cups evenly with Nutella mousse and mini chocolate chips. Refrigerate for an hour or until set and remove paper liners. Makes 12 cups.

Nutrition: 446 calories, 27.4g fat, 1.4g fiber, 5.2g protein per cup
Cost: $0.60 per cup

Peanut Butter and Banana Parfaits

I may have a hard time remembering most facts, but my memory is almost perfect when it comes to recalling the details of remarkable meals. Two of my very favorite desserts we enjoyed while living in Chicago featured bananas. We devoured crispy cannoli shells filled...

Pistachio Mint Chocolate Chip Bar Cookies

Does anyone else hoard baking chips? My drawer is currently overflowing with regular chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, mini chocolate chips, mini M&Ms, regular M&Ms, Heath toffee chips, and Andes Crème de Menthe chips. And I recently used all my peanut butter...

Orange Cardamom Chocolate Bars

I fell in love with cardamom a few years ago when I started drinking chai and have found it’s also lovely in baked goods. While perusing the fridge this weekend for something to satisfy my sweet tooth, I noticed the low-sugar orange marmalade my hubby enjoys and was...

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cookie Cups

I'm very excited to be featured on Jen's blog, Beantown Baker, as part of her Friday Favs series today!  You'll find my recipe there for these Reese's Peanut Butter Cookie Cups.  They have a peanut butter cookie bottom filled with a Reese's cup and are topped with a...

Nutella S’more Tart

Girl Scout cookie season has arrived! We scooped up five boxes from two troops selling boxes at the Davis and Harvard Square T stops. Despite our best attempts to ration the treats, one box of samoas has already disappeared...but they’re small, so you have to eat more...

Caramelized Plantain Dessert Quesadillas with Nutella

I recently read about Sugar High Fridays on Heather’s blog Diary of a Fanatic Foodie. It’s a fun monthly event dreamed up by Jennifer at The Domestic Goddess, where bloggers post an original dessert recipe. When I read Heather’s theme this month was desserts inspired...

Caramel Mocha Crunch Cookies

I ran my very first 5K last weekend! After being inspired by the book Born to Run and many runners including my half-marathon champion Dad and bloggers like Shannon and Elina, I decided to try jogging on the treadmill in January on a whim. Even though I’ve always been...

Peanut Butter Chocolate Tart

We’ve started a fun tradition in lab this year where I try to bake something for each person’s birthday. You know I love having the excuse to try new dessert recipes! My only request when I started was that each person make a list of their favorite treats so that I...