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

Video: Sugar Cookie Dough Decorations

Who else looooves the Olympics?! I’ve been doing my best to avoid the web and twitter during the day so I don’t accidently read any spoilers before the broadcasts at night. I just love tuning in and watching all the events, and I want to cheer along and be surprised...

Strawberry Cheesecake Filled Yellow Cake

Have you had any baking disasters? I’ve had my fair share, and naturally, they all tend to occur when I’m making a treat to share at a party. One time the pecan crust just fell off the sides of a cheesecake I had made for a lab birthday celebration. Another time a...

Pomegranate Blueberry Crumble

My favorite part of Trader Joe’s is the cereal aisle. They have so many unique choices! I normally have one of the high fiber/protein super nutritious ones for breakfast, but always enjoy a cup of the less healthy ones for dessert after dinner. They have one with...

Pumpkin Pie Truffles

Hmm, this is my third post in a row featuring pumpkin and I have a couple more pumpkin recipes all ready to go! Sorry for the lack of variety - I’ll try to mix it up and refrain from posting the others for awhile, but I have to get this one in before Halloween! For my...

Peppermint Mocha Brownie Bites

Whenever I need a little afternoon pick me up at work, I head over to the Starbucks across the street from my lab. I was never really into coffee until a few years ago when I tried lattes – mmm, just thinking about them makes me smile, and since a latte is mostly...

Sweet Potato Cups

We love sweet potatoes and always have them around, so when I saw the North Carolina Sweet Potato Sweet n’ Healthy Blogger Recipe Contest had a kid friendly category, I immediately knew I wanted to enter. Apolinaras and I may not have children yet, but we’re both big...

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...

Carrot Cake Drop Donuts with Cream Cheese Frosting

Today is my birthday! And to celebrate, CSN Stores, which has everything you need to stock your kitchen, from dutch ovens to cake pans, is hosting a giveaway for an $80 gift card (which goes a long way with their great prices!). To enter, just leave a comment...