Nutella Coconut S'more Bars

There's a cool trend in "food land" of adding flavors, fruits and toppings to S'mores.  So, I gave it a try with Nutella and Coconut.  

 

It was a giant success, but a very sloppy, gooey success.  Inspired by a photo of marshmallow squares by Joy The Baker, the ease of cutting and serving my Nutella Coconut S'more Bars was born - and gone in a few minutes.

These pictures are of my third pan of these wonder-bars.  My son's friends (who are my unofficial taste-testers) assumed I wanted them to taste-test the whole 16 bars, I guess. 

Then, I took a platter of them to a catered brunch (cutting them into mini-bites) and was lucky to retrieve my platter in one piece.  I think someone even took the pretty paper liner just to eat the crumbs.  Now, that is a compliment, right?

These are so simple to make, the crust is just pressed in and the oven is not used very long.  I kept them in an air-tight container with parchment between layers for a few days and they were still so delicious.  Don't keep them in the refrigerator because the marshmallow will weep (they are so emotional, haha) with droplets from getting too moist.

It has been a pleasure to create something Nutella-icious for BellaNutella.  I hope you'll let me know if you make these, eat these and share these.  I'd be lying if I said I wasn't eating one right now, too. 

Recipe: Nutella Coconut S'more Bars

1 cup Graham Cracker Crumbs

1 cup All Purpose Flour

1/4 teaspoon Salt

1/2 cup Butter (melted)

1/3 cup Sugar

1 egg yolk

1/2 cup (or more) Nutella

1/4 cup Shredded Coconut

3 cups Small Marshmallows

1)  In a bowl, Whisk together the Graham Cracker Crumbs,Flour and salt.

2) In another bowl, whisk the butter, sugar and vanilla together.  Then whisk in the egg.

3) Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and stir to blend.

4) Turn out into a buttered 8x8 inch baking dish that has been lined with parchment and up the sides.  Using your fingers, press into an even crust on the bottom of the dish. *tip- use a cupcake wrapper for easy even pressing.

5)  Bake in a preheated 350F oven on the middle rack for about 10-12 minutes.  Remove and allow to cool for just a few minutes.

6)  Drop dollops of the Nutella on the warm crust and gently spread as the Nutella gets soft.  Be careful to not tear the crust.  Be patient and allow the Nutella to soften just a little.

7)  Sprinkle half of the Coconut on top of the Nutella layer. Then cover with small marshmallows.

8)  Bake at 350F for about 5 minutes until the marshmallows are soft.  Remove from the oven and tap the marshmallows with a large spoon, just enough to form a nice delicious gooey covering.

9)  Sprinkle the rest of the Coconut on top of the marshmallows.  Return to the oven, but now turn it to Broil.  Stay.  Watch.  Allow the Marshmallows to brown and the Coconut to brown, and then remove.  (This will only take a couple minutes and when it starts, it happens fast.  Allow to cool before slicing in squares.)  

*TIP - wet your knife now and then between slicing to help make even cuts without the marshmallow sticking to the blade.

Store in an air-tight container for a couple days.  Don't put in the refrigerator because the moisture will make the marshmallows goopy.

Yeah, I said goopy. :D  Enjoy!

Avocado Replaces Butter in Banana Avocado Coffee Cake

  

 Avocado Banana Choco-Chip Coffee Cake

As if Avocados didn't have enough incredible things about them, they can also replace the fat in some of our favorite baked goods.

Recently, I was invited to visit an Avocado Grove, enjoy some inventive brunch items using Avocados and even experience picking my own early green Hass right off the tree.

 

Jan DeLyser of the California Avocado Commission was our tour guide and the Farm we visited was Dan and Sue Pinkerton's.

Dan is a scientist, a farmer, a story teller and claims that Sue is the one who keeps it all together.  The trees were heavy with beautiful green orbs and buds (Avocado trees bear fruit for one season and buds for the next year.)

        

After touring the farm, we visited Mission Packing Plant in Oxnard. There the Avocados (900lbs per bin) are cooled, washed, sorted, labeled, temperature ripened and sent out to the stores and distribution centers.  

 

It's important to remember we have choices with all foods and we don't have to just take the first thing placed on a bin in front of us.  California Avocados are worth the extra moment it takes to read the label.  The season is long (March thru October), the fruit is consistent (buttery texture and smooth greens) and the standards are high (to match our own.)

At any point in any day, I am more than happy to eat a California Avocado straight out of the shell with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Being inspired by the tour and the education, I wanted to develop a recipe that used California Avocados in baked goods.

This Avocado Banana Choco-Chip Coffee cake became the recipe that was made 2 times in one week.  After my teen son and friends devoured the one I left out to cool, I made another one for my post.

 

Since then, I've made a couple more and found they freeze well, too.  That makes a rushed morning even easier; I just pull out a slice and heat in the toaster oven.  Enjoy and look for California Avocados when you shop.

Recipe:  Avocado Banana Choco-Chip Coffee Cake

1/3 cup Walnuts (chopped)

1/3 cup Brown Sugar

1/2 tsp. Cinnamon

1/3 cup Choco Chips

1/2 cup (mashed) California Avocado

1/2 cup Honey

1 Egg

1 cup (mashed) ripe Banana

1 tsp. Vanilla

1/3 cup nonfat Yogurt

1 1/2 cup AP Flour

1 tsp. Baking Powder

1/2 tsp. Baking Soda

1/2 tsp. Salt

1)  Combine nuts, sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and hold for later.

2)  Cream together the Avocado, Honey, Egg, Banana, Vanilla and Yogurt.

3)  In another bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients (Flour, Baking Powder and Soda, salt), then stir this into the creamed ingredients until blended well.

4)  Oil and dust with flour an 8x8 inch baking pan.  Sprinkle half of the nut mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan, then spoon half of the batter on top of that.

5)  Sprinkle the remainder of the nut mixture over the batter and then spoon the remainder of the batter over that.

6)  Bake in a preheated 350F oven 40-45 minutes or until cake tests done.  Cool in the pan for a few minutes.  

 

This can be served in the pan, or inverted onto a plate for cutting, serving or freezing. 

Click here to see more Avocado information and recipes from the California Avocado Commission

Nutella Stracciatella Scones

Celebrating World Nutella Day

with

Nutella Stracciatella Scones

 

I thought I didn't like scones.  I thought they were dry hockey pucks that required a lot of tea or coffee to get down without coughing. 

As it turns out, there are just a lot of bad scones out there. It doesn't have to be that way.  They can be flaky without being dry.  Tender without falling apart. It just takes the right ratio of dry and wet ingredients with a balance of butter or oil and some care to not over work the dough.

 

Now, I love scones.  I'm kinda obsessed with them.  I probably make various kinds of scones a couple times a week, just to experiment with the flavors and add-ins.

You may be wondering what I do with all those scones every week?  Well, first - I created a recipe that makes a reasonable amount.  I cut them into small scones that make perfect little breakfast, tea, or snack bites. 

And second, I freeze them, then bag them and cook them as needed.

 

That part has become a life saver in my family.  I label how to cook them and anyone in the house, even visiting friends, know they can just take one out and pop it into the toaster oven and have a hot, fresh, tasty scone within 12 minutes.

 It has made breakfast time for my teenage son.... well, he eats breakfast now.  That's amazing enough, right?

Now, the Nutella part -  Yes, there are other Nutella scone recipes out there, but it's the technique in this that makes it special and preserves a deep Nutella flavor.  The Nutella is not just mixed in, and soaked up which often leaves the dough heavy.  The Nutella is rubbed into the dry ingredients, like you would do butter. 

 

This creates little pellets of chocolate hazelnut goodness and gives it stracciatelle (little shreds in Italian) appearance.

 

This also allows the Nutella to stay moist and hold on to its own flavor.

 There's nothing difficult here, no equipment needed, not even a mixer.  You quickly rub the Nutella in with your finger-tips, right after you rub the butter cubes in with your finger-tips.

These have become a hit at many catered brunches and teas, but nobody loves them more than my husband (who likes to claim he'll  "make the fresh scones for us this morning" as he takes them out of the freezer.) 

RECIPE: Nutella Stracciatella Scones-
2 cups AP Flour
1/2 cup Yellow Corn Meal
1/3 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 tsp. Baking Soda
1 Tbls. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Salt
6 ounces Unsalted Butter (cold, cut in small cubes)
1/2 cup Nutella
1 egg
1/2 cup Ricotta Cheese
1/3 cup Heavy Cream

1)  In a bowl, whisk dry ingredients (flour through salt) together.
2)  Run butter cubes into the flour mixture with your finger-tips until the butter is generally the size of peas.
3)  Add the Nutella and also rub into the dry ingredients with finger tips, working quickly until fairly evenly distributed.  Do not over-work.
4)  In another bowl, whisk together the egg, ricotta and cream.
5)  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients.  Toss with a fork to combine.

6)  Empty the dough onto a parchment covered work board and gather into a large ball that holds together.
7)  Don't over-work the dough, but knead just a couple times to make sure it's holding evenly.  Divide the dough into 4 even parts (less if you want bigger scones.)
8)  Press each part into a circle that is about 3/4 inch thick.
9)  Cut the circle in half across, then cut each half into 3 even triangles.

10)  Place the mini-scones on a lined baking sheet about an inch apart.  These can be frozen for later and bagged, or baked now.  Bake in a preheated 400F oven for 10-15 minutes depending on size of number of scones.
**optional - before baking, sprinkle with seasoned sugar and/or milk glaze.

World Nutella Day was started by 

 Ms Adventures in Italy,and 

Bleeding Espresso. 

Check out the site for hundreds of Nutella recipes :D