Ask A Minnesota Expert: 5 Best Nutella Recipes

Nutella, the cocoa-hazelnut spread from Italy, has now taken over the shelves of American supermarkets the cupboards of homes everywhere. It's smooth, creamy and just rich enough. Not too sweet that it can't take the place of peanut butter on your toast, but sweet enough to be used for delectable desserts, it's a versatile (and surprisingly not-too-unhealthy) option for almost any time of day.

Here, two chefs offer some of the best and easiest recipes for that irresistible spread.

Lauren Erickson
Heartland Restaurant
289 5th St E,
St Paul, MN 55101
(651) 699-3536
www.heartlandrestaurant.com

Lauren Erickson has been obsessed with cooking, and both domestic and international cuisine, for as long as she can remember. Having worked at the Hotel Hershey in Pennsylvania, and completing an internship at beloved local Heartland Restaurant in St. Paul, she returned to finish her degree and nurture her obsession with food and the world's finest cooking techniques at renowned Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park. Her love of food, and abundant sweet tooth, has opened the door for creative dishes you won't be able to get enough of. No need for Pinterest when you've got these recipes.

Nutella Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb Nutella
1/4 heavy cream
1 cup water
2 cups heavy cream
1 oz gelatin powder

Directions:

Dust gelatin over water to let bloom for 5-10 minutes (10 minutes to be safe)
While waiting, melt Nutella over double broiler and mix in 1/4 heavy cream until smooth
Mix in 2 cups heavy cream until medium peak
Melt gelatin over double broiler until a temp of 110-140 is reached, then mix into warm Nutella
Mix until it starts to thicken (about twice the consistency)
Fold into whipped cream
Pipe as desired, or place in small portioned containers

Nutella French Toast

Ingredients:

Sliced Bread
6 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
3 tbsp butter

Directions:

Melt butter in a skillet
While butter is melting, lightly whisk eggs with milk
Spread Nutella between two slices of bread
Dip in the egg and milk mixture briefly for a light coating
Slowly brown the two open sides of the bread

Can be served with fresh fruit, 

Related: Best Hot Desserts In Minnesota

Mickey Slitts
1029 Bar
1029 Marshall St NE
Minneapolis, MN 55413
(612) 379-4322
www.the1029bar.com

Michael "Mickey" Slitts has worked at restaurants all across the Twin Cities. After working his way up to chef at the Smack Shack-created kitchen at 1029 bar. His skills with cooking and baking helped prove the restaurant was about more than just karaoke. But at the end of the day, it is his love for chemistry,and his chemistry degree from the University of St. Thomas, that has allowed him to experiment with heat and flavor to create new recipes to keep Minnesota palettes satisfied. 

Nutella Cereal Bars

Ingredients:

4 cups of your favorite cereal (Frosted Flakes or Cheerios work wel)
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup Nutella
1/2 cup sugar (optional, for added sweetness)

Directions:

Pour your cereal into a bowl
Line a square baking pan with plastic wrap
In medium saucepan, pour in honey (and sugar if you so desire)
Stir occasionally, bring to a boil over medium heat
Boil 1 minute, then remove from heat
Stir in Nutella until it is smooth
Pour in the cereal and stir to coat
Press evenly into the baking pan
Cool about 15-20 minutes and pour face-first onto a cutting board
Remove plastic wrap and cut the mixture into bars

Nutella & Fruit Rolls

Ingredients:

8 oz can refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1 jar Nutella
Bananas or Strawberries (or any other fruit you desire)
Powdered sugar 

Directions:

Spread out a crescent roll triangle
Put approx 1 or 2 tsp in the middle of the triangle
Add a thin slice of banana, or strawberry sliced in half
Wrap the fruit and Nutella in the pastry dough and close the edges by pinching them together
Sprinkle with powdered sugar over the top
Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes, or until they turn golden brown

These pastries can be served either warm or cold

Nutella Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:

3 tbsp Nutella
1 1/3 cups milk

Directions:

Put the Nutella and 1/3 cup milk in a small saucepan over medium heat
Whisk until blended and then add remaining milk, increase heat to medium-high, and stir until frothy
Serve hot in a mug

Related: Ask An Expert: How To Give Your Picky Eater More Healthy Foods

Adrian Schramm is a resident Saint Paul writer with a passion for all things local. Through his work with Saint Paul Almanac and Minneapolis Examiner at Examiner.com, as well as in the kitchens of bars and restaurants around town, he has discovered what truly makes the Twin Cities tick.