World Nutella Day: Chocolate Hazelnut Crème Brulée and Nutella Shortbread Bars

It's February 5, which can mean only one thing: Happy World Nutella Day! We love Nutella over here. It is a weakness for all three of us. No matter how it is served, we love it: in a s'more, in a pinwheel cookie, in any cookie for that matter. 

Today we have two recipes we created in the spirit of World Nutella Day: a creamy chocolate hazelnut crème brulée and Nutella shortbread bars.

Are there any other Nutella lovers out there?  To join in on the fun, visit the official World Nutella Day page and visit the host blogs for the event: Ms Adventures in Italy and Bleeding Espresso.

Chocolate Hazelnut Crème Brulée

(Printable Recipe)
2 cups heavy cream
1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped 
1/2 cup Nutella
2 tablespoons sugar
5 egg yolks
Additional sugar, for broiling


Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Heat cream over low heat until hot. Whisk in Nutella and bittersweet chocolate until melted and incorporated. Remove from heat. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar. Slowly temper the egg yolks into the chocolate cream. Pour through a fine mesh sieve to remove any lumps that may have developed. Fill 4 ramekins with the custard. Place ramekins in a deep baking dish and pour hot water in the dish to surround the ramekins, being careful not to drip water in the custards. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes or until custards have just set. Chill for an hour or until completely cooled. Sprinkle custards with sugar and broil until caramelized or use a kitchen torch.

Nutella Shortbread Bars

(Printable Recipe)

For the crust:

1 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter

1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted and cooled

For the filling:

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup Nutella

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

4 tablespoons melted butter

1 3/4 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place aluminum foil in 8" square pan. Lightly cover foil with non-stick cooking spray. Toast hazelnuts for 2-3 minutes. Cool. In food processor, combine flour, sugar, salt and butter until crumbly. Stir in hazelnuts. Press into bottom of foil lined pan. Reduce heat to 350 F and bake for 12 minutes.  

While crust is cooking, combine cream cheese and Nutella in mixer until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla. Scrape sides and add melted butter. Add powdered sugar and mix well. Pour onto shortbread crust. Increase heat to 400 degrees and bake 15 minutes.  Reduce to 350 F and bake 15 minutes more. Let cool and cut into bars.