Friday, January 24, 2014

Fast Friday: 3-ingredient Nutella brownies


Happy Friday!  And, happy January... 24th?!  How exactly did that happen?

It appears as though it's taken me 24 days into the new year to share a new dessert recipe.  (I'm as astounded as you are.)

Actually, if I'm being honest, I'm not totally surprised, given the make-up of our kitchen cabinets after the holidays.  Matt and I have been nursing our stash of cookies, Sarris chocolates, and Christmas treats (Twix Santas and Reese's trees, natch) for weeks.

As long as there was a pre-packaged solution to our dessert desires, there was no need to bake.

Pffft, what a lie!  Did you actually believe me?  No way.  Because you're too smart for that.  I almost believed myself but, after rereading, laughed at the ridiculous idea.

After dinner one night this week, the homemade dessert monster inside me reared it's sweet, beautiful, fudgy head.  All I wanted was chocolate.  Fresh (relatively speaking) chocolate.  To smell chocolate, breathe chocolate, and taste chocolate.

And I wanted it, oh, 5 minutes ago.

Impatience and chocolate seem to be good friends, don't they?

Thankfully, only 25 minutes stood between the me and one (or three) outstanding chocolate dessert -- 3-ingredient Nutella brownies!

By magic, witchcraft, or miracle, eggs, flour and Nutella can be combined and baked to result in the most perfect brownie species I've ever encountered.

So perfect that they're tied with my most favorite brownie of all time.  You know, that one that's homemade but mimics the qualities of a boxed brownie mix.

Yet these are decidedly on the chocolate end of the chocolate-or-sweet brownie spectrum.  Deeply chocolatey and nutty and just sweet enough to keep things light.

(That being said, a smear of Nutella on top of a brownie wouldn't hurt one bit.  Just saying...)

I love that they are chewy on the inside with the beloved flaky crackled top.  Brownies along the perimeter boast the firmer edges that some folks love, while the inner-most squares are alllllllmost underbaked they're so fudgy.

I'm team middle-edge because it's got the best of both worlds.  In other words, I can't decide between crispy and chewy.

I imagine this is what parents feel like when asked if they have a favorite child.  "I love all of you Nutella brownies equally, of course!"  And that's the simple chocolatey truth.

So please, I'm begging you, make these today.  And treat yourself.  And have a fabulous weekend, okay?  :)


One year ago: Hot chocolate affogato
Two years ago: Roasted carrots & onions with goat cheese
Three years ago: Glazed chocolate cake
Four years ago: Quick lentil salad


3-ingredient Nutella Brownies
-makes 16 two-inch squares

1 1/4 cup (13 ounces) Nutella (or other chocolate hazelnut spread)
2 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Coat 8-inch square pan liberally with nonstick spray.  In a large bowl, stir together ingredients until smooth.  Pour batter into pan and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool completely in pan over wire rack before cutting into squares.  Enjoy!  (Leftovers can be covered and kept at room temperature for up to 3 days.)

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