Nutella Brownies or When Two Loves Combine

Nutella Brownies!

It is no secret: I love brownies and I love Nutella. Should I ever be forced to choose between one or the other (as in, I can only have one for the rest of my life), I think I would implode. Or I would choose these brownies, because it combines my two loves.

Don't judge...

I did not always love Nutella. My first impression of it was that of indifference; I could take it or leave it. That all changed when I studied abroad in Poitiers, France. Nutella became an addiction. True story: I would carry a jar of Nutella in my backpack in case I acquired a warm, fresh baguette from a bakery. Warm baguette + Nutella = Heaven (yes, I said that in a sing-song voice). Yes, I developed a deep, loving relationship with Nutella. This relationship, of course, was not good for me or my wardrobe. Let me just say that, regrettably, most of the clothing I had gone to France with did not fit me by the end of my time there.

I have since scaled back on the Nutella binges. In fact, I don't binge on it at all- too much sugar for me. I like my sweets, but I don't like them that sweet. Nutella is now just an occasional moment of bliss. My attachment is a lot less obsessive and is now more of a fondness.

Brownies, on the other hand, are still an obsession. The song Bad Romance comes to mind, for some reason. I get these really intense cravings for brownies (fudgy ones, of course), and then when I bake them, I go a little crazy with them. I'll eat one square and call it good, but sure enough, about half an hour later, I'm back at the pan, cutting myself "just a sliver" of brownie. Before I know it, a third of the pan is gone and my stomach is screaming at me for overdoing it. And then the guilt sets in. Brownies should come with a warning: contains guilt as a main ingredient. Yes, brownie is that bad lover that I keep returning to, no matter how many times he mistreats me. What can I say? I must be some kind of masochist...

Anyway, back to the Nutella Brownies. Were they good? Hells yes. Especially when served with my homemade coffee ice cream. You want to know the best part? These brownies were flipping easy to make. Seriously, way super easy. A drunken toddler could make these (note: I do not condone plying toddlers with alcohol). So, if you're really wanting brownies and have a large jar of Nutella on hand, I say go forth and bake these babies. You're welcome.

Gooey!

Nutella Brownies
from here

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup Nutella

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare an 8-inch square pan by spraying it with cooking spray.

Combine the flour and salt in a small bowl. In a medium bowl, beat the butter with a hand mixer until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat until combined. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix thoroughly. Beat in the Nutella and mix until incorporated. Stir in the flour mixture.

Pour the batter in the prepared pan and bake for about 30 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan on a wire rack. These suckers are pretty stellar warm and served with ice cream.

Enjoy!