Ingredients
- 1 heaping cup Nutella
- 1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tsp instant espresso powder
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 4 oz dark chocolate (60-70% cacao), coarsely chopped
Prepare the Nutella Layer
First, line an 8×8 inch pan with a piece of parchment paper.
Warm the Nutella in the microwave for ~30 seconds to make it easier to spread. Pour it into the lined pan and spread it into a thin, even layer.
Place the pan in the freezer for at least ~30 minutes. You want the Nutella to be frozen solid into a single sheet.
Once it’s firm, lift the parchment paper out of the pan, place the Nutella sheet on a plate, and put it back in the freezer to stay frozen while you make the batter.
Now you can re-line that same 8×8 pan with a new piece of parchment paper for the brownies, leaving an overhang on the sides. Preheat your oven to 350 F.
Make the Brownie Batter
In a medium, microwave-safe bowl, combine the unsalted butter and the powdered sugar.
Melt them together in the microwave in ~30-second intervals, whisking well after each one, until the mixture is completely smooth and the sugar has dissolved. This usually takes 4-5 rounds.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs on medium speed for ~3-5 minutes until they’re pale yellow and foamy.
With the mixer on medium, pour the hot butter and sugar mixture into the whipped eggs. Mix for another two minutes. Then, mix in the vanilla extract and instant espresso powder.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and kosher salt.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and fold with a spatula until a batter forms. Fold in half of the chopped dark chocolate.
Assemble and Bake
Pour half of the brownie batter into your prepared pan and spread it into an even layer.
Take the frozen Nutella sheet from the freezer and place it directly on top of the batter.
Pour the remaining batter over the Nutella and spread it to cover the entire surface. Sprinkle the rest of the chopped dark chocolate over the top.
Bake for ~55-70 minutes. This is a long bake time, but the Nutella layer adds a lot of moisture. The edges will look set and the center shouldn’t jiggle much.
Let the brownies cool completely in the pan, for at least an hour at room temperature, before trying to slice them. For really clean cuts, run a sharp knife under hot water and wipe it dry between each slice.
Salted Dark Chocolate Nutella Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 heaping cup Nutella
- 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter 2 1/2 sticks
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tsp instant espresso powder
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 4 oz dark chocolate 60-70% cacao, coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Line 8×8 pan with parchment. Warm Nutella, spread in pan, freeze until solid.
- Remove frozen Nutella, set aside. Re-line pan with fresh parchment. Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Microwave butter and powdered sugar in 30-second intervals until smooth, whisking between each.
- Beat eggs until pale and foamy, 3-5 minutes. Pour in hot butter mixture while mixing. Add vanilla and espresso powder.
- Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Fold into wet ingredients. Stir in half the chopped chocolate.
- Pour half the batter in pan. Place frozen Nutella sheet on top. Cover with remaining batter.
- Sprinkle remaining chocolate on top. Bake 55-70 minutes until edges are set and center barely jiggles.
- Cool completely in pan for 1 hour before slicing.
Notes
