Nutella Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

As February 14th approaches, i've been giving some thought about the importance of a Valentines breakfast. Lets face it, chocolates and bubbly are great, but you need to start the day with something Valentines appropriate to get to the point of bubbly oblivion right? And since Valentines begs for all things chocolate, I am sharing my latest recipe for my greatest breakfast obsession: The Nutella roll. It is like a cinnamon roll but instead of loads of cinnamon sugar within the folds & rolls there is smooth yummy Nutella. Yes a Nutella roll!
What a way to start your day! Crabs loaded with Nutella. A combination that will give you flutters, goosebumps and the urge to hit high pitched notes; can you get better side effects then that? I think not! Enjoy!

Nutella Rolls

Ingredients
2 cups Whole Milk
1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
1/2 cup Sugar
1 packages Active Dry Yeast, 0.25 Ounce Packets
4 cups (Plus 1/2 Cup Extra, Separated) All-purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon (heaping) Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon (scant) Baking Soda
1/2 Tablespoon (heaping) Salt
1 Jar of Nutella

Cream Cheese Frosting:
4 oz Cream Cheese soften
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoons milk

Preparation InstructionsFor the dough, heat the milk, vegetable oil, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat to just below a boil. Set aside and cool to warm. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit on the milk for 1 minute.

Add 4 cups of the flour. Stir until just combined, then cover with a clean kitchen towel, and set aside in a relatively warm place for 1 hour. After 1 hour, remove the towel and add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and the remaining flour. Stir thoroughly to combine. Use the dough right away, or place in a mixing bowl and refrigerate for up to 3 days, punching down the dough if it rises to the top of the bowl. (Note: dough is easier to work with if it’s been chilled for at least an hour or so beforehand.)
Preheat the oven to 375°F.

To assemble the rolls, remove half the dough from the pan/bowl. On a floured baking surface, roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 30 x 10 inches. The dough should be rolled very thin.
Spread Nutella on your dough generously.

Now, beginning at the end farthest from you, roll the rectangle tightly towards you. Use both hands and work slowly, being careful to keep the roll tight. Don’t worry if the filling oozes as you work; that just means the rolls are going to be divine. When you reach the end, pinch the seam together and flip the roll so that the seam is face down. When you’re finished, you’ll wind up with one long log.

Slip a cutting board underneath the roll and with a sharp knife, make 1/2-inch slices. One “log “should produce about 12 to 15 rolls. Pour a couple of teaspoons of melted butter into disposable foil cake pans and swirl to coat. Place the sliced rolls in the pans, being careful not to overcrowd. (Each pan will hold 7 to 9 rolls.)

Repeat the rolling/Nutella process with the other half of the dough and more pans. Cover all the pans with a kitchen towel and set aside to rise on the countertop for at least 20 minutes before baking. 

Remove the towel and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until golden brown. Don’t allow the rolls to become overly brown.

While the rolls are baking, make icing: In a large bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, cream cheese, milk. Splash in the vanilla. Whisk until very smooth. (if to thick add milk a tablespoon at a time to get a spreadable consistency.)

Remove pans from the oven. Let the rolls cool. Once cooled cover the rolls with icing. Be sure to get it all around the edges and over the top. Enjoy!


Photo and inspiration from sunday-suppers.com

Chocolate Truffle Cake with Salted Caramel Sauce

Goodbye January, heeeeeeello February; a month of handmade hearts, feminine frills and lot of chocolate yumminess! Did i forget to mention the ton of kisses. Real or Hershey's kiss you ask....does it matter? I think not!

Put on your chichi unmentionables, and take out your crystal flutes for some bubbly. Cant have our bubbly feeling lonely, that is why i suggest you pair it with the darkest, most intense chocolate truffle cake ever.

Looking for an even bigger "i'm in the mood for love" factor? Drizzle a rich salty caramel sauce over your truffle, and if that doesn't bring you into the season of romance…i don't know what will! Enjoy!

Chocolate Truffle Cake with Salted Caramel Sauce

Makes: One 9-inch cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 hr 30 min

1 stick plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
14 ounces high-quality bittersweet chocolate¼ instant  coffee granules
6 eggs
½ cup superfine sugar
¼ cup dark brown sugar
¾ cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ cup light corn syrup
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon salt
1 vanilla bean, split and beans scraped into a bowl 

Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and line with parchment paper cut to fit the bottom of the pan. Set the prepared pan inside a 12-inch pan. In a double boiler, heat chocolate and 7 tablespoons butter until fully melted. Stir until smooth. Let cool for about 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, coffee granules, the superfine sugar, dark brown sugar, ¼ cup light brown sugar and the vanilla until fully incorporated. Add the cooled chocolate mixture to the egg mixture; whisk until smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared 9-inch pan. Carefully fill the larger pan with water until it reaches about halfway up the side of the smaller pan. Tightly cover with aluminum foil.
Bake until top of cake is no longer sticky to the touch, about 90 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, then invert the cake onto a plate to cool completely.
In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, combine the remaining ½ cup light brown sugar, the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, the syrup, ½ cup cream and the salt and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Boil uncovered until the sauce is very thick and deep golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the remaining ½ cup cream and return to a boil, stirring constantly until the mixture is perfectly smooth. Stir in the vanilla beans. Pour sauce into a heatproof glass jar; refrigerate until just cool (about 2 hours) and spread a thick layer over the cake. Refrigerate the cake until fully cool, about another hour.

Photos and recipe adapted from easyeats.com