Shelly's Recipe

NUTELLA TRUFFLE CHOCOLATE CHIP HAZELNUT COOKIES

Category: Cookies

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon each sugar and light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 plus 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
12 ounces chocolate chips, roughly chopped-
1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts, chopped

Cream together the butter and sugars until fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add the egg and vanilla and beat well (about 2 minutes). Scrape sides of bowl.

In a medium sized bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and whisk together. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture. Do not over mix. Just before it is all combined, add the chocolate chips and nuts and stir together until the flour just disappears. Place the covered dough in the refrigerator for about an hour.

Nutella Truffles
3 ounces dark chocolate, chopped (I used Lindt Excellence 70% dark chocolate)
6 tablespoons Nutella hazelnut spread

Melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe dish in 20 second intervals at 1/2 power in the microwave, stirring after each interval until melted and smooth (takes 1-2 minutes). You could also use a double boiler on the stove to melt the chocolate. Add the Nutella and stir until well combined and smooth. Set the truffle mixture in the refrigerator for about an hour. (If the chocolate is took hard to scoop in to balls, leave it sitting on the counter for 15 minutes or so.

Scoop and form the chocolate/Nutella into about 3/4 inch balls. It will be messy and feel like it’s melting in your hands. You could roll the balls on a cutting board dusted with cocoa powder if you’d like. Place the balls on a plate lined with waxed paper. Freeze the balls for about 20 minutes. (Makes about 12.) The shape of the balls doesn’t have to be perfect.

To bake the cookies---
Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Take a Nutella Truffle and wrap cookie dough around it until completely covered. Place on baking sheet. Leave about 2 inches between each one, they will be big. You can make smaller cookies (still about 1 ounce each) and place a frozen truffle on top of a baked cookie right out of the oven. Or you can line the bottom of a ramekin with cookie dough. Place a truffle in the center, then cover it with more cookie dough for a decadent, molten lava treat served with ice cream! Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes. Let sit on baking sheet for about 5 minutes. Remove to wire rack to cool