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Polish Housewife

Polish recipes served up with tidbits of folklore, customs, and history

Nutella

Marianna’s Birthday Cake

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For an Easter birthday celebration

Our neighbors were planning to celebrate their daughter’s first birthday with extended family over Easter.  That didn’t work out, but we did get to join them for a smaller party last weekend.  Since only four of us would be eating cake at this belated birthday party, I decorated one of the three layers I baked.  I hope to turn the other two into petit fours soon.  (Keep your fingers crossed for me!)

One layer, filled with Nutella and seedless blackberry jam

I just made my favorite chocolate cake recipe and frosted with an Italian Meringue Buttercream. Wilton supplied the jelly bean carrying bunnies.

Wilton’s Easter Bunnies

Ingredients (for cake – 3 layers)

1 1/4 c. sour cream
1 1/4 vegetable oil
1 3/4 c. water
2 1/2 T white vinegar
2 t. vanilla
3 eggs
2 1/2 c. flour
3 c. sugar
1 c. dutch process cocoa powder
1 T baking soda
1 t. salt
Nutella (optional)
1/3 cup seedless blackberry jam (optional)

Directions (for cake)

  • Grease and flour three 9″ round cake pans.  (I also line the bottom with parchment paper – no risk of anything sticking that way.)
  • Preheat oven at 350.
  • Whisk together wet  ingredients.
  • In another bowl, whisk together dry ingredients.
  • Add dry ingredients to liquid ingredients and stir until smooth.
  • Divide batter evenly into the three pans.
  • Bake for 40-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
  • Cool
  • To make this cake, slice one layer in half, spread the bottom half with Nutella (about 1/2 cup)
  • Warm the jam until it’s a spreadable consistancy. Brush the inside of the top half with the jam.  If you can’t find seedless, you can strain the melted jam to remove the seeds.
  • Put the two sides together, sandwich style.  Frost with butter cream (recipe below)

Ingredients (for buttercream)

1 1/4 cups sugar (1 7/8)
2/3 cup water (1)
5 egg whites (8)
pinch cream of tartar
1 pound butter, chilled and cut into chunks of 1 or 2 tablespoons (1 1/2)
1 teaspoon vanilla

The first amount listed will make enough for a two layer cake.  Since I was only frosting one layer, I made half of this amount.  The amounts in parenthesis will make enough to frost and pipe decorations on a three layer cake.  

Directions (for buttercream)

  • Bring the sugar and water to a boil.  Stirring only until the sugar dissolves.
  • Cook to soft ball stage, 238 degrees
  • While the sugar is cooking, prepare the egg whites
  • Beat whites until foamy, add cream of tartar
  • Beat until stiff peaks form
  • With the mixer running, slowly drizzle the hot syrup into the egg whites.  I was using a hand mixer, so I drizzled between the beaters and the edge of the bowl. Stopped drizzling and moved the beaters to incorporate the syrup, over and over.  If the syrup hits the beaters, it will just get flung about rather than mixed in.
  • Continue to beat for about 3 minutes
  • With the mixer running, slowing add the chunks of butter, the buttercream may look like it’s seperating, but just keep beating.  It will magically come together with a fluffly, even texture and enough body to make a nice frosting to work with.
  • Add the vanilla
  • Frost the cake and decorate as desired.  I think Ferrero’s Raffaello candies (maybe cut in half) would make a great topping for big buttercream stars on the top.

Nutella Takes on the Challengers: a Chocolate Hazelnut Spread Taste Test

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Nutella has been a popular staple in our kitchen for decades, but I’ve recently learned that some people have yet to try this chocolatey hazelnut spread.  My friend, Elaine, succumbed just last week.   Have you been hesitant because you weren’t sure how to use it?

I mix a jar with an Italian Meringue Buttercream for my favorite chocolate cake topping, stir it into a cheesecake, spread it on a slice of toasted brioche, or the classic – by the spoonful straight from the jar to quench a chocolate craving.

I learned recently that Jif has created their own chocolate hazelnut product.  So when I went to buy a jar of Nutella for my sister’s birthday cake, I decided to conduct my own taste test – also picking up my store’s house brand.  The things a food blogger will do in the name of science.

The results:
I have to tell you that the three varieties I tried have identical ingredients, but the calories differ indicating the proportion aren’t exactly the same.  I would not be able to differentiate between the three on flavor, but the textures varied enormously. 

Kroger – the runniest of the three, with the consistency of karo syrup.  I don’t think I’ll buy this one again.
Nutella – thicker than the Kroger brand, the Nutella was creamy and my favorite straight from the spoon.
Jif – the thickest, stiffest texture, and the highest in calories.  I used this spread in my frosting because I’ve always feared that my tasty addition made my buttercream too thin.  The stiffer spread gave me a very workable texture and I’ll use the Jif brand again in this way.

I hope you’ve been tempted.

Nutella Takes on the Challengers: a Chocolate Hazelnut Spread Taste Test

by Leave a Comment

Nutella has been a popular staple in our kitchen for decades, but I’ve recently learned that some people have yet to try this chocolatey hazelnut spread.  My friend, Elaine, succumbed just last week.   Have you been hesitant because you weren’t sure how to use it?

I mix a jar with an Italian Meringue Buttercream for my favorite chocolate cake topping, stir it into a cheesecake, spread it on a slice of toasted brioche, or the classic – by the spoonful straight from the jar to quench a chocolate craving.

I learned recently that Jif has created their own chocolate hazelnut product.  So when I went to buy a jar of Nutella for my sister’s birthday cake, I decided to conduct my own taste test – also picking up my store’s house brand.  The things a food blogger will do in the name of science.

The results:
I have to tell you that the three varieties I tried have identical ingredients, but the calories differ indicating the proportion aren’t exactly the same.  I would not be able to differentiate between the three on flavor, but the textures varied enormously. 

Kroger – the runniest of the three, with the consistency of karo syrup.  I don’t think I’ll buy this one again.
Nutella – thicker than the Kroger brand, the Nutella was creamy and my favorite straight from the spoon.
Jif – the thickest, stiffest texture, and the highest in calories.  I used this spread in my frosting because I’ve always feared that my tasty addition made my buttercream too thin.  The stiffer spread gave me a very workable texture and I’ll use the Jif brand again in this way.

I hope you’ve been tempted.

Zosia’s Birthday Cake – Chocolate and Nutella!

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I didn’t get around to making a HCB free choice this week, but I did make the chocolate cake with Nutella flavored Italian Meringue Butter Cream for Zosia’s 10th birthday.  Perfect for the chocoholic!  I also made the pumpkin cheesecake last weekend (to post on Monday).  HCB friends, if you’re on the fence about this cake, it was fabulous!  By all means, make it.  You and your friends will be glad you did .

For the cake:

Ingredients

1 1/4 c. sour cream
1 1/4 vegetable oil
1 3/4 c. water
2 1/2 T white vinegar
2 t. vanilla
3 eggs
2 1/2 c. flour
3 c. sugar
1 c. dutch process cocoa powder
1 T baking soda
1 t. salt

Directions

  • Grease and flour three 9″ round cake pans.  (I also line the bottom with parchment paper – no risk of anything sticking that way.)
  • Preheat oven at 350.
  • Whisk together wet  ingredients.
  • In another bowl, whisk together dry ingredients.
  • Add dry ingredients to liquid ingredients and stir until smooth.
  • Divide batter evenly into the three pans.
  • Bake for 40-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
  • Cool

For the frosting:

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups sugar (1 7/8)
2/3 cup water (1)
5 egg whites (8)
pinch cream of tartar
1 pound butter, chilled and cut into chunks of 1 or 2 tablespoons (1 1/2)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 jar Nutella (the Jif chocolate hazelnut spread is thicker and give a better frosting texture)
2 ounces dark chocolate, melted (optional)
8 Ferrero Rocher candies

For the main ingredients, I used the amounts in parenthesis because I wanted to be sure I’d have enough frosting for 3 layers and to do some piping.  I had more than enough and froze the leftover.  If you’re only frosting 2 layers or not piping extra buttercream on the cake, the basic amounts should be fine.

Directions

  • Bring the sugar and water to a boil.  Stirring only until the sugar dissolves.
  • Cook to soft ball stage, 238 degrees
  • While the sugar is cooking, prepare the egg whites
  • Beat whites until foamy, add cream of tartar
  • Beat until stiff peaks form
  • With the mixer running, slowly drizzle the hot syrup into the egg whites.  I was using a hand mixer, so I drizzled between the beaters and the edge of the bowl. Stopped drizzling and moved the beaters to incorporate the syrup, over and over.  If the syrup hits the beaters, it will just get flung about rather than mixed in.
  • Continue to beat for about 3 minutes
  • With the mixer running, slowing add the chunks of butter, the buttercream may look like it’s seperating, but just keep beating.  It will magically come together with a fluffly, even texture and enough body to make a nice frsoting to work with.
  • Add the vanilla, Nutella, and melted chocolate.
  • Frost the cake.  Pipe any pattern you wish along the base of the cake; make 16 large stars around the outside of the top.
  • Place 1/2 a Ferrero Rocher on each star.

Nutella Buttercream

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For my sister’s birthday, something chocolate was required.  A chocolate cake with Nutella Swiss Meringue Buttercream.  My mother prepared her other favorite, a Tres Leches Cake, as well as a fried chicken dinner with all the trimmings.  She is well loved and last Friday, very well fed.

To make the buttercream, I added 3 small jars of Nutella to a Swiss Meringue Buttercream recipe I found online.  (I have since tried it with the Jif hazelnut chocolate spread and its thicker texture works better in the frosting.)  I have made meringue buttercreams before, but I now realize they were Italian style rather than Swiss.  In this recipe the egg whites are heated before beating.

In the Italian version, a hot syrup is added to the fluffy whites. This method seems to yield a frosting that holds up better at room temperature.  The Swiss was a little to soft to work with, hence the unusual piping pattern around the bottom of the cake.

Nutella Cheesecake

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I’ve had a hankering to play with buttercream lately. So when my daughter said a long-awaited transfer at work was finally coming through, I offered to make her a cake to celebrate. She, of course, requested cheesecake – a nutella cheesecake with an oreo crust. . . she has some great ideas! I’m making notes on what I will do differently next time, as much to jog my own memory as anything else. Don’t get me wrong, the changes will be a move toward perfection, we all really enjoyed this cheesecake as it was.

Ingredients
20 oreo sandwich cookies, filling removed & cookies crushed into crumbs
2 T. sugar
1/2 c. butter, melted (next time I’ll use 4 – 6 T, this was too much butter – forgive me Paula Deen)
3 8-oz. packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 c. sour cream, at room temperature
1 c. sugar
3 eggs, at room temperature, separated
1 t. vanilla extract
1 13-oz. jar nutella (at Lisa’s suggestion, next time I may use 2 jars)

Directions
Mix chocolate cookie crumbs, sugar, and butter. Press into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. At at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Do not turn off oven. Allow crust to cool while preparing the batter.

Beat cream cheese, sour cream, and sugar until well combined. Add egg yolks one at a time. Mix in vanilla. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until they hold soft peaks. Fold into batter.

Reserve 2 cups of batter in a small bowl (next time I’ll only keep 1 c. of batter out). Fold nutella into remaining batter. Pour nutella batter into pan on top of cooled crust. Drop spoonsful of the reserved batter on top and swirl with a knife. Bake at 350 degrees for an hour to 1 1/4 hours or until the cake begins to pull away from the edge of the pan and the center is still has a little movement. (I wish the white batter hadn’t browned on top. I may try covering or tenting the top with foil next time.) Cool completely. Refrigerate.