Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Petite Nutella Pochettes

Holiday baking is a wonderful way to pass down old traditions and create new ones. Baking with my daughters is one of the most warm, fuzzy holiday activities I can think of. We always make a variety of cookies – from traditional butter cookies to this new favorite, the nutella pochette. When you put your time, effort and heart into what you bake, you are nourishing your loved ones in every sense of the word.

Petite Nutella Pochettes
Yields 32 pochettes

Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2 cups flour
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons chocolate-hazelnut spread (recommended: Nutella)
Water, as needed
½ cup confectioners' sugar
Special equipment: 3-inch fluted biscuit cutter

Directions
In a medium bowl, using a hand mixer, cream the butter and cream cheese together until light and creamy. Add the flour slowly until the dough forms. Do not over-mix! Shape the dough into a ball and cover. Let the dough rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

On a lightly-floured surface, using a lightly-floured rolling pin, roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Using a 3-inch fluted biscuit cutter, cut out as many circles as you can. Form the scraps into a ball and reroll to make more circles.

Fill each dough circle with a small spoonful of the chocolate-hazelnut spread. Dip your finger in tap water and spread on the edge of half the circle to help create a seal. Fold the dough over to create a crescent. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Cool, then sift the confectioners' sugar on top and serve.

1 comment:

  1. Isn't this Melissa D'Arrabian's recipe? It looks good, though.

    ReplyDelete