Nutella - You made me LOVE you...I didn't want to do it...This holiday Nutella tart was inspired by Vincenzo discovering a soon to expire jar of Nutella in our pantry. He looked at me with those big brown eyes and that's all it took. He's crazy about Nutella, like most Italians! So, the whole thing started out as one of those recipe experiments that was a lovely surprise! I didn't have time to research other recipes, so I just followed my instincts on this one. I scribbled down the recipe on a paper towel as I was making it just in case it turned out great.
Not only was it really tasty, it made me fall in love with Nutella. I've been trying to love Nutella very much over the years because it's one of Vincenzo's favorite things in life. This tart finally did it for me.
The combination of the buttery, caramelized, graham cracker crust combined with the fudgy-like tart is a winner.
The addition of raspberries or blackberries and whipped cream adds just enough contrast to the sweetness of the Nutella and brings everything together. I've even tried this with a spoon of Greek yogurt and berries and it was delicious!
Top this tart with toasted nuts of your choice. The almonds were great, but it would be equally nice with pistachios or hazelnuts. I also sprinkled a little Maldon flakey sea salt over the top and it was lovely together. The tart gets even better the longer it sits in the refrigerator. Vincenzo and I fought over the last piece about 4 days after I made it and both agreed that I need to make this again for the Christmas holiday and probably at least once a month all year long! This one is a winner. And, now I LOVE Nutella too.
Recipe
Holiday Nutella Tart
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
For the crust:
1 ¼ cups graham cracker crumbs or chocolate wafer cookies (crushed)
¼ cup sugar
5 Tbsp. melted butter
Combine the crumbs, sugar, and butter and mix well. Pat into a 9- to 10-inch pie plate or tart pan. Bake for 6-8 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
Reduce oven heat to 350 degrees.
For the filling:
8 ounces cream cheese (room temp)
8 ounces Nutella
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1 tsp. orange zest
2 Tbsp. orange liquor (such as Grand Marnier)
Topping: ¼ cup toasted, chopped almonds, pistachios, or hazelnuts.
In a large mixing bowl, blend the cream cheese with the sugar until well blended (use a hand or stand mixer). Next add the eggs, Nutella, vanilla, orange zest, and liquor and mix well until creamy and smooth.
Spread the cream cheese, Nutella mixture over the graham cracker crust. Sprinkle the chopped nuts over the top.
Bake the tart for 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.
Place in the refrigerator to cool well. Chill covered for at least 6 hours prior to serving.
Serve with fresh berries and whipped cream.
