2.7.19
Well. It was certainly not my intention to pull off a one post per month situation, but it’s February and that’s clearly what happened. January legit felt like it lasted six months and yet I didn’t have time to create more than one recipe. To be fair, I did bake some fun things from recipes that weren’t my own, but otherwise I’ve been drowning in audition season and work. So if I’m going to make my grand reappearance it had better catch your eye, no? And oh buddy, does it ever. I’m not even going to pretend this tart isn’t decadent, rich, and full of some of my favorite flavors. This Nutella and Cookie Butter Tart is downright criminal, it’s so delicious. It has been added to my list of one of my favorite things I’ve ever made.
I could eat both of the main ingredients out of a jar, so pairing them up seemed like it could be overkill. But it’s actually perfect. The hazelnut comes through just enough to give you some relief from the cookie butter (or Speculoos if you prefer). I also made the crust out of the same cookies that Speculoos is made of, so there’s that. This is a dessert that can be made the day of, but I recommend chilling overnight so your ganache has plenty of time to set. This dessert also gave me the opportunity to learn how to candy hazelnuts which look super fancy. It’s not as hard as it is getting the hang of it and moving quickly. [I tried to post more pictures than necessary to give you an idea of the process and the result] If you don’t have the time or patience for the candied hazelnuts, top with some flaked salt or confectioners sugar, or nothing! This tart does just fine without any decor and is the perfect way to congratulate yourself for getting through the five years that was January.
Nutella & Cookie Butter Tart
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1 1/2 packages of Biscoff or Trader Joe’s Speculoos cookies (about 11 oz)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
For the Cookie Butter Filling
- 1/2 cup cookie butter (TJ’s and Biscoff have their own brands and the flavor is the same)
- 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
For the Ganache
- 3/4 cup Nutella
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
For the Candied Hazelnuts
- 20-25 hazelnuts, skins removed
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions
For the Tart
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees, place rectangular tart pan on baking sheet
- Pulse cookies for crust in a food processor until crumbs are formed
- Transfer to medium bowl and mix together with melted butter using a spatula or large spoon, until crumbs begin to clump together
- Pour into tart pan and using your hand press crumbs along entire bottom and edges of tart pan, packing tightly
- Bake for 10 minutes, allow to cool while you make filling
- Chill a mixing bowl with whisk attachment for stand up mixer for 10-15 minutes
- In a separate mixing bowl, using the paddle attachment, beat together cookie butter, confectioners sugar, cream cheese and vanilla extract until smooth, about 4-5 minutes, set aside
- In chilled bowl, using whisk attachment, whip heavy cream until stuff peaks form and has reached a scoopable consistency
- Fold 1/3 of whipped cream into cookie butter mixture until no white streaks remain, then add remaining whipped cream and fold until fully combined, mixture will be lighter in color and texture
- Pour filling into cooled crust and using an offset spatula spread evenly into crust, being careful in the corners not to mix crumbs into filling
- Chill for 30 minutes
- Place Nutella in a medium bowl
- Heat cream in a small saucepan until the edges begin to bubble and few whips of steam appear
- Pour over Nutella and allow to stand one minute before stirring in the center with a spatula until smooth and combined
- Add in butter and continue to stir until melted into ganache
- Pour over cookie butter filling to cover entire surface and chill for at least 3 hours, though I recommend over night
- Garnish with candied hazelnuts, flaked salt, or confectioners sugar and enjoy
For the Candied Hazelnuts
- Place two cutting board on a flat surfaces, under each end of the cutting boards, place a skewer, raising it a bit and making it easier to slide skewered hazelnuts underneath quickly
- Place a baking sheet lined with parchment paper on the floor underneath where the hazelnuts will hang to catch drips
- Place a bowl with ice water nearby
- Skewer hazelnuts carefully, try to avoid skewering right on the seam to avoid breaking in half, set aside
- In a medium sauce pan mix together sugar and water, wet a pastry brush and brush down any sugar crystals on the side of the pan, do this periodically if needed to avoid burnt sugar on the sides of sauce pan
- Over low-medium heat, allow mixture to melt and boil
- Once it reaches a rich amber color immediately remove from heat and dip bottom into ice water a few times to stop cooking
- Set pan on slanted surface and allow to set 30 seconds – 1 minute
- Dip hazelnuts into caramel and transfer skewers to underneath cutting boards, allowing caramel to drip
- Continue with all hazelnuts, if caramel gets too hard, reheat over low-medium heat until soft again
- Allow to set 10-20 minutes
- Using scissors, cut the drips to create a spike as long as you would like
- Place on top of tart, do not store in fridge or covered, allow to sit on plate at room temperature
P.S.
- I used the ‘blanching method” for removing the skins, boiling water and baking soda with the hazelnuts, then removing the skins by rinsing with cold water and by hand. A little tedious but very easy
- I made a raked surface for my sauce pan so all the caramel would pool to one side, making it easier to dip the hazelnuts
- Making your work station for this close together and making sure everything is set beforehand allow this process to be much easier
- Give your hazelnuts plenty of space, otherwise their drips will cling together (a few of mine did)
