I was going to start this post with an explanation of what Nutella is, and how wonderful it is, and how my life was forever changed after my daughter introduced me to it a few years ago... but I can't do that. My mom always told me that I should never talk with my mouth full. Besides, if you make this recipe, all of your questions will be answered. On top of that, a picture is worth 1,000 words.
HAPPY WORLD NUTELLA DAY!
This decadent dessert is a blend of rich chocolate-hazelnut mousse, caramelized bananas, and freshly whipped cream laced with premium quality cacao nibs. It's small on size, but large on taste!
WHAT YOU\'LL NEED
- 6 1/2 ounces graham crackers (12 crackers), finely ground (1 1/2 cups)
- 2 1/2 ounces (5 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups whipping cream, VERY COLD
- 2 cups Nutella
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 or 2 large barely ripe (firm) banana, peeled and sliced vertically into 12 slices 1/4" thick
- 1/4 cup superfine white sugar
- 1/4 cup Scharffenberger cacao nibs, chopped into small pieces
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, or more to taste
- Pinch of salt
HOW TO MAKE IT
At least 6 hours before serving, in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the cream, nibs, sugar and salt, and bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
Remove from the heat, cover and steep for 30 minutes. Strain the cream through a fine-mesh sieve and discard the nibs.
Cover and refrigerate the cream for at least 5 hours or up to 2 days. When ready to use, whip the chilled cream until soft peaks form.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Pulse graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugar, and salt in a food processor until combined.
Firmly press crumb mixture into bottom and up sides of 12 standard size cupcake tins.
Bake until crust is fragrant and edges are golden, 10-12 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
Using a stand mixer with the whip attachment, or a standard hand mixer, beat the cream and vanilla until it forms soft peaks. The cream should be VERY cold. I put my cream, the mixing bowl, and even the beaters/whip into the freezer for a few minutes before I whipped the cream. The colder everything is, the better it whips up.
Once the cream is whipped, use a rubber spatula to gently fold the Nutella into the cream.
Use a spoon to fill each of the pie crusts with mousse and place into the refrigerator for 1 hour, or until firmly set.
Place the bananas onto a sturdy baking sheet and sprinkle evenly with the sugar. If you have a cook's blowtorch, wave it over the bananas until the sugar has caramelized. Otherwise, heat the broiler of your oven to its highest setting and place the baking sheet of bananas under the broiler until golden brown and bubbling. Let cool until the sugar has firmed up.
Top each pie with the prepared whipped cream and top each one with a caramelized banana.
Serve and enjoy!
Bachelor Kitchen