Nutella Twist

This gorgeous dessert can’t get any easier.

I can’t even call it a recipe because it’s literally two ingredients.

This is terrific to make in  pinch when you have company coming.

All you need is to have a sheet of puff pastry in your freezer and …. well everyone has Nutella in their cupboard right ?

Nutella Pastry Christmas Tree

This pastry Christmas tree was all the rage this year.  I just had to try it.

At first I thought, “Great, this is simple”

Ok it’s simple, but its messy!

Because I had Nutella all over my hands I didn’t take any step by step pictures.

Thumbprint Cookies

There are so many variations of Thumbprint cookies and they all look pretty good.  This recipe however, caught my eye years ago and I’ve been using it ever since.  This is actually a Kraft recipe.  I love the fact that the cookie itself has cream cheese in it to make the cookie even more flavorful.

Panettone

I’ve been wanting to make a panettone forever.  But I wanted something easy enough that I could make a few of them without too much trouble.  Since I have a bread machine, I thought the easiest thing would be to make the dough in the machine.

This recipe is for making the dough in your bread machine, then baking in the oven.

To make your panettone even more authentic, bake it in a panettone paper mold. They bake up perfectly and are perfect for giving as gifts.  If you can’t find any at your local baking supply store you can get some on amazon.

With my first attempt I waited to put the raisins in, but I discovered that my bread machine didn’t have a fruit/nut cycle so all my raisins sat on top. 

So, despite what I’ve read about adding fruit or nuts in a bread machine, I just added mine at the beginning and it turned out perfect.

Ingredients:

(In the order that I put them in the bread machine)

1/2 cup milk (room temperature)

2 eggs (room temperature)

2 egg yolks (room temperature)

4 tablespoons soft butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup raisins

1/4 cup candied peel

2 3/4 cups of bread flour

2 teaspoons bread machine yeast

Preparation:

Follow your bread machine manufacturer’s directions if it differs from mine.  Check to see if you have a fruit/nut cycle on your machine.

Once all your ingredients are in set your machine to the dough cycle.

When your dough is done, transfer to a paper mold.   At this point you can use the left over egg whites and brush some on the top of your dough to make the top a nice shiny brown when it’s baked.

Bake for 35-45 minutes at 350. 

Insert a long skewer into the center and make sure it comes out clean to ensure it is completely done in the center.

I let my panettone cool on a wire rack for about 15 mintues.  While it’s still warm, I wrap it loosely in a plastic bag to keep the moisture in.

When completely cool, wrap it up, give as a gift and impress your friends!

Enjoy !