Name: Nutella Tart
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 1 cup hazelnuts; 1 recipe recipe , fully baked and cooled; 1¼ cups Nutella; ½ cup heavy cream; 2 tablespoons water; 2 ounces (57 grams) bittersweet chocolate , finely chopped; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; Whipped cream (optional)

Why This Recipe Works

In order to transform Nutella into a creamy filling, we knew we'd have to amp up its richness and transform its thick texture. We added heavy cream and butter for richness and creaminess and bittersweet chocolate for a deeper, more intense flavor. We then microwaved the mixture, stirring it often, until it formed a homogeneous filling—essentially a ganache that just needed some time in the fridge to set up. Once chilled, the luscious truffle-like chocolate-hazelnut filling perfectly complemented the crisp, buttery crust.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Toast hazelnuts on rimmed baking sheet until skins begin to blister and crack, 15 to 20 minutes. Wrap warm nuts in dish towel and rub gently to remove skins. Reserve 24 whole nuts for garnish, then chop remaining nuts coarsely. Sprinkle chopped nuts into cooled prebaked tart shell.

Place Nutella in large bowl. Bring cream and water to simmer in small saucepan over medium-high heat. Off heat, stir in chocolate and butter, cover, and let stand until chocolate is mostly melted, about 5 minutes. Gently whisk mixture until smooth. Immediately pour chocolate mixture over Nutella and stir to combine. (Mixture may look curdled to start but will become smooth with stirring.)

Pour warm chocolate mixture evenly into tart shell. Refrigerate tart, uncovered, until filling is just set, about 15 minutes. Arrange reserved whole nuts around edge of tart, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and continue to refrigerate until filling is firm, at least 1½ hours or up to 1 day.

To serve, remove outer ring of tart pan, slide thin metal spatula between tart and tart pan bottom, and carefully slide tart onto serving platter or cutting board. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.