Just when you thought there couldn’t be any more Cronut news, Dominique Ansel has partnered with Nutella and its “Spread the Happy” campaign, celebrating the chocolate hazelnut spread's 50th anniversary.
Ansel has produced a limited quantity of Nutella-filled Cronut holes for a one-day event in New York City that has spawned foodie madness as the line of people wrapped around Broadway Pedestrian Plaza, each person hoping to get one of the just 2,000 special Cronuts made Monday. Unlike many of the trendy foods out there, this really is worth the hype – and thankfully, we got a taste.
The Cronut holes are small but generous enough, and each one is made of layer upon layer of buttery, tender croissant dough. It's filled with a river of chocolatey, nutty Nutella – just enough to act as a flavoring, not enough to overpower the delicate dough – then finished with sugar for a crunchy exterior. The hole is truly greater than the sum of its parts. It’s so good that when one unfortunate person dropped his Cronut hole on the street, it was rescued by a zealot and eaten after all.
Ansel greeted fans and gave us the scoop on the next Cronut flavor: It will involve summer's fresh strawberries.
If you didn't get a chance to visit the Cronut Nutella extravaganza today, don't despair! Nutella's “Spread the Happy” campaign is continuing in 15 other U.S. cities, including Chicago, New Orleans, Boston, Minneapolis, and Miami. Check out their Tumblr for a full list of cities where you can expect to see the Nutella truck.
And, of course, if you are now inspired to bake up your own Nutella treats — so you can lick the jar clean when you are done — check out some of these recipes:
Nutella macarons from 52 Kitchen Adventures
Stephanie Saunders says that chilling and then whipping the Nutella ganache makes a filling that is so light that it is almost mousse-like, and swears that these aren't too difficult to make. She also says that if you love macarons and Nutella (and who doesn't!?), these are a “must-try!”
Braided Nutella Bread from KokoCooks
Because nothing is better than warm bread, straight from the oven -- except for warm bread intertwined with a fudgy layer of Nutella, that is. The recipe author got this idea from looking at a pesto bread recipe, and though she was nervous that the Nutella would ooze and become sticky during the baking process, the chocolatey spread worked perfectly. The result is a bread that is woven with ribbons of creamy Nutella, perfect for an afternoon snack. Or breakfast. Or any time at all really.
Nutella Peanut Butter Cups from Dessert Comes First
Lori Baltazar has just hit all of our guilty pleasures with this treat. It's nostalgic, it's handheld, it's easy to make, and it's sinfully delicious. The handmade peanut butter cups are lined with a layer of Nutella. She describes them as “deluxe peanut butter cups smooched with Nutella.” You might describe them as the reason for moving up a dress size.