Mocha Hazelnut Granola Bars

June 22, 2015 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking

My first taste of Nutella came in the mid-1980s when my parents brought back a jar from a trip to Europe. Their travels took them into Northern Italy where I suspect this particular jar of pasta gianduja was procured, and for me it was love at first bite. It made a strong impression on me and I’ve had it many times since then; memorably while visiting my sister in Australia over her study abroad semester when we began most mornings with an English muffin generously spread with a layer of chocolate-hazelnut deliciousness. Vacation breakfast at it's best.

The flavor combination is one of my favorites - deeply, but gently nutty, smooth, sweet, creamy, chocolate-y heaven. Great on fruit, a shortbread cookie, or right off the spoon. Even better with a cup of coffee, which leads me to the other Italian-ish component of this recipe: instant coffee. The mochas on espresso bar menus everywhere and the presence of coffee in chocolate cake recipes have ably proven that coffee and chocolate pair beautifully.

It's a classic combination, but one I haven't seen in pre-made granola bars, and since these three ingredients were just made for each other I had to find a way. The flavors compliment each other, and together are far greater than the sum of their parts. It also doesn’t hurt that these bars mix up quickly and are perfectly portable – a pick-me-up snack if I ever saw one!

Mocha Hazelnut Granola Bars (yield: 8 bars)

Ingredients:
3/4 cup chopped hazelnuts
2/3 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1 1/4 cups Old-fashioned rolled oats
2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
1/4 cup vanilla whey protein powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup cashew or hazelnut butter
1/2 cup wildflower honey
3 teaspoons instant coffee
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Non-stick spray

Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray the interior of an 8x8x2 inch pan or 9 inch pie plate with non-stick spray and line the bottom with parchment paper.

Roughly chop the hazelnuts and stir together with the semi-sweet chocolate chips, rolled oats, whole wheat flour, whey protein powder, and kosher salt in a medium bowl.

In a separate smaller mixing bowl, combine the olive oil, nut butter, honey, instant coffee powder, and vanilla extract until evenly combined. Note: measuring olive oil first will make it easier to remove the cashew butter and honey from the cup.

Pour the nut butter mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until all the chocolate chips, nuts, and oats are evenly coated. The granola mixture will be stiff, but should stick together. Add a touch more honey if the granola is too crumbly.

Spread the batter into the prepared baking pan and use a rubber spatula press the mixture into the pan in an even layer, don’t neglect the corners!

Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes until the edges begin to brown and the top turns lightly golden. Cool the bars completely in the pan before turning out onto a cutting board. Slice the baked bars into squares.

Wrap the bars individually in plastic, or store in an airtight container with a piece of parchment paper or waxed paper between the layers.

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Yes, indeed! I used an 8 x 8 x 2 glass baking dish, one medium mixing bowl, one small mixing bowl, a small cutting board, chef’s knife, a rubber spatula, measuring cups and spoons. A sheet of parchment paper will help too.

The Verdict:
Oh Lord. These are crazy addictive, so make them at your own risk…. The coffee flavor comes through clearly and plays off the sweet (but not too sweet) chocolate and rich hazelnut. A smidgen of saltiness keeps it all in check. I made a batch to bring with us on a long trip and it was all I could do to resist finishing them before the end of the flight. We found ourselves pressing the crumbs out of the ziplock bag when the last bar was gone. If you like chocolate, hazelnut, and coffee you’ll loooove these granola bars.

Butternut Squash & Gruyere Galette

March 09, 2015 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking

The snow is still deep in Central Park, but winter seems to be easing its grip on the city; the banks along the street are beginning to recede leaving a trail of gritty treasure behind. Which means (if we’re lucky!) that spring is on its way and it’s time to get as many of the the cold weather recipes I’ve been thinking of out of my system – including this Butternut Squash & Gruyere Galette.

This recipe for a gratin written by Kimberley Hasselbrink was my introduction to the combination of butternut squash, Gruyere and toasted hazelnuts and quickly became a favorite. The rich nutty flavor of the cheese emphasized by the hazelnuts and paired with the deep roasted flavor of the caramelized onions and butternut squash is amazing.

I’ve been focused on improving my pie crust game in 2015 and combining this filling with a whole wheat crust seemed like a match made in heaven. I love the toasty flavor of the whole wheat, and the rustic appearance of a galette (or crostata if you prefer) fits beautifully with this earthy, but elegant dish.

Butternut Squash & Gruyere Galette (serves: 4-6 people)

Pastry Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat flour
6 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup very cold water

Filling Ingredients:
2 pounds butternut squash
1 cup (1 medium) yellow onion
1/4 cup whole hazelnuts (or 1/8 cup chopped)
1/4 pound Gruyere, grated
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper

Pastry Instructions:
Dice the cold unsalted butter into small cubes and measure the water. Replace both in the refrigerator while you set up and measure the remaining ingredients. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade place the whole wheat flour and kosher salt. Pulse a few times to mix.

Add the diced, cold butter to the food processor and toss gently in the flour to coat. Watch your fingers! Replace the cover and pulse about 10-15 times until the butter is the size of peas and evenly distributed in the flour.

Lastly, slowly pour the ice water through the feed tube of the processor while pulsing the blade. As soon as the dough begins to pull together into a crumbly ball, stop pulsing the processor. Turn the pieces of dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap and use the wrap to press into a single flat disc. Refrigerate the dough for at least an hour until it becomes firm.

Filling Instructions:
Pre heat the oven to 325 degrees F.

While the dough chills, peel the butternut squash and cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and discard (or keep if you want to toast them!) Slice both halves into semi-circles about 1/3 inch wide.

Place the butternut squash pieces on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and toss with the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, kosher salt and black pepper. Make sure the pieces are evenly coated and have space on the baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes at 325 degrees F turning the pieces over halfway through.

Peel and slice the onions into thin rings or half-moons. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium sauté pan over very low heat and cook the onions for 20-25 minutes until they soften and caramelize, stirring occasionally.

Toast the whole hazelnuts for 3-5 minutes in a small dry sauté pan. Keep a close watch on the nuts; shimmy the pan periodically to turn and prevent them from burning. Allow to cool and then very roughly chop to your taste. Grate or chop the gruyere.

Turn the oven up to 400 degrees F.

To assemble, roll the chilled dough out on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4 inch thick and 7-8 inches in diameter. Place the dough on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and layer the gruyere, roasted butternut squash, caramelized onions, toasted hazelnuts in the middle leaving a 1 – 1 ½ inch border. Sprinkle the layers with the fresh thyme leaves.

Fold a section of the dough border up to partially cover the filling and overlapping the extra to form pleats. Press the folds gently together and brush with the beaten egg.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 30-40 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through the cooking time, until the crust is golden and the butternut squash is tender.

Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.

Inspired by and partially adapted from Butternut Squash Gratin by Kimberley Hasselbrink for Etsy.

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Yes, with a little organization. For the pastry I used a 6 cup food processor (a large bowl and a pastry cutter, or even two butter knives will work too), a rolling pin, and measuring cups and spoons. For the filling and to finish the galette I used a large cutting board, chef’s knife, medium sauté pan, two baking sheets, a vegetable peeler, and wooden spatula. Parchment paper is also super helpful with clean up, or if you want to re-use a baking sheet.

The Verdict:
I’d like to pretend that I sat down very genteelly and had a piece of Butternut Squash & Gruyere Galette with a beautiful salad and a glass of sauvignon blanc like a grown-up. But really midway through taking the photos for this post I couldn’t resist the warm toasty whole wheat pastry wrapped around the mellow squash and caramelized onions. So, there I was standing over the table with a wedge of galette in one hand and the camera in the other. If you were here when it came out of the oven you wouldn’t blame me – I hope! This reheats in the oven nicely, so if there happen to be leftovers you’ll still be able to enjoy them the next day.

Roasted Beet Salad with Arugula, Goat Cheese & Hazelnuts

July 28, 2014 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking

Roasted Beet Salad with Arugula, Goat Cheese and Hazelnuts | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Roasted Beet Salad with Arugula, Goat Cheese and Hazelnuts** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

If I had to think carefully about when I was converted to beets I’d probably trace the moment back to a beet salad I had at a little bistro on Greenville Ave in Dallas. I wouldn’t have normally ordered it, but there was a snafu with my entrée and it seemed like a good option. Since then I’ve been ordering beet salads like they’re going out of style.

I don’t know why it didn’t occur to me to try making one until we were sitting in a new restaurant in our neighborhood and once again the salad called out to me from the top of the menu. Inspiration struck and I realized that I could probably recreate some of the flavors at home.

I consulted Ina (of course), but also a few other sources and my trusty Flavor Bible (that’s really what it’s called) until I figured out the best process to achieve what I wanted. The end result: cool beets, a vinaigrette with bright acidity and a little cheese to round it all out.

Beet Salad with Arugula, Goat Cheese and Hazelnuts (serves 4 generously)

Ingredients:

2 medium red beets, tops removed and scrubbed
2 medium golden beets, tops removed and scrubbed
¼ cup hazelnuts, toasted
4 cups baby arugula greens, washed and dried
2 ounces goat cheese
2 tablespoons raspberry vinegar
2 tablespoon champagne or white wine vinegar
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for roasting
1 ½ teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, minced
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Special Tools:

Rubber gloves (optional)
Aluminum foil
Paper towels

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the beets on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and toss with the olive oil. Fold the edges of the foil together to form a packet. Roast for 60 – 75 minutes or until a knife inserted into the largest beet meets no resistance.

Allow beets to cool enough to handle and then remove the skins by rubbing gently with a paper towel. (The beets will stain your hands, so gloves are a good idea for this step!)

Cut the beets in ½ inch chunks and place them in a large bowl. Toss with 2-3 tablespoons of the vinaigrette and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour until cold.

Meanwhile, toast the hazelnuts in a dry sauté pan until golden. Allow to cool; then coarsely chop. In a separate bowl, toss the arugula greens with the remaining vinaigrette.

Arrange the dressed greens and beets on a plate and top with the toasted hazelnuts, and crumbled goat cheese.

Vinaigrette:

Whisk together the raspberry vinegar, champagne vinegar, chopped thyme leaves, salt & pepper. Whisk in olive oil until emulsified.

Small Kitchen Friendly:

Yes, especially since it was conceived in a small kitchen! I used one baking sheet, one large bowl, one medium bowl, and a small sauté pan. I also used a liquid measuring cup, measuring spoons, a chef’s knife, a whisk, and one medium cutting board.

The Verdict:

Mike and I both loved the intense sharpness of the vinaigrette balanced against the creaminess of the goat cheese, and the dense flavor of the roasted beets pairs so nicely with the toasted hazelnuts. I recommend serving with a few pieces of toasted baguette for an additional crunch. I’d love to try new versions of this salad combining different types of cheese – perhaps homemade ricotta, or gorgonzola? – and some alternate toasted nuts like pistachios or walnuts.