Baking and Comfort

Baking really calms me down. Earlier I was feeling really angry and upset because of an argument that I had with my mother. It was a silly argument but it stems from issues that we have had since I was a kid.

Anyway back to baking. I was on Pintrest , trying to calm down because it soothes me and I found a recipe for Nutella cookies. Now I understand that it is hot out but it does not stop me from eating chocolate. These Nutella cookies are special because they are so easy to make and also because it is such a comforting ingredient. Like peanut butter, Nutella makes me feel young again, reminds me of simpler times, routine and ease.

So having baked my Nutella cookies I wondered where this tasty happy goop originated. According to Wikepedia it was first created in 1944 by Pietro Ferrero. Ferrero  owned a bakery in Alba, in northern Italy, an area famous for the manufacture of hazelnuts. Pietro  started selling  "Pasta Gianduja" in 1946. This was originally sold as blocks, but Ferrero started to sell a creamy adaptation in 1951 as "Supercrema".

Nutella is made from sugar, modified palm oil, hazelnuts, cocoa, skimmed milk powder, whey powder, lecithin, and vanillin. In 1963, the Ferrero family  revamped Supercrema so that it could be sold throughout Europe. It was renamed "Nutella" and the first jar left the Ferrero factory in April of 1964. Nutella was a hit and slowly made its way to America. World Nutella Day is February 5, making it obvious that this gooey spread is special.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nutella

The recipe I used is below :

Easy  Nutella Cookies

Yield: 12

ingredients:

1 cup all purpose flour
1 large egg
1 cup of Nutella
1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon of cinnamon(optional)

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Combine flour, egg and Nutella in a large bowl and mix together with a spoon. Add oil and mix until dough comes together and no flour lumps remain.
2. Make dough balls, about 1 1/2 inch in diameter. Place on cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart. Press down slightly on dough so the dough balls are more like very very thick round disks rather than perfectly round balls. Smooth edges that may have cracked from the pressure of pushing down on the balls, so that you have thick round smooth disks.
3. Bake for about 10 minutes. Cookies should be mostly set, but might be slightly still soft in the middle. Let cookies cool on rack until completely set. Enjoy while still slightly warm or after completely cooled.

Inspired by:

http://kirbiecravings.com/2013/01/easiest-nutella-cookies.html

http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/desserts/nutella-cookies/