Nutella and Hershey’s Special Dark kisses.  When those two met, it was love at first sight.  They used to sneak out at night and meet in the meadows under the moonlight…Sounds like a nice story right? To hear more, keep reading…

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner.  For some, this means a day of romance, flowers, dinner reservations, you know, mushy stuff…For others, it means a night out with your girlfriends, just because.  Some people sit and sulk because they don’t have anyone to cuddle with.  Some people conveniently completely forget about the day in itself.

But not me.

Personally, I see Valentine’s Day as a celebration of chocolate!  Something that is truly dear to my heart. <3  “Rich and creamy or bitter and sweet, chocolate is like love itself.” -Jennifer Calhoun

I always catch myself wondering how, and when, and why chocolate became such a huge part of this day in February.  As soon as the whole New Years shebang wraps itself up, the finest, most delicious-looking chocolates are put display in all the shops.  Restaurants have decadent chocolate items on a Valentine’s themed menu.  Starbucks sells gazillions of chocolatey Valentines drinks.

Advertisements read:

“this Valentine’s Day…say it in chocolate“

or

“Valentine’s Day means chocolate bonding“

or

“this Valentine’s day…take a dip in dark chocolate“

ha, gladly 🙂

My guess is because chocolate is one of those feel good, smooth, set the mood, foods.  But I don’t know, what do you think?

 Anyways, nevermind whatever the reason may be – as long as some sort of chocolate yummy is incorporated into my February 14th, I am content 🙂

And these Chocolate Hazelnut Smooches are just the thing!  A mind-blowing chocolate hazelnut cookie, with just the right amount of chocolate to balance the savory nuttiness of the hazelnut, topped with a dark chocolate Hershey’s kiss! Can you believe it is even possible??

These will have you falling in love, right and left, up and down, all around.  It’s insane.

RECIPE: CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT SMOOCHES

Summary: Love at first bite. Adapted from Giada’s recipe.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp instant coffee or espresso
• 3/4 cup chocolate hazelnut spread – aka Nutella
• 1/2 cup butter, softened (1 stick)
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup turbindo sugar (coarse sugar)
• 1 package of Hershey’s kisses – I used the Special Dark kind

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cover a cookie sheet in parchment paper – this makes for easy clean up and no sticking cookies!
3. In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, sea salt, and coffee. Set aside.
4. In a separate bowl, combine Nutella, butter, brown sugar, egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Mix on low-speed with an electric mixer for about 3 minutes.
5. Slowly, in stages add some of the flour mix to the wet ingredients, mixing with the electric mixer in between. Continue to do this until everything is well incorporated.
6. Form a small ball of dough, about the size of a quarter. Roll the ball in turbindo sugar, until it is completely covered.
7. Place cookie onto a parchment-paper-covered baking sheet. Fill up the baking sheet with cookies, spaced 3-4 inches apart, as these cookies spread a little.
8. Bake in the oven for 6 minutes, exactly!
9. After 6 minutes is up, take the cookies out, place a Hershey’s kiss in the center of each cookie, and return to the oven for 1-2 more minutes. Do not leave them in any longer, as these cookies tend to harden quickly.
10. Cool on a baking sheet.
11. Pour yourself a tall glass of milk.
12. Find yourself a handsome boy or a pretty lady or a cute old man. Give them a SMOOCH.

Preparation time: 20 minute(s)

Cooking time: 8 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 35 cookies

My rating 5 stars:  ★★★★★ 1 review(s)

Happy Valentine’s Day!

xoxo

-sonia

• ← Two Blueberry Muffins in the Oven
• French, Chocolate Macarons →