Nutella Meringue Pie

Nutella has been a cryptonite of mine since I was a teenager and I spent a month living with my dad’s family in Northern Italy. Every single day around 3pm, as a snack, we would crack open a little crunchy on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside, day-old dinner roll and fill it with Nutella. I kid you not. It is the ONLY way to live life, a serving of Nutella a day.

As I was brainstorming what to dream up next, I decided I’d take this memory for a ride. Obviously Nutella and bread go together, but I wanted something lighter, more worthy of a tabletop moment. But something equally as simple as the afternoon snack variety. My favorite dessert that is crunchy on the inside, soft and chewy on the inside is the glorious pavlova. Turns out, combining the two creates a stunning greater than the sum of its parts dessert or 3pm snack that’s sneak attack that’s coincidentally gluten free.

Nutella (Chocolate-Hazelnut) Meringue (Crunch) Pie/ Pavlova

Makes one, serves 8-12

Splash of vinegar, for the bowl

4 ea egg whites

⅔ cup sugar

½ cup confectioner’s sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

⅔ cup nutella

¾ cup hazelnuts, chopped

¼ teaspoon salt

Eggs 

Take those yolks and go to curd town (link), or creme brûlée it up another night (link). Just remember to store them with a film of plastic on top in an airtight container so they don’t dry out.

Room temperature egg whites will whip more easily and successfully. And since they’re the core of a pavlova, take the time to temper your egg whites before you begin.

Wiping your bowl down with vinegar will ensure there is no liquid, grease or otherwise that remains which will deflate your whipping egg whites.

Heat the oven to 225F and line a half sheet pan (do not grease!)

Splash vinegar on a dry towel and wipe the bowl of your stand mixer. Lock the vinegared bowl in place and engage the whisk attachment. Whip the egg whites on medium speed for the first minute, then on high until fluffy and foamy, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle in the sugar little by little and whisk for 3 minutes until you have glossy medium peaks. Add the confectioners’ sugar and salt and beat until glossy stiff peaks form, about 2 final minutes. 

Take a spatula and fold the vanilla extract in until it disappears.

Spoon or spatula the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet, nearly the width of the sheet creating a free form round, using your spreading tool to create a giant nest, purposefully leaving some swooshes and swirl-like peaks on the top and sides (drama is everything to the texture and look of the finished dessert).

Spoon or spatula the Nutella into the center of the pavlova, and using your spreading tool or a fork, swirl the two together. Sprinkle the chopped hazelnuts around the outer edges, then top the hazelnuts with the remaining salt.

Bake at 225F for 2 hours. Turn off the oven and keep the door closed with the pan of pavlova inside, allowing it to cool in the oven completely, about another hour, creating a lightly colored, crisp, nearly cracked crust that feels dry to the touch. 

Slice your pavlova just before serving and embrace any crumb- it’s the shabby chic mess that is the invitation into the indulgence, I promise. If you have pavlova leftover, it will keep fresh in an airtight container for up to 5 days, staying every bit as tasty, but becoming chewy.