Chocolate Hazelnut Crostata-SO easy!

So, once again, Ina Garten inspired me. She made this delicious-looking Summer Fruit Crostata on her show. I went online and found the recipe and when I made the crust, it turns out the recipe made 2 crusts. One for now and one for later. I made the Summer Fruit Crostata with plums and peaches. As much as I want to be, I just am not a "Plum Person" so next time I am going to make it with peaches only.

This left me with an extra crust in the refrigerator. My mom and Rich came through town on their way home to Wisconsin from their place in Texas. I was making dinner and was trying to think of what to have (other than standard ice cream) for dessert. I remember that I had been having a craving for chocolate pudding. That happens, sometimes. This lead me to chocolate pie, which reminded me of the crostata crust that yells at me everytime I open the fridge to do something with it before it goes bad! I thought to myself, hmmm...I can bake the crust, let it cool then smear it with Nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread deliciousness) then top with semi-cooled chocolate pudding! ohhhhhhhh yeaaaa..... It worked perfectly. I had planned to put a dollap (or is it dollop) of whipped cream on top but I forgot to buy cream at the store so I took a mini scoop and put a teeny scoop of vanilla ice cream on top, swirled a little Hershey's Chocolate Syrup and topped with a cherry. Everything dessert related must have a cherry, a rule created by Carlos. Nevermind that the first slice flipped upside down, making it mine. A slice of heaven it was!

I prefer to make my chocolate pudding from scratch, (I know, you are thinking, of course you do!) but in a pinch use a box of chocolate pudding, just please don't cut EVERY corner and use instant or sugar free (that stuff is only for when you need to feed your chocolate pudding craving immediately-not for a nice dessert). Use the kind you cook on the stove, you dump the box in add milk and bring it to a boil. Easy peasy....

Here is the crostata recipe:

Chocolate Hazelnut Crostata-by Marisa Andert

1 Crostata (see recipe below)

Nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread found in peanut butter section of grocery store)

1 recipe or box of Chocolate Pudding

Crostata Crust-by Ina Garten

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated or superfine sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced

6 tablespoons (3 ounces) ice water

Place the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and toss quickly (and carefully!) with your fingers to coat each cube of butter with the flour. Pulse 12-15 times, or until the butter is the size of peas. With the motor running, add the ice water all at once through the feed tube. Keep hitting the pulse button to combine, but stop the machine just before the dough comes together. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured board, roll it into a ball, cut in half, and form into 2 flat disks. Wrap the disks in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. If you only need one disk of dough the other disk of dough can be frozen.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Roll the pastry into an 11-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Transfer it to the baking sheet. Prick the crust with a fork all over to prevent bubbles. the fold over the edges of the crust to make a rim (about 1 inch or so).

Bake in pre-heated oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Keep your eye on it though, as I have only done this once!

While crust is baking make the chocolate pudding according to the instructions on the box. Let the pudding cool to room temperature.

After crust is baked and cooled, smear with Nutella and then cover with cooled chocolate pudding and place in refrigerator until nicely chilled.

Cut into slices and top with a mini scoop of your favorite ice cream, and drizzle with Hershey's syrup, although a caramel drizzles sounds good too! and of course it wouldn't be complete without a cherry on top.