Nutella Stuffed Pancakes

My boys turned four the other day and I wanted to make them a special breakfast. They are Nutella fans and they're also pancake fans. So when I saw the recipe here for Nutella Stuffed Pancakes, I knew they'd be happy. We all loved the end result and I served them with strawberries, which go so well with Nutella. They were sweet, so I wouldn't recommend adding syrup, and after two pancakes you're pretty full and satisfied. I added sprinkles to my sons' pancakes since it was their birthday. What a delish way to start a birthday!

Nutella Stuffed Pancakes

Ingredients:

10 - 14 tbsp Nutella

Dry Ingredients

• 1½ cups plain flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 4 tbsp sugar
• Pinch of salt

Wet Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 1 cup + 2 tbsp milk (I used low fat)
• 1 tsp vanilla essence (optional)

Other

• 1 tsp butter, separated (2 x ½ tsp)
• Sliced strawberries (optional)

Instructions

Frozen Nutella Disc

1. Line a baking tray with baking paper (parchment paper).
2. Dollop 1½ to 2 tbsp of Nutella onto the baking tray and spread into a disc around 2½" / 6cm in diameter and ⅕" / ½ cm thick. (Note 1) Repeat to make 7 discs.
3. Place the tray in the freezer until firm (around 1 to 1½ hours).
4. Peel off the parchment paper. Keep the Nutella discs in the freezer until required (they soften quickly).

Pancakes

1. Place the Dry Ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine.
2. Make a well in the center and place the Wet Ingredients in the well. Whisk until combined and lump free (stop whisking as soon as it is smooth, don't over whisk).
3. Melt ½ tsp butter in a non stick fry pan over medium heat. Once melted, wipe most of the butter off with a paper towel. (Note 2)
4. Take 3 Frozen Nutella Discs out of the freezer just before you start cooking. (Note 3)
5. Dollop ¼ cup of batter into the fry pan. Working quickly, place 1 Frozen Nutella Disc in the middle of the batter, then top with batter to cover the Nutella disc (Note 4).
6. When bubbles start appearing around the edges (around 2 minutes), lift up the edge and make sure the underside is golden. Then flip and cook until the other side is golden.
7. Repeat with remaining batter. Melt more butter in the pan after the 3rd or 4th pancake. You should be able to make 7 in total, but sometimes it makes 6 - depends on how much batter you use on top of the Nutella.
8. Serve warm with sliced strawberries, if using. You could also serve with cream but I find that it's not necessary!

Notes

1. Don't make the Nutella discs too thin otherwise they may break when you handle them. But on the other hand, don't be too greedy and make them too big otherwise they will ooze out everywhere when you're making the pancake!

2. Wiping most of the butter off is the secret to getting the first pancake an even golden brown rather than splotchy which is what usually happens!

3. The Nutella discs soften quickly. They need to stay firm in order to handle them. I work in 2 batches - take 3 Nutella discs out of the freezer, cook 3 pancakes, then repeat. I found that by the time I got to the 4th pancake, the Nutella discs were starting to soften.

4. I use a ¼ cup measure and fill it about ⅔ of the way up then dollop that on top of the Nutella. You don't need a full ¼ cup of batter to cover the Nutella, the pancake becomes too big and thick. Use the edge of the cup to spread the batter to cover the Nutella. You have to work quickly because once the Nutella disc is on the batter, it melts quickly and it is almost impossible to spread batter on top of melted Nutella.

5. If you get a pancake that "bursts" and Nutella spills onto the fry pan, scrape the Nutella off before making the next one. Otherwise you'll get burnt bits of Nutella on your next pancake!

I found this recipe from http://www.recipetineats.com/nutella-stuffed-pancakes/