Make These Nutella Three-Ingredient Mummy Cakes
Puff pastry is an impressive staple in dozens of gourmet desserts due to its texture, rich flavor and versatility. It’s also exactly what I needed to make a completely uncomplicated Halloween dessert. These Nutella mummy tartlets require just three ingredients and an oven—you don’t even need artistic skills or dexterity. The most difficult thing is to demonstrate composure with an open can of Nutella.
Mummies are one of my favorites in the Halloween scammers gallery, not only because they make me think about the fascinating ancient Egyptian ritual and Brendan Fraser, but also because there is no pressure to make them look neat and tidy. Any deformed limbs or flexible wrappers add to their charm and give you a bit of margin for error if you’re not a particularly dexterous decorator. Unlike witches, vampires, or Frankenstein’s monster, you don’t even have to worry about building a face; at most, they look at you with two beady eyes from behind their rotting strips of fabric. And, fortunately, almost any round candy can become a fabulous beady eye.
Start with defrosted puff pastry; Store-bought frozen puffs are perfectly acceptable, perhaps even preferable, but make sure the package says full cream because they taste better than foods made with fat. Defrost the dough in the refrigerator at least eight hours before you plan to use it. Check the defrosting instructions on the package because you can probably leave the frozen dough on the counter for an hour at most, but be careful with this method because there is a risk of thawing the outside of the bun. Puff pastry is made up of alternating ultra-thin layers of butter and dough, making it vulnerable if it gets too soft. If you take the dough while it is too soft, you can knead the layers and effectively reduce its puffiness, so try to think ahead and thaw it in the refrigerator.
Roll out a sheet of puff pastry, cut off and set aside a third of the rectangle to make wraps (put it in the fridge to keep it warm while you work). Cut the rest of the puff pastry into six equally sized rectangles and immediately place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment. (If you decorate them on a baking sheet, you won’t have to worry about moving them around later when they’re warmer and full of Nutella.)
With the back of a small spoon, brush each rectangle with a thin layer of chocolate hazelnut butter, leaving a quarter inch of unprotected border around the outer edge. Don’t go overboard with Nutella. I know. It goes against every fiber of my being, but you need a thin, opaque layer. If you make too much, it can melt and run out of the dough, resulting in a sad, burnt mess. Also, the border gives the mummy strips a place to stick.
When all the rectangles are covered with Nutella, remove the separated portion of the dough from the refrigerator. Using a knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into thin strips about ¼ inch thick and the same length as the dough; next you adjust the length. Cut one strip of pastry wrapper slightly longer than the width of each pie. Lay it across the pie at an angle so that it touches the edge of the pastry on both sides. Use this initial cut to help you separate the rest, covering each tartlet with criss-cross strips of dough until you’ve crossed the entire length of the rectangle. Nutella pasta should be visible underneath. For a shiny surface, brush the top of the pastry with a little egg mixture. Bake the tartlets for 12-15 minutes in a preheated 400°F oven, or until puffed up and golden.
Finish off those horrible candy eye tartlets. I’m partial to Reese’s Pieces, but you can use M&Ms, chocolate chips, chopped almonds, or peanuts. To make the pupils, use a toothpick and apply some Nutella to each eye.