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Nutella Puff Pastry Christmas Tree
This Nutella puff pastry tree is the perfect Christmas dessert, despite what it looks like, it’s incredibly easy to make and the taste is sensational. Find out how to make it step-by-step below!
This Nutella Christmas tree is officially your go-to recipe for the Xmas season: it’s irresistibly delicious, the taste is insane and it’s surprisingly so easy to make too.
And there’s more – It has an eye-catching tree shape, branches twisted to perfection and a delicate dusting of icing sugar resembling a layer of snow. All you need is 3 basic ingredients and just 30 minutes, and you’ve made yourself this show-stopping beauty!
Though this is the perfect dessert for Christmas, I must admit, I make this Nutella pastry all the time! Plus, if you’re a fan of Nutella, then you’re going to love my Nutella blondies or these puff pastry men too.
Why You’ll Like This Recipe
- A great way to use leftover Nutella
- I went with a Christmas tree shape, but you can shape it however you want (like a snowflake or bauble!)
- It’s the perfect last-minute Christmas dessert
- You don’t have to make your own pastry
- Just 2 main ingredients (the rest are optional)
- It’s as fun to make as it is to eat!!
Watch How To Make It
Recipe Ingredients
Below are the few ingredients needed for this recipe:
- Nutella: A chocolate hazelnut spread; I used the classic ‘Nutella’ brand, though any chocolate hazelnut spread will work.
- Puff Pastry: I used readymade puff pastry that’s pre-rolled in parchment paper. You can make homemade puff pastry from scratch, but make sure it’s rolled out evenly.
- Egg (Optional): Brush the pastry with whisked egg to achieve a golden-brown colour once the pastry is baked in the oven. Egg washing the pastry is not 100% necessary, but it does look nice.
- Icing Sugar (Optional): A dusting of icing sugar as a finishing touch; this addition is also optional.
How To Make A Nutella Christmas Tree (Step-By-Step)
Below is a step-by-step guide on how to make this Nutella puff pastry Christmas tree that is perfect for Xmas. Full recipe instruction can be found on the recipe card:
Step One:
Preheat your oven to 180°C (gas mark 4, 160°Fan) and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Unroll the two puff pastry sheets and evenly spread Nutella over one of the pastry sheets.
Step Two:
Place the second puff pastry sheet on top and gently press it down to help join the two sheets together.
Cutting And Twisting Branches
Step Three:
Use a pizza cutter or knife to outline and cut the Christmas tree shape on the puff pastry sheet. Outlining will help to create a precise tree shape.
Use Christmas themed cookie cutters to create shapes from the leftover pieces of pastry. This can be used to decorate the tree!
Slice 2cm branches on both sides of the pastry, leaving a gap at the top and middle (the trunk). Watch the video to see how I did this!
Step Four:
Gently pick up each slice, twist to form a spiral, and carefully press the ends down onto the parchment paper to prevent unravelling. For longer branches, you might need to twist around 2 times, while smaller branches typically require just one turn.
Brush the puff pastry tree with an egg wash, then arrange any pastry decorations on top (or leave it plain if you prefer), then egg wash the decorations.
Step Five:
Bake the Nutella puff pastry tree in the oven for 20 minutes or until the pastry has puffed up and turned golden-brown.
My Top Tips
Don’t throw leftover puff pastry away! You can use it to decorate your Christmas tree (like how I did in my photos). I also like to form the excess scraps into balls and bake them in the oven, like pastry buns! It makes a great snack or breakfast treat for the next few days.
Thaw the puff pastry sheet at room temperature for at least 5 to 10 minutes before starting this recipe. This helps to prevent the pastry from breaking apart when you’re unrolling it. If it does break apart, leave the pastry to thaw completely before pressing it back together.
If you want to make a smaller Christmas tree, use one sheet of puff pastry and fold it over. Only spread Nutella over half of the pastry sheet, before folding it over like a book. This way, you’ll get a smaller Christmas tree with fewer pastry scraps. Keep in mind, however, the smaller the tree, the more intricate the process of twisting branches may become.
I’ve saved the most important tip for last, always keep the puff pastry on top of parchment paper and perform all cutting and twisting directly on the baking tray where you plan to bake it. This tip will save you on overstretching the dough, ripping the dough or outright dropping the pastry whilst trying to transfer it from one place to another.
Nutella Christmas Tree Recipe Variations
Add Some Texture: If you want to add some texture to this dessert, why not add a sprinkling of dried fruit, flaked almonds or chopped nuts.
Christmas Flavours: Add additional flavours like grated orange zest, cinnamon, mixed spice and crushed gingerbread biscuits to add a festive twist.
Change The Spread: You can swap Nutella with any other spread like jam, peanut butter or even a cookies and cream spread (which I’ve recently seen on supermarket shelves). You could even combine Nutella with peanut butter for a nutty twist.
Change The Pastry: Instead of puff pastry you can use shortcrust pastry, the texture will be crumblier and biscuit like. It’s best to make shortcrust pastry from scratch as supermarket’s ready to roll shortcrust pastry has no or very little sugar in it.
How To Store & Keep
Keep any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 to 5 days. Bear in mind, the pastry starts to soften after a few days, therefore it’s best to eat it freshly made.
More Christmas Desserts
If you want more Christmas desserts, then look no further. I’ve listed a few more easy dessert recipes that are also perfect for Christmas below:
- Chocolate Brownie Mince Pies
- Cinnamon Swirls
- Christmas Shortbread
- Puff Pastry Mince Pies
- Chocolate Orange Cookies
- Rice Krispie Christmas Puddings
Nutella Christmas Tree
Ingredients
- 2 Puff Pastry Sheets
- 250 g Nutella
- 1 Egg
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (gas mark 4, 160°Fan) and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Unroll the two puff pastry sheets and evenly spread Nutella over one of the pastry sheets.2 Puff Pastry Sheets, 250 g Nutella
- Place the second puff pastry sheet on top and gently press it down to help join the two sheets together.
- Use a pizza cutter or knife to outline and cut the Christmas tree shape on the puff pastry sheet. Outlining will help to create a precise tree shape.
- Slice 2cm branches on both sides of the pastry, leaving a gap at the top and middle (the trunk).
- Gently pick up each slice, twist to form a spiral, and carefully press the ends down onto the parchment paper to prevent unravelling. For longer branches, you might need to twist around 2 times, while smaller branches typically require just one turn.
- Use Christmas themed cookie cutters to create shapes from the leftover pieces of pastry. This can be used to decorate the tree!
- Brush the puff pastry tree with an egg wash, then arrange any pastry decorations on top (or leave it plain if you prefer), then egg wash the decorations.1 Egg
- Bake the Nutella puff pastry tree in the oven for 20 minutes or until the pastry has puffed up and has turned golden-brown.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Music in video from Uppbeat, License code: 08VBCZFHCZBZDBBY
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