Crunchy Nutella Brownies

This brownie has a thick chocolate fudgy layer on the bottom and a melt in your mouth creamy and crunchy chocolate hazelnut layer smoothed on top.

Ingredients:
Brownie Layer
1 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1-3/4 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup flour

Nutella Crunch Layer
1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup Nutella
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1-1/2 cups rice cereal

Servings: 16 large brownies

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9×13 pan with lightly greased foil.

In a large glass bowl, microwave the chocolate chips and butter at 30 second intervals until melted. Stir until smooth.

Add the sugar, eggs, vanilla, and flour. Add in each ingredient one at a time, stirring until combined before adding the next ingredient.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes, or until the edges are completely set. Do not overbake (the middle will not be completely set)!

After you take the brownies out of the oven, while they are cooling in their pan, make the frosting. In a medium-sized glass bowl, microwave the chocolate chips, Nutella, and butter for 30 second intervals, until melted. Stir until smooth. Let cool for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the rice cereal.

Immediately spread the frosting over the brownies.

Cool brownies completely before enjoying.

Nutritional Information: http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-calories.asp?recipe=1615720

Recipe From: http://lacasadesweets.com/blog/2011/04/25/crunchy-nutella-brownies/

This turned out to be a fantastic brownie, but not at all what I was looking for. It is fudgy on the bottom and smooth and creamy with a prefect blend of hazelnut and chocolate on top to kick these brownies up a notch, not to mention the extra texture the rice cereal adds. But I had wanted to send a care package to a friend in the desert, which means I needed hardy cookies and brownies. Something that can take the transport time, heat and over all abuse. This amazing little brownie is too fudgy on the bottom and far too soft on the top, even minutes out of the refrigerator.

Don't get me wrong, it is fantastic when it is fresh in your home, the two layers combine everything Jason loves in a brownie, but don't expect this treat to stand up to time in the sun at a cook out or make it through week in sun and sand on its way to the desert.