Nutella Puff Pastry Braid

This beautiful and tasty braid of flaky puff pastry is filled with warm, gooey Nutella and sliced almonds, then drizzled with icing.   

My daughter had a long day of tests, so I surprised her with this Nutella puff pastry braid, inspired by the Pioneer Woman’s recipe I found online. What’s not to love about flaky pastry that’s filled with warm chocolate-hazelnut flavor and crunchy sliced almonds, then topped with sweet icing? My kids thought this braid was tasty, and I thought it was fun and easy to make.

Nutella Puff Pastry Braid

Braid:

• 1 9-inch square sheet of frozen puff pastry, thawed
• ½ cup Nutella spread
• 2-3 tbsp thinly sliced almonds
• 1 egg, well beaten

Icing:

• ½ cup powdered sugar
• ½ tbsp milk, to taste, depending on desired icing thickness
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

How to Make a Nutella Puff Pastry Braid

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Lay out the puff pastry on a piece of parchment paper or a lightly floured surface. Imagine the puff pastry has 3 separate, equal sections.

Spread the Nutella evenly over the middle section, leaving a ½-inch border at the top and the bottom.

Sprinkle the top with sliced almonds.

Using a sharp knife, cut the two outside sections into 6 or 7 (1-inch) strips just to the center section.

Fold the ½-inch border over the top and bottom inwards, over the filling and nuts.

Starting at one end, fold the strips over the filling, alternating the sides to create a braid appearance.

Carefully pick up the parchment with the braid, then place it on a rimmed baking sheet.

Brush the top evenly with the beaten egg.

Place into the oven and bake for 28-30 minutes.

Remove the puff pastry braid from the oven and allow it to cool for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the icing by combining the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until creamy and smooth; set aside until needed.

Drizzle the braid with the icing, then slice. Serve and enjoy.