The Nutella Recipe

Prepare bread

Bring sourdough slices to room temperature if refrigerated. Lightly butter one side of each slice with unsalted butter for better browning and flavor.

Toast

Heat a skillet over medium heat or preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Toast buttered sourdough slices until golden and crisp — about 2–3 minutes per side in a skillet, or 6–8 minutes in the oven, flipping once. Remove and let cool slightly on a rack so the crust stays crisp.

If Nutella is stiff, place the jar in warm water for 5 minutes or microwave 15–20 seconds until spreadable. Optionally stir with 2 tsp milk to loosen to a smooth but still thick consistency. Spread about 1/4 cup of Nutella evenly over each warm toast while toast is still slightly warm so the spread softens and becomes glossy.

Hull and quarter the strawberries. In a small bowl toss strawberries, blueberries and raspberries with lemon zest (if using) to brighten flavor. Taste and adjust — berries should be fresh and juicy, not macerated.

Distribute the mixed berries evenly atop each Nutella-covered slice, arranging for visual appeal and even berry-to-bread ratio (about 1/4 cup berries per slice).

Toast nuts

Preheat a dry skillet over medium heat. Add hazelnuts and almonds and toast, stirring or shaking the pan, until fragrant and lightly browned, about 4–6 minutes. Watch closely to avoid burning.

Prep nuts

Remove nuts to a cutting board. If using whole hazelnuts, rub them in a clean towel to remove some skins (optional). Chop hazelnuts coarsely; leave sliced almonds as is. Return to bowl and toss with brown sugar and fine sea salt while still warm so sugar melts slightly and coats nuts.

Scatter a generous tablespoon of the toasted nut mixture over the berries on each toast for crunch and contrast.

Garnish each toast with 2 fresh mint leaves. Lightly dust with powdered sugar if desired for a sweet finish, and sprinkle a small pinch (a few flakes) of flaky sea salt over each to enhance chocolate flavor.

Serve immediately while toast is still slightly warm and Nutella is soft. Provide knife and fork for cutting and eating. Leftover components (extra Nutella, berries, nuts) can be stored separately: Nutella at room temperature, berries refrigerated up to 24 hours, and nuts in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.