Puff pastry is the impressive main element in dozens of sophisticated desserts because of its structure, rich flavor, and versatility. It’s also exactly what I needed to make a thoroughly unsophisticated Halloween dessert. These mummy Nutella tarts require only three ingredients and an oven—you don’t even need any artistic skill or dexterity. The hardest part might be demonstrating a portion of self-control with the open jar of Nutella.
Mummies are among my favorite of the Halloween rogues’ gallery, not only because it makes me reflect on a fascinating ancient Egyptian ritual and Brendan Fraser, but because there’s no pressure to make them look neat and tidy. Any misshapen limbs or floppy wrappings add to their charm, and give you a little room for error if you’re not particularly adroit decorator. Unlike witches, vampires, or Frankenstein’s monster, you don’t even have to worry about constructing a face; at most, they’re peering at you with two beady eyes from behind their rotting strips of fabric. And luckily, nearly any round candy makes for a fabulous beady eye.
Start with thawed puff pastry; store-bought, frozen puff is fine, perhaps even preferable, but make sure the package specifies all-butter, because the flavor is superior to the stuff made with shortening. Thaw the dough in the fridge at least eight hours before you plan on using it. Check the package thawing directions, because you will probably be able to leave the frozen pastry on the counter for an hour in a pinch—but be careful with that method, because there’s a risk of the outside of the roll over-thawing. Puff pastry is made of alternating, ultra-thin layers of butter and dough, which makes it vulnerable if it gets too soft. If you handle the dough while it’s too soft, you can smoosh the layers and effectively reduce its puffing abilities, so try to think ahead, and thaw it in the fridge.
Unroll a sheet of puff pastry and cut off and set aside a third of the rectangle to make the wrappings (put it in the fridge to keep it cool while you work). Cut the remaining section of puff pastry into six equally sized rectangles and immediately put them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. (If you decorate them on the baking sheet you won’t need to worry about moving them later, when they’re warmer and full of Nutella.)
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Using the back of a small spoon, smear each rectangle with a thin layer of chocolate hazelnut spread, leaving a quarter-inch naked border around the outer edge. Resist overdoing the Nutella. I know. This goes against every fiber of my being as well, but you want a thin, opaque layer. If you do too much, it may melt and run out of the pastry, resulting in a sad, burnt mess. Also, the border border gives the mummy strips a place to stick.
Once you have all the rectangles coated in Nutella, remove the separated portion of dough from the fridge. Using a knife or pizza cutter, slice the pastry into thin strips, roughly ¼-inch thick and as long as the pastry is; you’ll customize the length next. Cut a single strip of pastry wrapping slightly longer than the width of each tart. Lay it across the tart at an angle so that it meets the pastry border on two sides. Use this initial cutting to help you space the rest, covering each tart with criss-crossing strips of dough until you’ve made intersections throughout the length of the rectangle. You should be able to see the Nutella spread underneath. For an optional shiny finish, dab a smidge of egg wash along the pastry on top. Bake the tarts for 12-15 minutes in a preheated 400°F oven, or until they’ve puffed and are golden.
Finish these terrifying tarts with candy eyes. I’m partial to Reese’s Pieces, but you can use M&Ms, chocolate chips, sliced almonds, or peanuts. To make a pupil, use a toothpick and dab a smidge of Nutella onto each eye.