Strawberry Chocolate Panini

The kitchen is truly an amazing place: Who knew you could grill without a grill and turn chocolate and fresh berries into a mouth-watering sandwich?! This Strawberry Chocolate Panini builds upon some delicious skills we learned in our Farmers Market cooking kit. Instead of a grill, we’ll use 2 heavy bottom pans on the stovetop to recreate the magic of the panini: everyone’s favorite toasted sandwich. And this time, we’re giving in to our sweet tooth. Bright red, sweet strawberries are at the height of the season, and they taste simply delicious with smooth chocolate-hazelnut spread on a buttery, fresh croissant. That’s a dessert worth celebrating!

Makes:

4 sandwiches

Hands-on time:

20 minutes

Start-to-eat time:

25 minutes

Ingredients

4 croissants, halved horizontally
¼ cup chocolate-hazelnut spread like Nutella
6 strawberries, thinly sliced
½ banana, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons butter or cooking spray
powdered sugar (optional)

Kids kitchen skills:

slicing
spreading
stovetop cooking

Tools:

measuring cups & spoons
knife & cutting board
butter knife or spreader
2 cast iron or heavy bottom pans
spatula
sifter (optional)

Step-by-step

Grown-up steps

Heat the panini grill or a heavy bottom pan over medium heat.
As the pan heats, spread the chocolate-hazelnut spread on the croissant, and top with the strawberries and bananas. Then cover with the other half of the croissant.
Add ½ teaspoon butter to the pan, or spray the pan with cooking oil.
Place the sandwich into the pan and carefully top with another heavy pan.
Cook the sandwich until crisp and golden brown, about 1-2 minutes. If the top is not crispy, gently flip the sandwich, replace the top pan, and cook 1 more minute. Repeat to make 4 panini, then cut in half and serve. Top with a dusting of powdered sugar for a show-stopping treat!