Chocolate Torte with Hazelnut Praline

Back in April, Mum asked for three things for her birthday tea: chocolate cake, praline and ice cream. A coeliac friend was coming to the tea so it also had to be gluten free.

Mum had already tried making this chocolate torte with cocoa powder instead of flour, so I decided to start with that. Next, I made a batch of my favourite vanilla ice cream. On a whim I ground the praline down to a fine crumb, which turned out to be wonderful (both on top of the torte and on a spoon).



Last weekend I went to Wales to celebrate a housewarming and generally enjoy the bank holiday. I thought this would be a good recipe to take down as the torte improves with time so it didn't matter which day we ate it. I kept the praline in a separate airtight box (it doesn't keep well on top of the cake) so I'm afraid I don't have an image of the assembled cake for you.

Despite that, I think you can imagine it: a dark torte topped with a thick layer of nutty, crunchy praline crumbs and a big scoop of melting ice cream to meld it all together.



Chocolate Hazelnut Torte with Hazelnut Praline
(adapted from Alice Medrich's Sinfully Easy Delicious Desserts)

For the torte:
70g whole hazelnuts
30g cocoa powder
170g dark chocolate (70-85%)
150g light brown sugar
140g unsalted butter, slightly softened
big pinch of fine sea salt
4 large cold eggs (from the fridge)
1 tsp vanilla extract

For the praline topping:
70g whole hazelnuts
40g white granulated or caster sugar
big pinch of fine sea salt

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F (fan). Lightly butter a deep 8"-9" springform or loose-based tin. Place the hazelnuts on a small tray in the oven and toast for a few minutes until they start to smell and darken and the skins begin to split open. Rub any loose skins off with a clean tea towel or kitchen roll. Put into a food processor with the cocoa powder and blast until they are finely ground.

Place a mixer bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Chop the chocolate and tip into the bowl. Stir occasionally as it melts. Meanwhile weigh out the brown sugar and salt and cut the butter into cubes - it should be starting to soften, not squishy. When the chocolate has nearly melted, take it off the heat and stir until it's smooth. Place on the mixer (with the whisk attached) and add the sugar, salt and butter. Whisk on medium until the ingredients have fully combined and the mixture has lightened a little. Scrape the sides down then add the first egg. Whip until combined, then add the next egg. Repeat until they're all combined then add the vanilla and whip for 2 minutes on high until stiff and pale.

Add the cocoa-ground hazelnut mixture and fold in. Scoop into the pan and level out. Bake for 23-30 minutes - a tester should still bring up a sticky crumbs and it won't look fully cooked in the middle (a bit like brownies - don't overcook it or it gets dry and crumbly). Place on a wire rack and leave to sink and cool fully in the tin. Wrap in kitchen foil and try to leave for at least one day and up to three before serving.

To make the praline topping, place a sheet of baking parchment near the stove. Toast the hazelnuts (as above, or in a frying pan until a similar stage) - they need to still be warm when they're combined with the caramel. Spread the sugar over the bottom of a medium sized heavy-bottomed pan and place over medium-high heat. Watch carefully - after a few minutes, the sugar will start to liquify at the edges. Don't stir it - you can flick some of the crystals onto a liquid bit, but don't fiddle too much. Once it's nearly all melted and starts to caramelise, swirl it all together. Keep heating until you have a deep golden-bronze colour then stir in the salt and the still-hot hazelnuts so they become covered in caramel. Quickly scrape it all out onto the baking parchment and spread out. Leave to cool (it's ready once the caramel snaps). Break into big chunks then place into a food processor (no need to wash between the earlier hazelnut/cocoa mix) and pulse until it is finely ground (same sort of texture as ground almonds).

Spoon the praline over the top of the cake then serve. It's best with softened vanilla ice cream but a big spoonful of gently whipped cream or crème fraîche also works.

(Serves 10-12)



Three more hazelnut recipes:
Fig & Hazelnut Crumble Bars
Roasted Hazelnut Butter Biscuits
Brown Sugar, Cinnamon & Hazelnut Meringues

Roasted Hazelnut Butter Biscuits

Have you heard about cookbook clubs?

Essentially, every month you pick a book, a host and a date. Everybody chooses one or two recipes from the book, makes them and brings them along. Then you have a big feast.

A local cafe chef set up our cookbook club in Oxford, inspired by Tea's post How to Start a Cookbook Club. I really recommend starting one up - they're a great way to meet new people in your area and try recipes and books you wouldn't necessarily pick otherwise.



Last month we decided on Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi. I had planned to make the Chocolate Pecan Krantz Cake again but I was late back from my weekend in Edinburgh (read: I missed my flight home...) and didn't have time to set it up.

Instead, I made the Tahini Cookies (picture here). I wouldn't have picked them out normally but they were the only things I could make with the ingredients I had on hand after a weekend away. I was worried that the tahini flavour would be a bit odd in cookies but we were all pleasantly surprised by how much we loved them.



While I was standing over the mixer, watching the tahini whirl into the creamed butter and sugar, I started thinking about the idea that tahini is essentially puréed sesame seeds - like a thin nut butter. That reminded me of hazelnut butter, which is a bit thinner than other nut butters and absolutely delicious.

So, of course, I had to try a hazelnut version of the tahini cookies.

I first made roasted hazelnut butter a few years ago - it's so simple yet really lovely. All you do is roast the hazelnuts, roughly skin them and then food processor them until smooth and slick with a pinch of salt. I've only tried it with hazelnuts but the process is the same with other nuts (including, of course, peanut butter). I like it smeared on toast with swirls of raspberry jam.



Unusually, the tahini cookies recipe tells you to knead the dough in the mixer and by hand before portioning it. It does make it smoother but I found that when I skipped the step and just brought the dough together as I shaped it into a ball it didn't change the texture particularly and made life easier.

I also tried making the biscuits in the food processor (combining the butter and sugar with the paste already in there, then continuing as before) to save on time and washing up but the texture wasn't quite as good. I found it crumbled a little more than normal - they're quite crisp usually, which I really like. Because they're crisp through (though admittedly with a slightly, slightly moist centre) and keep really well, I've also called them biscuits instead of cookies.

After two batches I decided I needed to ramp up the hazelnut flavour, so I came up with the idea of rolling the cookies in ground hazelnuts and squishing them with a flat object rather than a fork. I think they look really pretty with the speckled nuts and little cracked edges and they gave me the flavour boost I wanted.

I love hazelnuts and I'm really pleased to have a recipe on hand that focuses purely on their flavour. It's also a great excuse to keep a batch of roasted hazelnut butter in the fridge.

*

Finally, I'm incredibly honoured to have been picked for The Guild of Food Writers Awards shortlist for Food Blog of the Year 2013! I never thought I'd make the list again after winning last year so the call was a big surprise. I was actually on a coach going into London when my phone went - I think I might have disturbed the other passengers with my enthusiasm...



Roasted Hazelnut Butter Biscuits
(inspired by the tahini cookies in Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi)

100g whole hazelnuts, skin on*
pinch of salt
80g unsalted butter at room temperature
70g light brown sugar
1 tbsp crème fraîche or double cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
135g plain flour

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Lightly grease a large baking tray. Pour the hazelnuts onto a small baking tray and roast for 8 minutes or until the skins have darkened and cracked open in places. Rub the skins off - some will stick but as long as you get about 2/3 off, don't worry. Tip into a food processor and pulse until the nuts are finely ground. Remove 30g of the ground nuts from the mixer. Add a pinch of salt to the mixer then pulse the remaining nuts until they become a smooth paste (with such a small amount you may need to scrape down a few times). You could now transfer this to a sealed jar and keep for up to a few weeks in the fridge - the ground nuts would need to be kept in a sealed bag.

Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat just until creamy and uniform. Add the hazelnut paste (about 65g), crème fraîche/cream and vanilla to the bowl and beat until combined. Finally add the flour and mix on the lowest setting until combined. Increase the speed briefly to bring the mixture together into a smooth dough. Take a 20g chunk of the dough (about the size of a whole walnut shell or a squash ball) and roll it between your palms until smooth. Tip the ground hazelnuts out into a shallow bowl then roll the ball of dough around until fully coated. Transfer to the baking tray then repeat with the rest of the dough - I usually get 16-17 biscuits. Use a palette knife or similar to flatten the cookies to about 1 - 1.5cm thick.

Bake for 14-16 minutes, turning the tray once at 10 minutes to help get an even colour. The biscuits should be a deep golden colour, slightly bigger and have a few little cracks around the sides. Leave to cool on the tray for 5 minutes then fully cool on a wire rack. I think they're better a day or two later and they keep in a tin for at least a week (I haven't managed to keep a batch longer than that!).

(Makes 16-17 biscuits)

* If you'd prefer to make a big batch of the paste, feel free to use more nuts. To make the biscuits, scoop 65g of the hazelnut butter into the cookie dough.



Three more posts about hazelnuts:
Fig & Hazelnut Crumble Bars
Chocolate Hazelnut Torte with Smoked Salt
Homemade Nutella - a dégustation

Hazelnut Praline Bombe

Happy New Year!

I served slices of this bombe with a hot chocolate sauce on New Year's Eve, but after seconds and thirds (just to make sure...), we decided that it drowned out the flavour of the ice cream.

It's best served alone, so you can give the nutty caramel flavour and the creamy but slightly grainy texture - contrasted with the outer crunch - your full attention.

Hazelnut Praline Bombe
(Ice cream base adapted from David Lebovitz's Vanilla Ice Cream)

For the praline:
160g whole hazelnuts
125g granulated sugar

For the ice cream base:
330ml double cream
170ml whole milk
50g granulated sugar
big pinch of salt
4 egg yolks

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Tip the hazelnuts onto a tray and place into the oven. Toast for 4-5 minutes - they should smell good and might look a bit oily. Lie a sheet of parchment paper flat on your worktop. Sprinkle the sugar for the praline into a heavy-bottomed medium pan and shake into an even layer (if possible use a frying pan or one that's not too deep - the cold sides will harden the caramel when you scrape it out, so the higher the side the more caramel you'll lose).

Place the pan over a medium heat - it will take a few minutes for the sugar to start to melt but keep an eye on it. Don't stir the sugar, though you can gently move/flick the unmelted sugar with a heatproof spatula into the patches that have melted. It may start to colour in patches - keep heating until it has all melted and is a uniform deep bronze colour. Quickly add the hazelnuts and stir, then immediately scrape out onto the parchment paper. Leave to harden.

When the praline is cool, cut off 60g and set it aside. Place the rest in a food processor and keep blending until you have a paste.

To make the ice cream base, pour 200ml of the cream into a medium saucepan along with the milk, sugar and salt. Pour the remaining 130ml of cream into a jug or bowl and place a metal sieve over the top. Put the egg yolks into a small bowl, break them up with a whisk, and place near the stove. Heat the cream/milk on medium-high until it starts to steam, then pour about about a third into the yolks, whisking the yolks as you pour. Scrape the yolk mixture back into the pan and whisk briefly to combine. Place back over the heat and use a wooden spoon to stir until the custard thickens so that it covers the back of the spoon (see here for help on making custard and consistency). Pour through the sieve into the cream bowl. Add the praline paste and stir until the mixture is uniform. Cover with cling film and chill overnight.

The next day, line a 3/4 litre pudding bowl (or similar sized bowl) with cling film, leaving enough overhang to fold in and cover the top. Churn the ice cream according to the instructions for your ice cream maker. Scoop the ice cream into the pudding bowl, pressing down as you go so there are no bubbles or gaps. Level off, fold the cling film over the top and place in the freezer to firm up for at least 3 hours.

Bash up the remaining praline - either in a pestle and mortar, the processor or by placing it in a bag and bashing it with a rolling pin. The pieces need to be fairly small but not powder. Remove the bombe from the freezer and use the cling film to ease it out of the bowl. Turn out onto a serving plate. Leave it to soften for 5 minutes then press the praline into the sides and top. Serve, then cut into slices.

(Serves 6-8)

EDIT: I'm thinking of testing this again soon to see if it's nicer if you strain the custard before churning the ice cream - I can't decide if I like the slightly grainy texture or not. It keeps coming back to haunt me - until I manage to try it again, it's up to you if you want to strain it to make a smoother ice cream or leave it as it is.

A few related posts:
Cider Caramel, Sautéed Apples & Cinnamon Ice Cream
Dulce de Leche Ice Cream
Baked Alps

Chocolate Hazelnut Torte with Smoked Sea Salt

Though I know it's meant as a compliment and is very sweet, it makes me nervous when people's expectations of my cooking are set very high. For instance, when people who don't know me have been told to expect something incredibly delicious when I bring something to a party or event. Though I love cooking for people, I do find it stressful.

I spent a faintly ridiculous amount of time trying to work out what to bring to an event I went to this week. It had to be something that I could take in the basket of my bike. I didn't want to assemble, bake or reheat it when I got there. I'd never cooked for any of the guests before and so I had no clue about their likes or dislikes. Yet I wanted each person to feel it was worthy of the announcement: Emma will bring a superb dessert.

I decided that I'd make a Ginger Bourbon Pecan Pie, one of my favourite recipes. Then I realised that I needed to be able to write a post about it, as I've been testing for another project (announced here). That meant trying something new, as I don't have anything appropriate in the wings at the moment. An untested recipe adds another layer of danger to the situation - though I guess it does have a built in excuse for something being less than spectacular.

I thought chocolate would be a safe bet so I turned to Alice Medrich's wonderful Sinfully Easy Delicious Desserts and found this 'Queen of Sheba Torte'. This version has been tweaked by Alice so that it's a one bowl recipe with no need to separately whip the egg whites. It's very clever.

A big packet of smoked sea salt has been lingering unopened in one of my cupboards for ages as I didn't quite know what to do with it. When Steph posted her Dark Chocolate Espresso Cookies with Smoked Sea Salt (also, coincidentally, adapted from an Alice Medrich recipe) I realised that I needed to pair it with dark chocolate. I also thought that hazelnuts would work wonderfully with a hint of smoke, so I swapped the almonds for hazelnuts.

On the night, the cake - still in the tin, cloaked in foil with an elastic band belt - joined a pot of double cream, my whisk and the remainder of the Raspberry Caramels in my bag. I tucked it all into my basket and cycled off into the murky drizzle to await their verdict.

While it seemed to go down fairly well, I wasn't totally happy with it. I didn't have any 70% chocolate, so I'd used 85% and added a little more sugar - I don't think it needed it. I also thought that I'd slightly overcooked it and it could do with a teeny bit more smoked salt. So I made a half recipe yesterday in my 6" tin, baked for 18 minutes (this version is in the top and bottom photos, I've put a full recipe below). Just as I finished, I realised I could have used cocoa powder in place of the flour to give it a bit of extra punch - another time. I'm happier with my second attempt (though I think I might have very slightly overdone the salt this time) and I'm looking forward to trying it again tomorrow - apparently it's best after about three days.

Finally, if you pull out a torte that looks like the one below, do not panic. I got rather worried that it looked like a normal cake and keep going back and forth to the kitchen, willing it to sink (definitely a first for me). Thankfully, it shrank, puckered and cracked as it cooled.

P.S. Do try the mixture before you bake it - it's sort of like mousse. Amazing mousse.

Chocolate Hazelnut Torte with Smoked Salt
(adapted from Alice Medrich's Sinfully Easy Delicious Desserts)

70g whole hazelnuts
30g plain flour
170g dark chocolate (I used 85%)
140g unsalted butter, slightly softened
150g light brown sugar
big pinch of fine sea salt
4 large cold eggs (from the fridge)
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of smoked sea salt flakes

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Lightly butter an 8" springform or loose-based tin. Place the hazelnuts on a small tray in the oven and toast for a few minutes until they start to smell and darken slightly. If they have skins, rub as much as you can off with a tea towel. Put into a food processor with the flour and blast until they are finely ground.

Place a mixer bowl (or another bowl if using a hand mixer) over a pan of barely simmering water. Chop the chocolate up and tip into the bowl. Stir occasionally as it melts. Meanwhile weigh out the brown sugar and salt and cut the butter into cubes - it should be starting to soften, not squishy. When the chocolate has nearly melted, take it off the heat and stir until it's smooth. Place on the mixer (with the whisk attached) and add the sugar, salt and butter. Whisk on medium until the ingredients have fully combined and the mixture has lightened a little. Scrape the sides down then add the first egg. Whip until combined, then add the next egg. Repeat until they're all combined then add the vanilla and whip for 1-2 minutes on high until stiff and pale.

Add the ground hazelnuts and fold in. Scoop into the pan and level out. Sprinkle the smoked sea salt over the top. Bake for 28-35 minutes - a tester should still bring up a few sticky crumbs. Place on a wire rack and leave to cool fully in the tin. Wrap in kitchen foil and leave for at least one day and up to three before serving. Lovely with a big spoonful of whipped cream or crème fraîche.

(Serves 10-12)

A few related posts:
Sea-Salted Chocolate and Pecan Praline Tarts
Chez Panisse Almond Tart
Pear and Chocolate Crumble

Fig & Hazelnut Crumble Bars

Almost two years ago to the day, on the 14th November 2010, I posted a recipe for Date Crunchies. I've been eating the little squares of buttery semolina crunch with a lemony date filling all my life.

As with most people, when I'm stressed, tired or ill, I reach for the food of my childhood. Just as I was in that post two years ago, I'm stressed about work at the moment - it's a very deadline-heavy and time-short patch of term. I needed some crunchies but this time I wanted to try a variation.

A few weeks ago I was perusing the bakery section in M&S when I spotted a little sample tray of bread cubes. Curiosity piqued by the idea of a 'fig and hazelnut loaf', I tried one. It was so good that I gave in to the marketing ploy and bought a loaf (don't tell anyone I said this or I'll get pitchforked by the purists but it's wonderful in a streaky bacon sandwich).

I'd been thinking about fig as a filling for an updated crunchie for a few months but it felt like it was missing something - hazelnut was the answer. I swapped the dates for figs, lemon for orange, some of the flour and semolina for ground hazelnuts and scattered some more hazelnuts over the top. I spent at least five minutes debating in my head if it was too predictable for me to brown the butter. In the end I gave in (as I always do). My defence is that as it's beurre noisette and the whole point is that it's hazelnutty, I had to.

The final product is crumbly (hence the new name), crunchy and gloriously full of that noisette - I can't tell where brown butter ends and hazelnut starts. The fig filling has a lovely bit of chew, but it's the seeds that are the best bit: they crackle almost like popping candy.

Finally. The reason that you don't have a picture of a full tray is because darkness fell while they baked. So I had to save them for today. I couldn't resist.

Fig & Hazelnut Crumble Bars
(Adapted from Date Crunchies, which were adapted from Delia's Book of Cakes)

For the crumble base and top:
100g whole hazelnuts
175g unsalted butter
150g plain flour
125g fine semolina
75g light brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of fine sea salt

For the filling:
220g soft dried figs
3 tbsp water
2 tbsp orange juice
1 tbsp brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line a 20cm/ 8" square tin (or similar size) with baking parchment. Place 75g of the hazelnuts in the tray and toast for a few minutes. If they have skins, rub them in a tea towel until most of the skin has come off. Place the butter into a medium pan and heat until you have brown butter (see here for more instructions/tips) then leave to cool.

Chop the figs up into small chunks and place in a saucepan with the water, orange juice and brown sugar. Heat until the figs have softened into a spreadable paste (still with some lumps) - help it along by squishing them with a spatula/spoon.

By now your hazelnuts shouldn't be too hot, so place them in a food processor and blend until they're finely ground. Tip into a mixing bowl and add the flour, semolina, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Use a whisk to stir everything together (it's a great way to combine dry ingredients when they'd struggle to get through a sieve). Pour in the brown butter and stir until just combined.

Tip half of the mixture into the tray and press down into an even layer with a spatula/spoon/your hands. Scrape the sticky fig mixture into the tray and spread it out, trying not to pull up the base. Finally add the rest of the mixture to the tray, spread out (press down a little - I didn't and mine was very crumbly on top) and fork up a little so you get some pebbles. Roughly chop the remaining 25g of hazelnuts and sprinkle them over the top. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Leave to cool in the tin, then chop into bars. Keeps well - I think they're better on the second day.

(Makes about 12-15, depending on size)

A few related posts:
Toasted Coconut and Dark Chocolate Blondies
Snickers Brownies
Brown Sugar, Cinnamon and Hazelnut Meringues

Galette des Rois

I love foods that have a story and a tradition.

Galette des Rois or King Cake is made to celebrate Twelfth Night or Epiphany on January 6th. The cake changes according to region and country - this is the version from northern France. A bean, or fève, is always hidden in the galette - though now this is often a small collectible figurine.

Tradition goes that when you cut the cake, the youngest person present hides under the table. The cake is cut into the right number of pieces, then the youngest calls out who gets each piece. The person to find the hidden bean is the king for the day, hosts the next year and gets the crown. They get to pick a queen, who wears the other crown.



As I wasn't buying a galette, I needed crowns. I got out the paper, spray paint and glitter and had a wonderful time playing about.

I went a little bit crazy with the glitter. Most of the flat sparkles now if you catch it in the right light.



After I'd finished I made mum model them for me. Whenever I do this, she starts making funny faces and then we both end up crying with laughter. Good times.



I was going to buy some puff instead of making it. Sadly the only stuff I could find in the supermarkets was made with vegetable fats instead of butter. No good.

Instead I decided to try out Michel Roux's rough puff recipe from Pastry (you can find it online here). I was really pleased with the results - quicker and easier than classic puff and it turned out beautifully. Definitely a good recipe to have. I think I'm going to make some palmiers for mum with the spare chunk. I've tried to explain the technique for making the pretty edges to the galette in the recipe - we learnt how to do it last term.

Edit 2013: I have now written a step-by-step Foundations guide to making rough puff pastry (which is what I used here).



This recipe stood out for me as it didn't involve pastry cream. I've never been a big fan. Then last term we made it so many times and used it in so many ways - we were all totally sick of it by the end. I'm sure there'll be plenty more this term but I wanted to avoid it while I could.

I also followed Clotilde's suggestion of using some ground hazelnuts in the creme - I'm so glad I did. They add a lovely extra dimension.

I have to admit I wasn't convinced that this was going to be particularly tasty. I was very pleasantly surprised - it was totally delicious. Flaky and buttery with a complex nutty middle. Definitely worth trying.



Galette des Rois
(adapted from Chocolate and Zucchini)

For the creme d'amande:
65g unsalted butter, soft
65g caster sugar
50g ground almonds
15g ground hazelnuts
1/2 tbsp cornflour
pinch of salt
1 tsp flavouring of choice*
1 eggs

To assemble:
500g quality puff pastry
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp milk
1 tbsp icing sugar
1 tbsp hot water
2 beans or ceramic figures
2 crowns

Beat the butter in a stand mixer (or by hand) until very soft and creamy. Mix the sugar, almonds, hazelnuts cornflour and salt together in another bowl, then tip in. Mix until combined. Add the flavouring and beat again. Finally add the eggs one by one, making sure they're well distributed before you add the next. Transfer to a smaller bowl and put in the fridge to firm up for an hour.

When you're ready to make the galettes, take the puff pastry out of the fridge (make sure it's well chilled) and divide into four. Put two chunks back into the fridge. Roll out one of the pieces until it's roughly a 7"/18cm circle. Using a plate or the bottom of a cake tin, cut out a 6"/15cm circle with a sharp knife and place onto a piece of parchment paper. Roll out the other piece and cut a slightly bigger circle - 6.5"/16cm or so.

Combine the egg yolk and milk to make an egg wash. Brush the edge of the smaller circle with it, being careful to not go over the edge (can stop the layers separating). Spoon about two heaped tablespoons of creme d'amande into the centre (within the egg) and smooth out into a disc. Place the ceramic/bean on top and press in (it's best around the edge so it doesn't get caught in the knife when you cut it, like this). Drape the bigger piece of puff over the top and smooth out any air bubbles on the creme. Press it in and up so that the two edges align and the curve is tight to the creme underneath. Press to seal.

Use the blunt side of a knife to score a pattern in the top, running down from the centre to the edge in a curve. Turn the galette as you go, making until you have a full circle. Crimp the edges by placing your finger onto the pastry at an angle and curling the knife around it (see diagram and photo). Carefully brush the top with egg wash, avoiding the edge again. Use the point of your knife to make five holes in the top - in the middle and then four more (helps the puff to rise evenly). Place onto a baking sheet using the parchment. Put into the fridge to chill for an hour. Repeat with the other 2 pieces to make the second galette. At this point you can freeze them for later.

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Bake the galettes straight from the fridge for 30-40 minutes until puffy and deep golden brown. Just before they come out, combine the icing sugar and hot water. Remove from the oven to a wire rack, then immediately brush with the glaze. Leave to cool (I placed a bit of kitchen towel underneath as they were a bit buttery on the bottom).

* You can use orange blossom water, the liquor of your choice (rum, brandy etc) or vanilla extract.

(Makes 2 small galettes - each serves 3-4)



Three more Christmas recipes:
Mince Pies
Stollen
Bûche de Noël

Brown Sugar, Cinnamon and Hazelnut Meringues

I've been on a bit of a meringue mission in the past few days. We had an excess of egg whites hanging about in the fridge after my pasta making mission and the lovely Spiced Apple Cake. I made a pavlova for some friends (I always manage to make pavlova in situations where I can't photograph it but I will post one eventually), but I still had another four egg whites sitting there. 

I found this recipe while browsing through Ottolenghi's Cookbook. It was the first thing that really jumped out at me. As you will know if you read this blog regularly, I'm a bit mental about brown sugar. I've made meringues with golden caster sugar before, but this is just so much better.  I'm very excited about Swiss meringue generally - next on my list is Italian. 

I made these in two sizes: the original large ones and some miniatures. I prefer the small ones - I can't quite deal with the sugar overload of a big one.

Another revelation was the cinnamon. It hadn't occured to me that you could give meringue such distinct flavour. Now I think about it, it's just like flavouring macarons or making chocolate pavlova. Still, it opened up a whole new world of ideas.

Those moments of expansion are one of my favourite parts of cooking. There's something so incredible about literally feeling your horizons expand to include a new technique or ingredient. 

I got a little bit overexcited about taking photos of the inner caverns of the meringues below. Though technically they're not the best photos, I like them. 

These taste fantastic and incredibly complex considering the short ingredient list. Nutty, rich, sweet and spicy. There's the crisp outside that snaps to reveal the soft, pillowy but also chewy insides which is all topped off by the crunch of the hazelnuts. 

I can't describe these without going into adjective overload. 

Brown Sugar, Cinnamon and Hazelnut Meringues

(Adapted from Ottolenghi: The Cookbook)

4 egg whites

130g golden caster sugar

70g light brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

handful of hazelnuts, roughly chopped

Preheat the oven to 110C. Line two baking sheets with baking parchment. Pour a few inches of water into a medium saucepan and bring it to a simmer. In a heatproof bowl, mix the egg whites and sugar. Place over the saucepan and heat for about ten minutes or until the sugar has totally dissolved (rub a little between your fingers - it shouldn't feel grainy).  If you have a thermometer, it should reach 40C. Get your stand mixer ready while it heats with the whisk and bowl attached. Pour the mixture into the bowl and whip on high for 6-8 minutes or until very thick, glossy and cool. It should hold shape. Gently fold in the cinnamon. 

Use two spoons to create either big blobs or small blobs of meringue on your baking sheets. Sprinkle with the chopped hazelnuts. Put in the oven for about 70 minutes for small ones and 90 minutes for big ones or longer if you like them crisp in the middles. Check the base is firm and the outside is crisp. Leave to cool in the oven.  Can be stored in a dry place for up to a week. 

(Makes about 12 big meringues or 36 small ones, depending on how big you make them)

A Nutella Dégustation

Oh Nutella. How much we love thee. My flat consumes an abnormal amount of nutella.

As a tribute to this, when flatmate one was at a chocolate factory near her home in Belgium she bought us a jar of their chocolate spread. We didn't dare open the little jar of 'posh tella' and had a few jars of regular nutella instead. Then flatmate two bought a jar of sainsbury's own to see if the cheaper option was acceptable.

It seemed quite obvious to me - I needed to try out one of the lovely recipes for homemade nutella, and then we needed to have a taste test. A dégustation.

 Homemade nutella is ridiculously easy to make. Just a matter of roasting nuts, de-skinning them and then a lot of pressing the 'on' button on your food processor. You could even buy the hazelnuts ready to go. It's like magic!

I blasted and re-blasted mine but it never lost that slightly grainy texture. I actually think I might prefer it slightly grainy, particularly on toast. It seems pretty difficult to get that smooth spread feel with homemade.

To set up our little dégustation, we invited two friends over (better statistics...), then I put a two tablespoons of each type in a ramekin, with a number below. Each tester had a sheet of paper with each number, a mark out of ten and a space for a comment. At the end they were asked to identify each one.  Each person tested each spread both on a spoon and with a small square of bread. They had some tea and sparkling water to refresh between each tasting. (Yes, I am a food geek.)

Number One was flatmate one's belgian spread. It scored 5.5/10 on average.
Number Two was the classic Nutella. It got 7/10.
Number Three was my homemade version. It also got 7/10.
Number Four was sainsbury's Belgian Chocolate Spread. It was given 6.25/10.

The homemade had the highest single score, with 9/10.  All of the comments about mine noted a slightly grainier texture and a more pronounced hazelnut flavour. Apparently it's also 'more eatable'.  Everybody correctly identified Nutella and the homemade version, though the other two were consistently mixed up - which is pretty interesting considering the supposed quality and price difference. As they all correctly identified my spread, I sense a little bias towards not upsetting me in the marking process...

All in all, it was a lovely evening. I've been told that we should have a second edition with something different. Jam was a suggestion - any ideas?

My favourite way to eat my homemade version so far (others include crumpets, toast, a spoon...) is squished between two digestive biscuits. I'm not entirely sure why it works, and why it works better than traditional nutella, but it does. Something in the nutty flavour and texture with the crunch and taste of digestives just comes together perfectly. It can be a little dry - I recommend a cup of tea. Essay break perfection. 

Chocolate Hazelnut Spread a.k.a. Nutella
(Recipe from The Mini Sam Tan Kitchen)

150g whole hazelnuts
100g good quality milk chocolate
2 tbsp cocoa powder
65g icing sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
a few drops vegetable oil

Preheat the oven to 180C and roast the hazelnuts for about 5-10 minutes, until fragrant and browned. Take out and leave to cool slightly before putting in a tea towel and rubbing vigorously to remove the skins. When they have cooled slightly place in a food processor and blend well until they become a thick paste. Add all the rest of the ingredients and keep blending until very smooth - this takes 10 minutes or so.

Milk Chocolate and Hazelnut Biscuits

When I was younger we used to eat biscuits called Boasters. These are the closest approximation to my memory I've made. Having googled them, it doesn't look like they had hazelnuts, but I swear I remember the taste. The clearest memory I have of eating them is when my mum and I were driving out to Verbier for the winter season when I was thirteen. We stopped at a petrol station in England, just off a roundabout, and bought a pack of Boasters. I always wanted one more than I was allowed.

We always have biscuits on the long, fifteen hour drive. When we drive back the other way from Switzerland we always buy a pack of dark chocolate Petit Beurre from a particular petrol station in France. Creatures of habit. I amuse myself by taking pictures out of the window.



I'm not entirely sure what drew me to the idea of making these today. Perhaps because it's not such a gorgeous day. After a little run of stunning summer days it's overcast today (volcanic ash, perhaps? Heh) but the flowers are still blossoming and the warmth of summer is still hanging in the air. I can look at the photos from the past few days and believe the sun is still shining.



Whatever the reason, I'm glad I made them. They're slightly soft in the middle, crunchy on the outsides and speckled with the distinctive tone of the hazelnuts among the chocolate. Perfect with a cup of tea and a chat.

I'm glad I bought nice milk chocolate to make these - I used the lovely Green and Blacks milk chocolate. I ate a little too much of the chocolate left over...



This was originally a recipe for white chocolate and pecan cookies in the Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook. I switched round the nuts and chocolate and made a few other changes including halving the recipe.  I quite like having a few slightly bitter slips of skin on my hazelnuts so I didn't totally rub the skins off.



Milk Chocolate and Hazelnut Biscuits
(Adapted from the Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook)

125g unsalted butter, softened
100g soft brown sugar
50g golden caster sugar
1 egg
200g plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
50g milk chocolate
50g whole hazelnuts

Toast the nuts and rub to remove most of the skins. Chop the nuts and chocolate roughly. Cream the butter and sugars together. Beat the egg in throughly. Sift in the flours and beat until it comes together. Stir in the nuts and chocolate. Get a rectangle of cling film out and scoop half of the mixture onto it. Shape it into a rough cylinder, about 3 cm across. Wrap up with the cling film and give it a roll to smooth it out. Repeat with the other half. Put both into the freezer for a few hours.

Heat the oven to 170C. Take out one or both of the cylinders (they keep in the freezer). Slice them up into 1-2 cm rounds. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet, leaving space for them to expand. Put into the oven for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Classic Tiramisu and Chocolate and Hazelnut Praline Tiramisu

I was very excited when I discovered this month's Daring Bakers challenge - I already knew I loved Tiramisu and the recipe is full of things I hadn't made before like Ladyfingers, Zabaglione, Mascarpone and Tiramisu itself. 

This month has been a real adventure. Just the number of days I spent making various elements and playing around with things was amazing - my flatmates thought it was hilarious. I ended doing silly things like buying expresso and hazelnut syrup from a coffee shop in town and then having to buy a bottle of water from Boots (which I then emptied out) and a little pot so I could transport them home without it spilling out of the cups. To make the mini classic tiramisu above I ended up sawing the top off a Pringles tube and covering it in cling film before spending hours trying to make the little ladyfingers stand up properly and then once it was finally assembled having to get it in the freezer asap before it all spilled out.  It's been worth it though - I've enjoyed every minute and they're delicious. 

I'm having to post late as I ran out of time before a big squash match yesterday and hadn't finished writing - which is a bit silly as I finished about a week ago. Ah well. Better late than never!

I wanted to try something a little different as well as a classic version. I wanted to contrast all this lovely soft creamy texture with a bit of crunch - my first thought was honeycomb.  I decided to try and make a little box out of the honeycomb to surround the tiramisu, so I made four little boxes out of baking parchment - one for each side. I forgot that once you've added the bicarb all hell sets loose and there's no way I was going to get a thin layer. Oh dear. It also had a funny aftertaste so the honeycomb plan was set aside.

Instead I decided to make a hazelnut praline to add to the ladyfinger layers to give crunch and a lovely caramel flavour. I also bought two shots of hazelnut syrup to dip my chocolate ladyfingers into. I have to admit that nutella might have crossed my mind with a chocolate-hazelnut combination.  It turns out it was a wonderful idea - the hazelnut complements the coffee in the cream beautifully. The praline inside slightly melted into the cream which both looked lovely and tasted divine. The nuts and a little praline stayed crisp for the contrast. I was really pleased with how it all came together.

One of the most exciting elements of the challenge was making our own ladyfinger/savoiardi biscuits. I've never made them before and was amazed at how easy they are to make at home - definitely not going to be buying them again! I've never piped a mixture like this before so t took a few goes to get it right but by my second batch it was okay. I did a first full batch which gave me the slightly dodgy ones below which I used for the middles.  Then I decided to do another one egg batch to get it just perfect and play with it a bit - so I piped thin strips (as above) to encircle my mini tiramisu and made a few circles to see if that would work.  After that I made the chocolate ones for the Chocolate and Hazelnut Praline Tiramisu - see the changes at the bottom. 

Ladyfingers/ Savoiardi Biscuits

3 eggs, separated

75g sugar (I used caster)

95g plain flour

2 tbsp cornflour

50g icing sugar

Preheat oven to 350C and line lightly greased sheets with baking parchment. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks then start to add the caster sugar spoon by spoon, beating in between, until all is incorporated and you have smooth and glossy peaks. Beat the egg yolks together before dribbling over the meringue and folding in lightly. Sift the flour over the top and fold in lightly until just incorporated. Fill a piping bag with the batter and pipe into strips of about 5" by 3/4" (or any shape desired).  Sift half of the icing sugar over the shapes then leave for five minutes - it should sink in and glisten as above. Sift the other half over before trying to gently remove the excess sugar by lifting the sheet and shaking (be careful!). Bake for ten minutes or until puffy and light golden brown. Allow to cool on sheet before removing to wire rack. Store in an airtight container until needed. 

The next new component we had to make was our own marscapone cheese (above, with the pastry cream and zabaglione). I've never done any cheesemaking before so it was another new adventure. A lot of daring bakers seemed to have trouble with it but I was lucky and it seemed to come out perfectly - until I moved it to the back of the fridge the day after and half of the bowl froze! It went quite funny but I was able to salvage enough of the non-frozen half to make the tiramisu - you can see bits were a little grainy in the picture above.

Mascarpone Cheese

(Makes 340g of cheese)

500ml double cream

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Bring one inch of water to boil in a medium saucepan then reduce the heat to medium so the water is simmering. Pour the cream into a metal bowl and suspend over the saucepan. Use a thermometer to keep an eye on the temperature and heat until it hits 87C (190F) or if you don't have a thermometer until small bubbles start trying to push up to the surface. This takes about 15 minutes. Add the lemon juice and continue to stir until it thickens to a custard like consistency and covers the back of a spoon thickly. There should be clear streaks as you stir - mine had to cool down a little before this happened. Leave to cool for 20 minutes. Line a sieve with several layers or cheesecloth or a clean tea towel and place it over a bowl. Transfer to the sieve. Be patient and don't squeeze it or touch it. When totally cool cover with clingfilm and put in the fridge. Leave to firm up overnight or for 24 hours. It should firm up beautifully. Keep in the fridge and use within 3-4 days. 

Along with the mascarpone we also had to make a pastry cream, zabaglione and whipped cream to create the lovely filling. The pastry cream recipe in wonderful - it'll definitely be my new go-to. I'd never made zabaglione before - I'm not sure it came out quite right - it tasted amazing but was very dark and thick (you can see in the picture two above). I didn't add any sugar to the whipped cream as it seemed sweet enough as it was. 

Zabaglione

2 large egg yolks

50g caster sugar

60ml expresso coffee (or port or marsala wine)

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp lemon zest

Heat an inch of water in a saucepan (or in a double boiler). In a metal bowl mix together all the ingredients and whisk till smooth. Put the bowl on top of the saucepan making sure it doesn't touch and cook over a low heat, stirring constantly until it resembles a thick custard. Let it cool to room temperature before covering and putting in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight. 

Pastry Cream

55g caster sugar

1 tbsp plain flour

1/2 tsp lemon zest

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 large egg yolk

175ml whole milk

Mix together the sugar, flour, zest and vanilla in a medium sized saucepan. Add the egg and half the milk and whisk until smooth. Place over a low heat and cook, stirring constantly. Add the remaining milk a little at a time, continuing to stir. After about 12 minutes the mixture should be thick and smooth with no lumps and beginning to bubble. Sieve if desired. Transfer to a bowl and cool to room temperature before covering and chilling in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight. 

Classic Tiramisu

1 portion zabaglione

1 portion pastry cream

75g mascarpone

235ml double cream

470ml brewed expresso

50g caster sugar

36 savoiardi/ladyfingers (or as many/few as desired)

Cocoa powder to dust (and I used chocolate shavings)

Have a the serving dish(es) of you choice ready. Mix together the expresso and sugar and leave to one side. Whip the double cream to stiff peaks and set aside. In a large bowl beat the mascarpone until smooth before adding the zabaglione and pastry cream and blending until just combined. (I had to beat mine till smooth otherwise there would have been lumps of mascarpone). Fold in the whipped cream.  Working quickly start dipping the ladyfingers in the expresso mix, only leaving them in for a second or two (I only did one side, but I think I would do both another time) before immediately laying them in the bottom of the intended dish. You can break them in two to create an even layer. Spoon a layer of the cream mixture over the top (work out what proportion of the ladyfingers you've used and use a similar proportion of the cream mix). Repeat until you've finished, leaving a creamy layer on top. Cover carefully with cling film and pop in the fridge overnight.  To serve remove the cling film and dust with cocoa powder and any other decoration. 

Chocolate and Hazelnut Praline Tiramisu

For the chocolate ladyfingers:  As above but replace 30g of the flour with cocoa powder and sift it in with the flour. I found it slightly harder to fold in. 

For the hazelnut praline: Remove the skins from 70g of whole hazelnuts then chop roughly. Toast in the oven for a few minutes until lightly browned. Prepare a baking sheet with a square of baking parchment. Make a caramel with 70g white caster sugar and when a deep golden brown tip the nuts in and stir well before tipping out onto the sheet to cool. 

To assemble: Roughly chop the praline (I reserved a chunk of the praline to top one of the glasses). As above, except dip the chocolate ladyfingers into hazelnut syrup (I bought two shots a coffee shop). On top of each ladyfinger layer, sprinkle some of the praline. Top with more crushed praline or a chunk. 

The February 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen and Deeba of Passionate About Baking. They chose Tiramisu as the challenge for the month. Their challenge recipe is based on recipes from The Washington Post, Cordon Bleu at Home and Baking Obsession.