Candied Hazelnuts And Chocolate Curls Recipes

CANDIED HAZELNUTS

Steps:

• Heat sugar and water in a small saucepan over high heat, swirling, until sugar dissolves. Bring to a simmer, and cook, swirling occasionally, until medium amber, about 4 minutes. Add hazelnuts and salt, and stir for 1 minute to coat.
• Pour mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment or a nonstick baking mat, and immediately separate nuts using 2 forks so that each stands alone on sheet. (You can also hold the pan at an angle and push each hazelnut onto sheet individually. If caramel thickens as you work, return to heat briefly.) Let cool. Break apart.

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT CUPCAKES

Steps:

• For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Use a 24 socket cupcake pan and line with paper liners. Set the pan aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and liqueur until blended, and set aside.
• In a large bowl of an electric stand mixer on low speed, gently combine the flour, granulated sugar, hazelnut meal, baking powder, baking soda and salt until blended. Add the butter and sour cream and beat on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened.
• Increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 1/2 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. In three separate additions, add the egg mixture to the batter, beating for 30 seconds after each addition. Divide the batter evenly into the prepared cupcake liners and bake on the center rack until a cake tester inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes. Remove from the pans and cool the cakes completely on wire racks, about 30 minutes.
• For the torrone filling: Mix together the butter and powdered sugar with the paddle attachment in an electric mixer. Once thoroughly combined, add the torrone paste. Continue to mix until evenly distributed.
• For the chocolate hazelnut fudge: In a food processor, place the powdered sugar, cocoa and salt. Blend to remove any lumps. Add in the butter and blend until smooth. Add the corn syrup. Process just until combined, and then scrape down the sides. Pulse. Add the chocolate hazelnut spread, and then pulse until completely combined, smooth and creamy.
• To assemble: Core each cupcake, and then fill with the torrone filling. Using a round tip and pastry bag, ice each cupcake with chocolate hazelnut fudge, creating a swirl on top.

CANDIED HAZELNUTS AND CHOCOLATE CURLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place nuts on a baking sheet. Bake until fragrant and toasted, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a clean kitchen towel; rub to loosen skins. Place sugar and water in a medium heavy skillet. Stir with a fork over medium-high heat until dissolved; let boil undisturbed for 3 minutes. Add nuts to pan; stir with wooden spoon until caramel seizes around nuts. Transfer to parchment-lined shallow baking sheet; let cool.
• Once nuts are cool, place half of chopped chocolate in a deep medium-size stainless-steel bowl. Place bowl over a saucepan with 1 inch of simmering water; stir until chocolate is melted and hot. Add remaining chocolate to bowl, remove bowl from pan of water, let stand about 5 minutes, then stir until smooth.
• Pour half the chocolate onto an inverted baking sheet; spread with a bench scraper until 1/8 inch thick or slightly thinner (chocolate should be opaque on surface). Let stand until just tacky. Hold scraper at a 45º angle; scrape chocolate off surface. Store curls at room temperature in an airtight container layered with parchment.
• While chocolate sets, add candied nuts to remaining chocolate in bowl, and stir until coated. Spread nuts on a parchment lined baking sheet, and let stand until set.
• Sift cocoa powder on top of dried nuts and toss to coat. Store in a resealable plastic bag for up to 1 week, until ready to use.

CANDIED-HAZELNUT CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Using an offset spatula, spread frosting over each cupcake. Cupcakes can be refrigerated up to 3 days in airtight containers; bring to room temperature and top with caramel-dipped hazelnuts just before serving.
• Caramel-Dipped Hazelnuts
• Gently insert pointed end of a long wooden skewer into the side of each hazelnut. Place a cutting board along the edge of a counter-top; place newspaper on the floor, directly under cutting board.
• Prepare an ice-water bath. Heat sugar and the water in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved and syrup is clear. Stop stirring; cook until syrup comes to a boil, washing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystals from forming. Continue to boil, gently swirling occasionally, until medium amber. Plunge pan into ice bath to stop the cooking; let stand until thickened, about 10 minutes. (To test: Dip a skewer in caramel and lift a few inches; if a thick drip slowly forms and holds a string, the caramel is ready.)
• Dip a skewered hazelnut into caramel, letting excess drip back into pan. When dripping syrup becomes a thin string, secure opposite end of skewer under cutting board. Repeat with remaining hazelnuts. (If caramel hardens before all hazelnuts have been dipped, rewarm it over low heat.) Let stand until caramel string has hardened, about 5 minutes; break each string to desired length. Carefully remove skewers. Candied hazelnuts should be used the same day; store, uncovered, at room temperature until ready to serve cupcakes.

CANDIED HAZELNUTS AND CHOCOLATE CURLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the nuts on a baking sheet. Bake until fragrant and toasted, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a clean kitchen towel; rub to loosen the skins.
• Place the sugar and water in a medium heavy skillet. Stir with a fork over medium-high heat until dissolved; let boil undisturbed for 3 minutes. Add the nuts to the pan; stir with a wooden spoon until the caramel seizes around the nuts. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet; let cool completely.
• Once the nuts are cool, place half the chopped chocolate in a deep, medium-size stainless-steel bowl. Place the bowl over a saucepan with 1 inch of simmering water; stir until the chocolate is melted and hot. Add the remaining chocolate to the bowl; remove the bowl from the pan of water; let stand about 5 minutes, and then stir until smooth.
• Pour half the chocolate onto an inverted baking sheet; spread with a bench scraper until 1/8 inch thick or slightly thinner (chocolate should be opaque on the surface). Let stand until just tacky. Hold the scraper at a 45-degree angle; scrape the chocolate off the surface. The curls can be stored in an airtight container layered with parchment at room temperature.
• While the chocolate sets, add the candied nuts to the remaining chocolate in the bowl, and stir until coated. Spread the nuts on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and let stand until set.
• Sift the cocoa powder on top of the dried nuts and toss to coat. Store in a resealable plastic bag for up to 1 week, until ready to use.

HAZELNUT AND CANDIED CHERRY BARK

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350.
• Place hazelnuts on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake at 350 for 5 to 8 minutes or until lightly browned and skins have loosened.
• Turn hazelnuts onto clean, cloth towel; rub nuts between towel to remove skins.
• Cool 10 minutes.
• Coarsely chop nuts.
• Meanwhile, line cookie sheet with waxed paper.
• Place candy coating in microwave safe bowl.
• Microwave on HIGH for 1 minute.
• Stir, continue to microwave in 15 second increments until bark can be stirred smooth.
• Stir in hazelnuts.
• Spread mixture on waxed paper lined cookie sheet.
• Sprinkle mixture with red and green cherries; press gently into coating.
• Sprinkle with chocolate chips; press in gently.
• Cool 20 minutes or until completely cooled.
• Break into pieces.