Caramel Hazelnut Spikes Food

CARAMEL-DIPPED HAZELNUTS

Steps:

• Gently insert pointed end of a long wooden skewer into the side of each hazelnut. Place a cutting board along the edge of a countertop; 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.

CARAMEL HAZELNUT SPIKES

Steps:

• Insert a toothpick into the side of each hazelnut. Place a sheet of parchment on the counter and the Styrofoam on top of it (you can elevate the piece of Styrofoam a bowl or container, so that it sits a few inches above the parchment. Have a metal bowl filled with ice water on hand for to immerse the pot of sugar.
• Bring the water, sugar and corn syrup up to a boil over high heat without stirring. Boil the sugar, occasionally brushing the sides of the pot, until the sugar turns a light amber colour, about 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and immerse the bottom of the pot into the ice water to halt the cooking. Gently swirl the sugar until you see that it is thickening and then beginning dipping the hazelnuts, one at a time.
• Use the toothpick to hold each hazelnut as you dip it halfway into the sugar. Hold it above the pot for a few seconds to let the sugar drip off, then stick the toothpick into the Styrofoam so that the hazelnut rests about 6 inches (15 cm) above the parchment. As the caramel cools, the thread of caramel that comes down from the hazelnut will set. Repeat with the remaining hazelnuts, until all are dipped. If the sugar becomes too thick or sets up, reheat over low heat, stirring very gently before continuing. Once the hazelnuts are set, remove the toothpicks and store the "spikes" in an airtight container for up to a week.

CHOCOLATE & HAZELNUT CELEBRATION CAKE

Steps:

• First, make the cake. Heat oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3. Grease and line a 23cm loose bottomed cake tin with baking parchment. Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Allow the chocolate to slowly melt, then set aside to cool a little.
• Meanwhile, blitz the hazelnuts in a food processor until roughly chopped, then add the sugars and blitz again to a fine, sandy consistency. Tip into a mixing bowl and add the 1 whole egg and 5 egg yolks. This will be a very stiff batter, but with a bit of elbow grease, it will combine. When well incorporated, beat in the melted chocolate.
• Put the remaining egg whites in a clean bowl and whisk until they form medium peaks. Scoop a quarter of the egg whites onto the batter and beat it in to incorporate, then gently fold in the rest. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 35-40 mins. A skewer inserted in the centre should come out reasonably clean, but the best indication that it is done is a smooth top with perhaps a few cracks, and a subtle springiness to the cake when gently prodded. Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool completely in the tin.
• To make the ganache, put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Put the cream and butter in a small saucepan and heat until the butter melts, but don't let it boil. Pour it over the chocolate and leave for 1-2 mins to melt, then stir to form a smooth, glossy ganache. When the cake has cooled, remove from the tin and place it on a cake stand or platter. When the ganache has cooled to a spreadable consistency, spread generously over the entire surface of the cake - as neatly or as messily as desired.
• To make the hazelnut spikes, place a large saucepan over a medium heat to get hot. Add the sugar and continue heating until dissolved. Increase heat and bubble, swirling the pan from time to time, until the caramel turns a gorgeous amber colour - but don't stir as this will cause the caramel to crystallise. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the caramel to cool and thicken to the consistency of golden syrup - if it sets too solid, simply place it over a low heat to melt again.
• Use a cocktail stick or wooden skewer to push into each hazelnut - make sure that you don't push it in where the seam is or the hazelnut will split. Place a sheet of baking parchment on the floor directly underneath your work surface - this will catch any drops of caramel. Dredge the hazelnut through the thickened caramel, coating it very generously indeed. Secure the cocktail stick to the work surface with some sticky tape or wedge under a heavy pan, so that the caramel covered hazelnut hangs over the edge. Allow the caramel to drip, like a stalactite, towards the floor and set hard. Repeat with all the hazelnuts and allow the caramel to set. When hardened, use scissors to gently trim the fine threads of caramel off the more robust, decorative spikes. Arrange the hazelnuts, spikes pointing up, in the centre of the cake.