Chocolate Hazelnut Paste Food

CHOCOLATE PASTA WITH CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT CREAM SAUCE, WHITE CHOCOLATE SHAVINGS AND FRESH BERRIES

Steps:

• For the pasta: Sift together the flour, cocoa and sugar. Add a pinch salt and mound the flour mixture in a large bowl or on a clean work surface. Hollow out the center, making a well in the middle of the flour with steep sides. Break the eggs into the well. Add the chocolate syrup and vanilla. Gently mix together with a fork. Gradually start incorporating the flour by pulling in the flour from the sides of the well. As you incorporate more of the flour, the dough will start to take shape. Once it gets thick, you can use a spatula to incorporate the rest of the flour.
• If the dough is too dry, add a little water. If the dough is too wet or sticky, add a little flour. Once the dough comes together, knead the dough on a clean work surface until it becomes smooth, about 8 minutes. Shape into a disc, cover with plastic wrap and let rest in the fridge, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Divide your rested dough into quarters and work with one piece at a time, covering your other pieces to keep them moist. Flour each piece lightly, shape it into a rectangular shape and put it through a pasta sheeter attachment, starting at the widest setting. Run the dough once through the largest setting, fold it into thirds and run it through one more time. Then run the pasta through the sheeting attachment once on every number, stopping at 5 or 6, depending on how thick you would like it. Lightly flour the rolled out pasta sheet and fold in half. Take your chef knife and cut ribbons about a 1/2-inch thick, then unravel the pasta ribbons and place on a floured baking sheet to keep from sticking.
• For the sauce: Bring the heavy cream to a simmer in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat and stir in the chocolate-hazelnut spread. Add a pinch salt and continue whisking until the sauce is creamy. Remove from the heat and reserve.
• Cook the chocolate pasta in a large pot of boiling water, 3 minutes. Immediately remove the pasta from the water and toss gently with the sauce and a little of the pasta cooking water to help with the consistency.
• Mound the pasta and sauce on dessert plates and garnish with the fresh berries, a dollop of creme fraiche, white chocolate shavings and skinless toasted chopped hazelnuts, to garnish.

CHOCOLATE AND HAZELNUT SPREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Turn the hazelnuts out onto a baking sheet and toast in the preheated oven for about 5-7 minutes, until pale golden. Remove the nuts from the oven and cool slightly. Put the warm hazelnuts into a food processor and chop until they become an almost smooth paste.
• Gently melt the chocolate, condensed milk, and hazelnut oil in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until smooth and add to the hazelnut paste in the food processor. Add a pinch of salt and blend, then add the hot water and blend again until the mixture has a thick, spreadable consistency.
• Spoon into a pretty sterilized jar and let cool. Cover with a lid and label when cold.

HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT SPREAD

Steps:

• Combine white sugar and raw sugar in a food processor or blender; process until pulverized. You may have to do this in batches to not burn the motor.
• Add hazelnuts to the sugar mixture in the food processor, and continue blending until a smooth cream forms. Add powdered milk and blend to combine. Add oil and blend again.
• Melt chocolate in a microwave-safe glass or ceramic bowl in 15-second intervals, stirring after each interval, 1 to 3 minutes total. Add to the cream in the food processor, and blend until everything is well combined. Pour into a glass jar and allow to cool before sealing and refrigerating.

BETTER THAN NUTELLA (CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT SPREAD)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread out nuts on a rimmed baking sheet or in an ovenproof skillet. Roast, shaking sheet once for even toasting, until deep brown, 13-15 minutes. Let cool completely. (If nuts have skins, rub them in a kitchen towel to remove.)
• Grind hazelnuts and sugar in a food processor until a fairly smooth, buttery paste forms, about 1 minute.
• Place chocolate in a medium metal bowl. Set bowl over a large saucepan of simmering water; stir often until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over saucepan; add butter and whisk until completely incorporated. Whisk in cream and salt, then hazelnut paste.
• Pour gianduja into jars, dividing equally. Let cool. (Gianduja will thicken and become soft and peanut butter- like as it cools.) Screw on lids. DO AHEAD: Gianduja can be made up to 4 weeks ahead; keep chilled. Let stand at room temperature for 4 hours to soften. Can stand at room temperature up to 4 days.

CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT PASTE

Steps:

• Toast the hazelnuts in a dry pan until they are fragrant and golden, then let cool.
• Meanwhile, melt the chocolate and butter. Stir in vanilla extract.
• Blend cooled nuts in a food processor until smooth, 3 to 5 minutes, drizzling in the nut or vegetable oil. With the machine running, add the chocolate mixture, the sweetened condensed milk, and the salt. Transfer to a container and refrigerate.

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter and parchment a 9-inch cake pan
• In the bowl of a food processor, grind chocolate and hazelnuts down to a fine paste. Add soft butter and sugar and pulse until thoroughly incorporated. Add eggs 1 by 1. Scrape down bowl carefully. Add flour. Fill prepared cake pan with torte batter. Spread carefully to level and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until cake tester comes out clean.

DATES STUFFED WITH HAZELNUTS AND CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• First, make the hazel nut paste by combining the 1 3/4 cup chopped hazelnuts, egg whites, confectioners' sugar and hazelnut liqueur (optional) in a food processor to form a paste (Mixture can be refrigerated, covered, up to 2 weeks).
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place hazelnuts on a baking sheet; toast in oven until lightly browned, 3-5 minutes, watching closely so they don't burn. Set aside to cool.
• Meanwhile, slice each date on one side to form a pocket; set aside.
• Mix 1/3 cup hazelnut paste and chocolate in a bowl; spoon the hazelnut/chocolate mixture into each date. Sprinkle chopped hazelnuts over the filling.
• Serve or refrigerate up to 1 week.

HAZELNUT PASTE

Steps:

• Coarsely chop the hazelnuts.
• In a food processor or blender, finely grind about 1/3 of the nuts at a time, until mealy.
• Add egg whites, powdered sugar and liqueur.
• Blend until paste forms.
• Wrap and store in a covered container, up to 2 weeks.