Chunnel Cake Sandwiches With Dulce De Leche Gelato Food

DULCE DE LECHE SANDWICH COOKIES

Steps:

• Beat the butter, confectioners' sugar, granulated sugar and orange zest in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and beat until smooth. Combine the flour and salt in a medium bowl, then add to the butter mixture and beat until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then mix for an additional 20 seconds. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough until it's 1/4 inch thick. Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter, punch out as many circles as you can. Arrange the circles on 2 parchment-lined baking sheets. Gather the scraps, reroll and cut out more circles. If the dough starts to get soft, return to the refrigerator.
• Preheat the oven to 325˚ F. Using a 3-inch cookie stamp, mark each cookie. Refrigerate at least 15 minutes.
• Bake the cookies until lightly golden around the edges, about 10 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to racks to cool completely.
• Spoon the dulce de leche into a pastry bag and snip a corner. Pipe the dulce de leche on half of the cookies, making sure to pipe the filling on the side without the stamp. Top each with another cookie, stamp-side up.

BISCOTTI-GELATO SANDWICHES AND ESPRESSO

Steps:

• To make the sandwiches, take the ice cream out of the freezer to soften. Cover 1 side of each piece of biscotti with hazelnut spread. Place the biscotti in the freezer for 5 minutes to firm up. Take out of the freezer and quickly spread 1/4 cup of ice cream on the hazelnut side of 4 of the biscotti and top with another biscotti, spread side against the ice cream. Place the biscotti ice cream sandwiches back in the freezer for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, brew 4 shots of espresso. Pour the espresso and serve with the biscotti-gelato sandwiches alongside.

DULCE DE LECHE SANDWICH COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Finely grind the hazelnuts in a food processor. Spread on a baking sheet; bake until golden, 12 minutes.
• Whisk the flour, cornstarch, 1/3 cup of the ground hazelnuts, the baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl; set aside. Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolks, liqueur and vanilla; beat until incorporated. Reduce the mixer speed to low; add the flour mixture and beat until just combined. Turn onto a sheet of plastic wrap; shape into a disk. Wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.
• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Dust the dough with flour and roll out into a 6-by-12-inch rectangle (1/4 inch thick) on a floured surface. Cut into 1 1/2-inch squares; arrange 1/2 inch apart on the baking sheets. Cut out circles from the middle of half of the squares using a small cutter. Refrigerate until firm, 15 minutes.
• Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until the cookies are golden on the bottom, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely. Stir together the dulce de leche and the remaining ground hazelnuts. Sandwich between the plain and cut-out cookies. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

DULCE DE LECHE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with baking spray; set aside.
• Whisk the flour with the baking powder and salt in a medium bowl until combined; set aside.
• Add white sugar and butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1/3 cup dulce de leche and vanilla; beat until well combined, 30 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low and add eggs one at a time, beating until just blended after each addition, 45 seconds. Add flour mixture alternately with 3/4 cup milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture and beating on low just until combined after each addition. Evenly divide cake batter between prepared pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes.
• Prepare the glaze: Whisk together 1/4 cup dulce de leche and 2 tablespoons milk until mixture is smooth.
• Invert cakes from pans onto a wire cooling rack; set rack on a baking sheet. Using a wooden skewer or fork, gently poke holes all over flat sides (bottoms) of cakes. Pour dulce de leche glaze mixture over cakes and smooth with an offset spatula to coax mixture into holes. Let cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Prepare frosting: Beat butter in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. With mixer running on low speed, gradually add powdered sugar, beating until smooth, about 1 minute, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in salt. Increase speed to medium, and beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl, and beat in 1/2 cup dulce de leche and rum (if using) on low speed until just incorporated, 45 seconds.
• Assemble the cake: Set a cake layer on a plate with the flat side (bottom) facing up. Evenly spread 1 cup of the frosting over the cake to the edge. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of hazelnuts. Top with the second cake layer, rounded (top) side up. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and side of the cake. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup of hazelnuts on top.

DULCE DE LECHE

Steps:

• Put the sugar in a large saucepan. Turn the heat to a medium temperature and carefully melt the sugar. Gently tilt the pan as the sugar melts, rather than stirring, as it will adhere to a spoon or spatula.
• When the sugar is melted, add the butter and stir into the sugar. It will bubble, so take care. Next, add the milk a little at a time, stirring continuously.
• Finally, add the can of condensed milk and stir well until it is fully incorporated. Keep stirring as the dulce de leche bubbles and thickens over a medium heat. It will need a further 5-10 mins of cooking. It will turn a darker shade of brown and take on a slight orange-red hue as it darkens. It should be thick enough to leave a clear channel in the pan when a spoon is run through and then add a pinch of salt. It will firm up as it cools. The dulce de leche can be stored in a jar in the fridge and will keep for up to a month. If not storing in a jar ensure it's covered so a skin doesn't form.