Hazelnut Brittle Caramel Ice Cream Food

HAZELNUT BRITTLE

Steps:

• Combine sugar, vinegar, and 1 cup water in a medium saucepan set over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Cook until dark amber in color, 20 to 22 minutes. Stir in nuts.
• Oil an 11-by-17-inch baking pan. Pour hot mixture onto pan. Let set until firm but still soft enough to cut. Invert onto a cutting board, and unmold. Working quickly, use an oiled chef's knife to cut the sheet into six rectangles. Store brittle in an airtight container up to 1 week.

CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT GELATO

Steps:

• In a saucepan combine the milk, cream, and 1/2 cup sugar over medium heat. Cook until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl whip the egg yolks with the remaining sugar using an electric mixer until the eggs have become thick and pale yellow, about 4 minutes. Pour 1/2 cup of the warm milk and cream mixture into the egg mixture and stir. Add this mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over very low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture becomes thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 7 to 10 minutes.
• Place a strainer over a medium bowl and pour the warm custard mixture through the strainer. Stir in the vanilla and hazelnut spread until it dissolves. Chill mixture completely before pouring into an ice cream maker and follow manufacturer's instructions to freeze. To serve, scoop gelato into serving bowls and top with hazelnuts.

CARAMELIZED BANANA CREAM PIE WITH HAZELNUT WHIPPED CREAM AND HAZELNUT PRALINE

Steps:

• Put the flour, salt and sugar in the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Sprinkle half of the butter cubes over the top of the flour and process for 10 seconds. Sprinkle the remaining half of the butter over the mixture and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, with some butter bits no bigger than peas. With the motor running, add the buttermilk through the feed tube and process until the dough just begins to come together. Transfer to a flat surface and lightly knead until the dough comes together. Form into 2 flat disks, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (You will need only 1 for the pie; the remaining dough can be frozen for up to 1 month.)
• Lightly spray a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom with nonstick spray. Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch round that is 1/8-inch thick and fit it into the tart pan. Roll rolling pin over tops of pan to trim dough flush with rims and lightly prick bottoms and sides all over with a fork. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the pan on a baking sheet. Spray the shiny side of a 12 piece of aluminum foil and line the shell shiny-side down with the foil and fill with pie weights. Bake on the middle rack in the oven until the crust sets and turns a pale golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the foil and pie weights and continue baking until golden brown and baked through, about 15 minutes longer. Transfer the tart pan to a baking rack and let cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Melt the butter in a large saute pan over medium-high heat, add 1 1/2 tablespoons of brown sugar and cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar is melted and the mixture is caramelized, about 4 minutes. Add the bananas and cook until bananas start to break down, and caramelize on both sides. Add 2 cups of the milk, bring to simmer and scrape the bottom and sides of pan and carefully transfer the mixture to a medium saucepan. Puree the mixture with an immersion blender until smooth; bring to a simmer.
• In a bowl whisk the sugar, cornstarch and salt together until combined. Add the remaining 1 cup of milk and whisk until the cornstarch is dissolved. Whisk this mixture into the banana mixture and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 4 minutes.Whisk together the remaining tablespoon of brown sugar and yolks in a small bowl until smooth. Ladle some of the thickened mixture into the egg mixture to temper the yolks. Pour the yolk mixture into the pot and cook until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes, WHISKING THE ENTIRE TIME. Once the mixture has thickened let it come to a boil for exactly 1 minute, whisking a few times. Remove from the heat, whisk in the softened gelatin and vanilla and strain through a coarse mesh strainer into a bowl.
• Cover the surface of the custard with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator until set, at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours. Once pudding is set, whip the custard in the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment on high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds. Add the heavy cream and whip until light and fluffy, about 20 seconds longer.
• Transfer the filling to the cooled pie shell. Place plastic on top and let chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Mound the top with the hazelnut whipped cream and sprinkle with some of the hazelnut brittle just before serving.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spread hazelnuts on a baking sheet and bake until lightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Let cool slightly and coarsely chop.
• Combine sugar and water in a medium saucepan and cook (without stirring) over high heat until it becomes a deep amber caramel, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the hazelnuts. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with a silpat. Cover with another silpat and using a rolling pin, roll the mixture as thin as possible. Let sit until the caramel has hardened, about 20 minutes. Once hard, removed from the silpan and chop into small pieces, using a chef's knife.
• Combine cream, vanilla seeds, sugar and Frangelico in a bowl and whip using a balloon whisk or hand held mixer until soft peaks form.

HAZELNUT BRITTLE CARAMEL ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Have ready an ice bath in a large bowl. Place 2/3 cup sugar in a large saucepan, and set over medium heat. Cook until dark amber in color, about 6 minutes. Slowly add the milk and cream, whisking to dissolve the hardened caramelized sugar. Increase heat to high, and bring mixture to a boil.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, remaining 1/3 cup sugar, and salt until pale in color. Whisking constantly, add the hot cream mixture to the yolks. Return new mixture to saucepan, and set over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the cream coats the back of the spoon, 4 to 6 minutes.
• Immediately remove pan from heat, and pour mixture through a fine sieve set over a heatproof bowl. Place bowl in ice bath, and stir occasionally until chilled.
• Freeze in an ice-cream maker according to manufacturers instructions. Fold in the hazelnut brittle, and freeze overnight.
• When ready to serve, scoop ice cream into individual caramel bowls.

SALTED CARAMEL ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Heat 1 cup sugar in a dry 10-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring with a fork to heat sugar evenly, until it starts to melt, then stop stirring and cook, swirling skillet occasionally so sugar melts evenly, until it is dark amber.
• Add 1 1/4 cups cream (mixture will spatter) and cook, stirring, until all of caramel has dissolved. Transfer to a bowl and stir in sea salt and vanilla. Cool to room temperature.
• Meanwhile, bring milk, remaining cup cream, and remaining 1/4 cup sugar just to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, stirring occasionally.
• Lightly whisk eggs in a medium bowl, then add half of hot milk mixture in a slow stream, whisking constantly. Pour back into saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until custard coats back of spoon and registers 170°F on an instant-read thermometer (do not let boil). Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl, then stir in cooled caramel.
• Chill custard, stirring occasionally, until very cold, 3 to 6 hours. Freeze custard in ice cream maker (it will still be quite soft), then transfer to an airtight container and put in freezer to firm up.

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.

HAZELNUT BRITTLE

Steps:

• Put a large pot or kettle over a medium heat. Add sugar, water, and corn syrup and bring to a boil. When mixture comes to a boil, add butter. Cook to 260 degrees F on a candy thermometer without stirring and add the sliced hazelnuts. Bring mixture to 300 degrees F and stir in salt, baking soda and vanilla. Pour mixture onto a greased baking sheet and spread out and allow to cool. Break up into pieces and decorate with melted chocolate.

SALTED CARAMEL ICE CREAM

Steps:

• In a medium pot over medium heat, melt 3/4 cup sugar with 3 tablespoons water, swirling skillet frequently, until sugar turns mahogany brown in color (it should be almost but not quite black).
• Add heavy cream, milk, remaining 1/2 cup sugar and the salt; simmer mixture until caramel melts and cream mixture is completely smooth. Remove pot from heat. In a separate bowl, whisk yolks. Whisking constantly, slowly whisk about a third of the hot cream into the yolks, then whisk the yolk mixture back into the pot with the cream.
• Return pot to medium-low heat and gently cook until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 170 degrees on an instant-read thermometer).
• Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Cool mixture to room temperature. Cover and chill at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Churn in an ice cream machine according to manufacturer's instructions. Sprinkle flaky sea salt into base during the last 2 minutes of churning. Serve directly from the machine for soft serve, or store in freezer until needed.

HAZELNUT GELATO WITH RICH CHOCOLATE SAUCE

Steps:

• Toast the nuts in a dry pan for 5 mins until golden. Leave to cool. Roughly chop 25g and set aside. Heat the cream, milk and sugar in a pan until nearly boiling. Whisk together the eggs yolks in a small bowl. Pour a little of the hot cream over the eggs and whisk together.
• Pour the egg mix to the pan and gently cook for about 8-10 mins until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Set a medium-size bowl over another bowl of iced water. As soon as the custard has thickened, strain into the bowl, then stir through the 150g hazelnuts. Leave to cool a little, then pour the mixture into a blender and whizz until smooth. Freeze according to your ice-cream maker's instructions. Will freeze for up to 1 month.
• For the sauce, heat the cream with the coffee in a pan until boiling. Take off the heat, stir the chocolate until melted, then stir in the liqueur, if using. Serve scoops of ice cream in bowls with some sauce drizzled on top and the reserved chopped nuts scattered over.