Hazelnut Cups Food

HAZELNUT CUPS

Steps:

• Combine the chocolate chips and oil in a microwave-safe measuring cup or ceramic bowl. Stir until all of the chips are coated with oil. Microwave for 1 minute at 60% power. Stir. Heat at full power at 15-second intervals until the chocolate is melted, stirring after every interval. (This will take between 1 to 3 minutes, depending on your microwave.)
• Arrange 24 paper bonbon or candy cups on a baking sheet. Pour a small amount (about 2 teaspoons) of the melted chocolate mixture into each cup. Tip the cups to coat the insides fully with chocolate. Transfer the coated cups to the refrigerator. Reserve remaining chocolate.
• Pour the cup of heavy cream, vanilla extract, and coffee liqueur in a mixing bowl. Beat on high speed until frothy. Add the 2 teaspoons of sugar and continue to beat on high until soft peaks form. Stir in the hazelnut spread and beat on medium speed until combined. Quickly fold in the reserved melted chocolate. (If the chocolate has started to set up, place in microwave again for 10 seconds at 60% power.)
• Fill a pastry bag with the mousse filling and pipe it into each chocolate cup. (If a pastry bag is unavailable, use a resealable plastic storage bag and snip off a corner.) You may need to use a spoon to smooth the tops. Chill the filled shells in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
• Whip the 1/2 cup of cream until frothy; add the teaspoon of sugar and whip until stiff peaks form. Use a pastry bag to top each chocolate cup with a small dollop of whipped cream. Sprinkle with chopped hazelnuts and top with a coffee bean. Refrigerate until serving.

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.

HAZELNUT CUSTARDS

Steps:

• In a mortar and pestle or a food processor, pound the hazelnuts until finely ground.
• In a medium heavy saucepan, bring the cream to a boil over medium high heat (watch carefully that it does not boil over). Add the sugar and stir until it has dissolved. Stir in the hazelnuts, bring back up to the boil and remove from the heat. Cool the mixture almost to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg and the egg yolks together until evenly blended. Slowly pour the cream mixture in, stirring all the time, until absorbed. Add the Frangelico and then strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a large measuring cup with a lip, pressing hard against the mesh to extract all the flavor from the nuts. Pour the custard mixture into twelve 2 ounce ramekins and arrange them in a large roasting pan. Pour a little boiling water in the base of the pan, to come about halfway up the sides of the little custard pots. Bake on the middle rack until the custards are set in the center, about 35 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool to room temperature, then chill for at least 1 hour. Serve 2 or 3 little custards per person and, using a vegetable peeler, shave a few small curls of chocolate over the top of each.

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT MOUSSE CUPS

Steps:

• Bake pastry shells according to package directions. Cool completely., In a small bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla; beat until soft peaks form., In another bowl, beat mascarpone cheese, Nutella and cinnamon until blended. Fold in whipped cream and chocolate chips. Spoon into pastry shells. If desired, drizzle with melted chocolate. Sprinkle with hazelnuts. Refrigerate until serving.

CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT MOUSSE-FILLED CUPS

Steps:

• With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, whisk cream until soft peaks form. Transfer to refrigerator; chill for 1 hour.
• In a clean mixing bowl, and with a clean whisk, beat yolks on high speed until pale and frothy. Meanwhile, bring sugar, corn syrup, and water to a boil in a small, heavy saucepan over high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Continue boiling for about 1 minute. With mixer on medium-low speed, carefully pour hot syrup down side of bowl. Beat on medium-high speed until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Beat in hazelnut praline paste. Stir in chocolate, vanilla, and a pinch of salt with a flexible spatula.
• Add one-third of the chocolate mixture to whipped cream; whisk to combine. Add remaining chocolate mixture, fold to completely combined. Pass through a coarse sieve into a large bowl; discard any solids.
• Transfer mousse to a disposable pastry bag or large plastic bag. Using scissors, snip a small hole in bottom of the bag or from one of the corners of the plastic bag. Pipe mousse into chocolate cups to fill; serve garnished with hazelnuts and shaved chocolate.