Hazelnut Fudge Food

CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT FUDGE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place hazelnuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet; toast until golden and fragrant, about 14 minutes.
• Lightly brush a standard 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with butter; line in both directions with parchment. Melt 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate in a medium bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Brush loaf pan all over with half of melted chocolate; freeze 5 minutes. Brush again with remaining melted chocolate and freeze 5 minutes more.
• In a medium bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, melt remaining 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate with milk chocolate, stirring together until smooth. Remove from heat; stir in hazelnut spread and hazelnuts. Pour into chilled chocolate shell and refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours. Trim chocolate around top of loaf pan with a paring knife. Let temper 30 minutes before slicing crosswise into 8 pieces. Torrone can be refrigerated, covered, up to 2 weeks.

ESPRESSO HAZELNUT FUDGE

Steps:

• Line an 8-inch-square baking pan with aluminum foil that extends over the sides. Coat the foil with 1 tablespoon of the butter. Set aside.
• In a 3-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat, cook the espresso, sugar, cream, salt, cream of tartar, and the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons butter until the sugar is dissolved (about 5 minutes), stirring constantly with a long-handled wooden spoon or heatproof spatula. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then brush down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in warm water to prevent the sugar from crystallizing. Place a sugar thermometer in the pan and cook the mixture without stirring until it registers 238°F on the thermometer (about 15 minutes).
• Remove the pan from the heat, remove the thermometer from the pan, and place the thermometer in warm water to cool. Sprinkle a marble board or the back of a baking sheet with cold water and immediately pour the hot mixture onto the marble. Do not scrape out the bottom of the pan. Let the mixture cool on the marble until it registers 110°F on the thermometer (about 5 minutes). If using a baking sheet instead of the marble, the cooling time will be about 15 minutes.
• Beat the fudge using one of the following three methods: With a 5-inch-wide flexible-blade scraper, transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer, add the ground cinnamon, and with the paddle attachment, beat the mixture until it thickens and loses its shine (5 to 10 minutes). Or transfer the mixture to a 2-quart mixing bowl, add the ground cinnamon, and beat the mixture with a long-handled wooden spoon until it thickens and loses its shine (10 to 15 minutes). In both cases, add the chopped hazelnuts after beating the fudge and mix until they are blended in (about 30 seconds). Or spread the mixture into a large rectangle on the marble board, sprinkle on the ground cinnamon, then use the 5-inch-wide flexible-blade scraper to gather the mixture back to the center of the marble, folding in the edges. Repeat this process until the mixture begins to thicken and lose its shine (5 to 10 minutes). Sprinkle on the chopped hazelnuts and continue to work the fudge to incorporate them (about 1 minute).
• Turn the fudge into the prepared pan. Use your fingertips to even the top and to press the fudge into the corners of the pan. Place the pan of fudge on a cooling rack and let it set completely at room temperature (1 to 2 hours).
• Remove the fudge from the pan by lifting out the aluminum foil. Invert the fudge onto a cutting board, peel the foil off the back of the fudge, and reinvert the fudge. With a large chef's knife, cut the fudge evenly into 1-inch squares. Between layers of waxed paper in a tightly covered container, the fudge will keep for 10 days at room temperature or 1 month in the refrigerator. The fudge is best served at room temperature.
• Espresso Almond Fudge: Substitute toasted, unblanched almonds for the hazelnuts.

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT FUDGE

Steps:

• Generously butter an 8-inch square baking pan; line with plastic wrap.
• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the 4 tablespoons butter, sugar, cream, and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium-low or just low enough to keep the mixture from boiling over. Continue boiling, stirring frequently, to a temperature of 230°F This will take about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate with a whisk until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Add 1 cup chopped hazelnuts and the liqueur and flavorings; stir to blend. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle with a few tablespoons of chopped hazelnuts. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 2 to 3 hours.
• Remove the top layer of plastic wrap and flip the pan upside down on a cutting board or platter. Loosen sides if the fudge doesn't come out right away. Cut into small pieces. If the fudge is difficult to cut without breaking, let it stand at room temperature for several minutes before cutting. Makes about 3 pounds.

SALTED CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT FUDGE

Steps:

• LINE 8-inch square pan with aluminum foil, extending over pan edges.
• HEAT sweetened condensed milk and chocolate hazelnut spread in heavy saucepan over medium heat until bubbly, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in chocolate chips until completely melted. Stir in hazelnuts. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Let rest 5 mintues. Sprinkle evenly with sea salt.
• CHILL 2 hours or until firm. Remove from pan by lifting foil. Cut into 64 1-inch squares.

HAZELNUT FUDGE CAKE

Steps:

• Prepare pastry. In medium size bowl, with electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg until well mixed. Reduce mixer speed to low. Gradually beat in flour, baking powder and salt. Gather dough into a ball, flatten to a 5-inch round, and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate pastry at least 30 minutes or overnight.
• When pastry has chilled, heat oven to 400º. Between 2 sheets of floured waxed paper, roll out pastry to a 12-inch round. Remove top sheet of paper and invert pastry into a 10-inch tart pan with removable bottom, allowing excess to extend over edge. Remove remaining sheet of waxed paper. Fold excess pastry inside so that it is even around top edge with rim of pan; press pastry against the side to make an even thickness. With fork, pierce bottom of pastry crust 10-15 times to prevent shrinkage. Line crust with aluminum foil and fill with uncooked dry beans.
• Bake pastry crust 10 minutes, remove foil with beans and bake crust 5 minutes longer. Cool crust on wire rack while preparing filling. Reduce oven temperature to 350º.
• Prepare filling: In heavy 1-quart saucepan, heat chocolate, butter, sugar, half and half, and salt over low heat, stirring frequently, until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat.
• In large bowl, with wire whisk, beat eggs slightly; slowly beat warm chocolate mixture into eggs until well blended. Spread chocolate mixture into pastry crust and bake cake 25-30 minutes.
• For Topping: In double boiler melt semi-sweet chocolate squares, half and half, butter, chopped toasted hazelnuts, and hazelnut syrup, stirring constantly until smooth.
• When cake has cooled, spread over top and sides. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with ice cream.