Hazelnut Pastry Dough Food

HAZELNUT PARIS-BREST

Steps:

• Make praline:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
• Toast hazelnuts in a shallow baking pan in oven until skins split and nuts are golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven (leave oven on), then wrap hazelnuts in a kitchen towel and let steam 5 to 10 minutes. Rub hazelnuts in towel to remove loose skins (some skins may not come off), then transfer hazelnuts to a small bowl, discarding skins. While hazelnuts steam, toast almonds in baking pan until golden, 5 to 8 minutes, then add to bowl with hazelnuts. Lightly grease pan and set aside.
• Cook sugar in a dry small heavy skillet over moderate heat, swirling skillet, until sugar begins to melt, about 2 minutes. Continue to cook, swirling skillet, until sugar is melted into a deep golden caramel, 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove from heat and, working quickly, stir in nuts to coat, then transfer mixture to greased baking pan, spreading slightly. Let stand at room temperature until hardened and cool, about 30 minutes.
• Transfer praline to a heavy-duty sealable plastic bag and seal bag, pressing out excess air. Coarsely crush praline in bag using a rolling pin or bottom of a heavy skillet, then transfer three fourths to a food processor and purée until it becomes a smooth, creamy "butter," 3 to 4 minutes. Reserve remaining crushed praline for garnish.
• Make cream filling:
• Bring milk to a simmer in a 2 1/2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat. While milk heats, whisk together yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a heatproof bowl.
• Add hot milk to yolk mixture in a stream, whisking, then transfer mixture to saucepan and bring to a simmer over moderate heat, whisking (mixture will become thick and lumpy). Simmer, whisking constantly, 3 minutes (mixture will become smooth). Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Transfer to a clean bowl and chill pastry cream, its surface covered with wax paper, until cold, at least 1 hour.
• Beat heavy cream in a bowl with an electric mixer until it just holds stiff peaks. Beat pastry cream in a large bowl with mixer until smooth, then add praline "butter" and beat until incorporated. Fold in whipped cream, one third at a time, gently but thoroughly, then cover surface of hazelnut cream with wax paper and chill until ready to use.
• Make choux pastry:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F. Trace a 9-inch circle with a pencil on a 12-inch square of parchment or wax paper, then trace a 5-inch circle inside it. Turn paper over (circles will still be visible) and put on a large baking sheet.
• Bring water to a boil with butter, granulated sugar, and salt in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over high heat, then reduce heat to moderate. Add flour all at once and cook, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon, until mixture pulls away from side of pan, about 1 minute. Continue to cook and stir vigorously (to dry out mixture) 3 minutes more. Remove pan from heat and cool mixture, stirring occasionally, until warm to the touch, 5 to 10 minutes. Add whole eggs 1 at a time, stirring vigorously after each addition until dough is smooth.
• Transfer dough to pastry bag fitted with plain tip and pipe 3 concentric rings to fill space between traced circles on parchment, then pipe 2 more on top to cover seams between bottom rings. Lightly brush pastry with some egg wash, then scatter almonds over pastry and dust with 1 tablespoon confectioners sugar.
• Bake choux pastry until golden and well puffed, 20 to 25 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 375°F and continue to bake until deep golden and firm to the touch, about 25 minutes more. Immediately prick top of pastry in 8 to 10 places with tip of a small sharp knife (to release steam) and continue to bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes more. Transfer pastry (on parchment) to a rack and cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Halve pastry horizontally with a serrated knife and carefully invert top onto work surface. Remove and discard any wet dough from interior of top and bottom. Transfer hazelnut cream to cleaned and dried pastry bag fitted with star tip and pipe cream decoratively into bottom half of pastry, then carefully reinvert top half over it. Sprinkle top with reserved praline and dust with additional confectioners sugar.

PUFF PASTRY BRAID

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment.
• Lay out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Imagine the pastry has 3 equal sections. Add the hazelnut spread to the center section and, using a knife, cover the center section with the spread, leaving a 1/2-inch border at the top and bottom. Sprinkle the peanuts over the chocolate hazelnut spread.
• Using a sharp knife, cut the 2 outside sections into six 1-inch horizontal strips just to the center section.
• Fold the 1/2-inch borders at the top and bottom inwards, over the edges of the chocolate filling. Next, starting at one end, begin folding the pastry strips over the filling, alternating the sides to create a braid appearance. Put the braid on the parchment-lined sheet pan.
• Brush the pastry braid with the beaten egg and sprinkle with the sea salt. Bake until golden and cooked through, 28 to 30 minutes.
• While the pastry bakes, make the icing by whisking the powdered sugar, vanilla and milk in a bowl until smooth. Set aside.
• Allow the pastry to cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Drizzle over the icing, slice and serve.

HAZELNUT PASTRY DOUGH

Steps:

• Toast and skin hazelnuts. In a food processor pulse nuts with 1 teaspoon sugar until finely ground. Add flour, baking powder, and a pinch salt, pulsing to combine. Add remaining 1/3 cup sugar and pulse to combine. Cut butter into small pieces and add to flour mixture, pulsing until mixture resembles coarse meal. In a small bowl lightly beat together egg, Frangelico or hazelnut extract, and vanilla. Add egg mixture to butter mixture, pulsing until mixture forms a dough. Dough may be kept, wrapped in plastic wrap and chilled, up to 3 days. Bring dough to room temperature before using.

PUFF PASTRY APPLE TURNOVERS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon; add apples and toss to coat. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each pastry sheet into a 12-in. square. Cut each into four squares. , Spoon 1/2 cup apple mixture into the center of each square; fold diagonally in half and press edges to seal. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet., In a small bowl, combine the butter, sugar and cinnamon; brush over pastry. Bake at 400° for 12-16 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with ice cream if desired.

STRAWBERRY HAZELNUT TART

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/170 fan/gas 5. Tip the flour and ground hazelnuts into the food processor and add the butter. Process until it looks like fine crumbs, then add the sugar and mix briefly. Add the egg yolk and 1-2 tbsp cold water, then pulse to a firm dough.
• Knead the dough briefly on a lightly floured surface, then roll out and use to line a 23-24cm loose-based flan tin. Using a sharp knife, trim off the excess pastry, then chill for 15 mins. Line pastry case with a round of baking parchment and fill with baking beans. Bake for 15 mins, then remove the paper and beans and cook for a further 5-7 mins until the pastry is cooked and pale golden.
• Put the toffees and milk in a small pan and gently heat, stirring until the toffees have melted and you have a smooth glossy sauce. Set aside.
• Beat the mascarpone with the icing sugar to loosen it. Whip the cream until it just holds its shape, then fold into the mascarpone. Slice half the strawberries and mix into the cream. Remove the pastry case from the tin and set on a serving plate. Spread two-thirds of the toffee sauce over base, then spoon over the mascarpone.
• Slice the remaining strawberries and scatter over the filling. Drizzle the rest of the toffee sauce over the strawberries and sprinkle with the hazelnuts.

HAZELNUT PASTRY CRUST

Steps:

• Process nuts, flour, sugar and salt in food processor until nuts are finely ground.
• Add butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Sprinkle water over and process until just combined. Add more water if needed.
• Form dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap, flattening into a disk. Chill 1 hour before using.

SPINACH AND BRUSSELS SPROUTS PIE WITH HAZELNUT PASTRY CRUST

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Roast hazelnuts on a baking sheet until browned and fragrant, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer, with skins on, to a food processor, and pulse to make a coarse meal. Transfer to a large bowl. Add flour and salt. Add 3/4 cup butter; use two knives or a pastry cutter to cut into mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Stir with a fork, and gradually add 1/2 cup cold water, or more as needed, until dough is cohesive. Shape into 2 balls. (May be covered with plastic wrap, and refrigerated for 24 hours.)
• Butter a 9- or 10-inch pie pan. On a lightly floured counter, roll out each ball to rounds that are slightly larger than the pan. Place one crust in bottom of pan. Cover both crusts with plastic wrap. Set aside.
• Place a small skillet over medium heat, and add olive oil. Add onions, and saute until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add spinach, potatoes, eggs, dill, tarragon, thyme and nutmeg. Mix well, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add feta, and toss gently to mix. (May be covered with plastic wrap, and refrigerated for 24 hours.)
• Place brussels sprouts cut side down on bottom and sides of pastry-lined pan. Cover sprouts with spinach mixture, mounding it high in center. Place red pepper strips evenly across top, and press gently to compact mixture. Top with remaining pastry crust, crimp edges together, and flute rim. Cut several slits in top of pie to vent it.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place pie on a baking sheet, and bake for 30 minutes. Remove pie from oven and dot crust with bits of butter. Return to oven until crust is lightly browned, about 30 more minutes. Allow to rest for 20 minutes before serving.