Melissa Clarks Chocolate Hazelnut Ice Cream Food

DAVID TANIS'S CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees. Put hazelnuts on a baking sheet and roast until quite dark, about 10 minutes. Let cool slightly. Use a clean kitchen towel to rub off skins; discard skins. Crush nuts coarsely with a rolling pin or meat mallet and set aside.
• In a saucepan, heat half-and-half and sugar over medium flame, whisking to dissolve sugar. Do not let mixture boil. Whisk in cocoa powder until completely incorporated, then add chopped chocolate and cook, stirring, until chocolate is melted, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
• Put egg yolks, salt and tapioca starch in a small bowl and whisk together. Slowly add 1 cup of hot chocolate mixture to egg yolk mixture, whisking well to keep yolks from curdling. Pour combined mixture back into saucepan and cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until it thickens slightly and coats back of spoon. Strain and let cool completely, then chill in an ice bath. (This chocolate custard may be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated.)
• Churn the custard in an ice cream maker for 20 to 25 minutes until semi-firm. Stir in hazelnuts and transfer ice cream to a quart-size container. Place in freezer for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, before serving.

VEGAN ICE CREAM

Steps:

• In a medium pot, combine hemp or cashew milk, coconut cream, corn syrup, sugar and salt, and bring to a simmer. Simmer until sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Let cool in the pot.
• Transfer to a container and stir in vodka, if using, and vanilla. Chill for at least 4 hours or overnight. Transfer mixture to an ice cream maker and chill according to manufacturer's instructions.

MELISSA CLARK'S CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT ICE CREAM

Steps:

• In a small pot, simmer heavy cream, milk, sugar and salt until sugar completely dissolves, about 5 minutes. 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. Whisk chocolate hazelnut spread and vanilla extract into base. 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. Serve directly from the machine for soft serve, or store in freezer until needed.

MELISSA KELLY'S CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper, and lightly butter it.
• Combine hazelnuts, chocolate, lemon zest and orange zest in a food processor. Pulse until finely ground.
• Combine egg yolks and 1/4 cup sugar in an electric mixer. Whisk on high speed for about 3 minutes, until light and creamy. Turn speed to low, and mix in the ground hazelnut-chocolate mixture.
• Place egg whites in a clean bowl, and whip at medium speed until frothy. Increase to high speed, and whip until softly peaked. Continue to whip, gradually adding remaining sugar, until stiff.
• Fold a third of the beaten egg whites into the batter, and when they are almost completely incorporated, fold in the rest.
• Spread in prepared pan, and bake for about 35 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool briefly on a rack. The cake will drop somewhat as it cools. Remove the cake from the pan, and invert it. Peel off the paper. Serve while still warm, with ice cream.

CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM

Steps:

• In a saucepan, bring cream and cocoa powder to a simmer. Put chopped chocolate in a mixing bowl. Pour hot cocoa cream over chocolate and stir until melted and smooth.
• In a small pot, simmer milk, sugar and salt until sugar completely dissolves, about 5 minutes. 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). Remove from heat and stir in chocolate mixture, crème fraîche or sour cream and vanilla extract.
• 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. Serve directly from the machine for soft serve, or store in freezer until needed.