Ritz Hazelnut Gelato Sandwich Food

RITZ HAZELNUT GELATO SANDWICH

Steps:

• Lay out 3 or 4 RITZ Crackers, salted side down, on a parchment-line baking sheet. Quickly scoop 1 tablespoon gelato onto each cracker. Top each with a RITZ cracker. Press down lightly to flatten gelato to extend to cracker edges; wipe off excess and immediately place in the freezer until frozen solid, about 3 hours. Repeat with remaining crackers and gelato to make 25 sandwiches.
• When the sandwiches are frozen, melt chocolate on top of a double boiler.
• In small batches and working quickly, dip sandwiches halfway into melted chocolate. Immediately dip chocolate half into chopped nuts. Place sandwiches back into the freezer. Freeze 2 to 3 hours to set.

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.

HAZELNUT GELATO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread nuts on a baking sheet, and toast in oven 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely, remove skins, and coarsely grind.
• Combine milk and ground hazelnuts in a medium saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil, cover, and remove pan from heat. Let steep 2 hours. Pass through a cheesecloth-lined sieve, pressing hard on solids. Reserve strained milk, and discard solids.
• Combine egg yolks and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream at medium-high speed until very thick and pale yellow, 3 to 5 minutes. Return milk to a simmer.
• Add half of the warm milk to egg-yolk mixture, and whisk until blended. Return new mixture to saucepan with remaining milk. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.
• Have ready an ice-water bath. Remove saucepan from heat, and immediately stir in cream and Frangelico. Pass mixture through a sieve set over a medium bowl. Place bowl in ice-water bath, and chill.
• Freeze in an ice-cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions.

HAZELNUT GELATO

Steps:

• Toast hazelnuts and rub off any skins in a kitchen towel, then cool completely. Pulse with 1/4 cup sugar and a pinch of salt in a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to a 3-quart heavy saucepan and add milk and heavy cream. Bring just to a simmer over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, then remove from heat and let steep, covered, 1 hour.
• Pour mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on and discarding solids.
• Beat together egg yolks and sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed until thick and pale, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in milk mixture and transfer to cleaned saucepan. Cook custard over moderately low heat, stirring constantly, until an instant-read thermometer registers 175°F (do not let boil). Immediately pour custard through cleaned sieve into a metal bowl, then set bowl in a larger bowl of ice and cold water and cool, stirring occasionally. Chill custard, covered, until cold. Freeze in an ice cream maker, then transfer to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden.

NOCCIOLA GELATO: HAZELNUT GELATO

Steps:

• Grind the hazelnuts to a very fine paste (this can be done in a blender or coffee grinder).
• Warm milk until the edge is ringed with tiny bubbles. Turn off heat at once. Put in the hazelnut paste, mix thoroughly, and cover. Allow to cool completely.
• Line a strainer with a double layer of cheesecloth. Set over a bowl and pour the hazelnut milk mixture into the strainer and press as much through as possible. Tie up the ends of the cheesecloth, suspend over the bowl, and allow to drip through. When mixture stops dripping, squeeze gently. In another bowl beat the egg yolks and sugar until pale and foamy. Add the strained milk mixture mixing in a little at a time.
• Pour everything into top of double boiler over medium heat. Stir constantly and cook for 3 to 4 minutes after the water in the bottom has started to bubble. Pour into a bowl. Allow to cool completely then chill. Freeze according to ice cream machine directions.

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.