Honey Hazelnut Cupcake with Gianduja Gelato

Rating: 3 of 5

Note: I could have done this cupcake without the cupcake; the only part I was truly in love with was the gelato... and it was to die for. The cupcakes were more muffin than cupcake. The ganache frosting was also pretty tasty. However, for this dessert, the gelato takes the cake.

Gianduja Gelato
Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups toasted hazelnuts
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 cups heavy cream
• ¾ cup sugar
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• 3 1/2 oz. chopped milk dark chocolate + ½ oz. semisweet dark chocolate
• 5 large egg yolks (I used about 5 ½- 6 egg yolks; the amount you use affects the creaminess of the texture.)
• 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake the hazelnuts for 10-12 minutes, stirring them 1-2 times in between. Snap one hazelnut in half. If it is light golden brown, the hazelnuts are done. Use a warm kitchen towel to rub the hazelnut skins off (don’t worry if you can’t take them all off).
2. Warm milk with 1 cup cream, sugar, and salt in saucepan. Remove from heat and add chopped hazelnuts. Cover and steep for one hour.
3. Put milk chocolate pieces in a large bowl, heat the last cup of cream in a saucepan until it starts to boil. Pour cream over chocolate and stir until chocolate is melted and smooth. Place a mesh strainer over the bowl.
4. Pour the hazelnut-infused milk through the strainer into a medium saucepan, squeeze the hazelnuts with your hands to get as much flavor as possible and discard the hazelnuts.
5. Warm the hazelnut-infused mixture. Whisk the egg yolks in another bowl and gradually pour the hazelnut mixture into the egg yolks. Whisk constantly and scrape the warm egg yolks into the saucepan.
6. Stir the mixture over medium heat and scrape the bottom when you stir. When the mixture is ready, it will thicken and coat the wooden spoon/spatula. Pour custard through strainer and stir into milk chocolate mixture. Add vanilla and cool over an ice bath.
7. Chill and make your ice cream according to the ice cream maker manufacturer’s instructions.

Honey Hazelnut Cake
Ingredients

• 12 tablespoons sugar
• 2/3 cup flour
• Pinch of salt
• 2-3 teaspoons baking powder (Adjust according to how light you want your cake to be.)
• 6 eggs
• 1 cup hazelnuts
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 6 tablespoons honey

Directions

•     Preheat oven to 360 degrees F.
•     Sift flour and blend with sugar, salt, and baking powder.
•     Gradually add the eggs and stir.
•     Chop the hazelnuts and incorporate them into the dough.
•     Melt the butter and honey and pour this into the dough.
•     Bake for approximately 25 minutes if you are making cupcakes.

Chocolate Honey Ganache Frosting
Ingredients

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup 60%+ dark chocolate
• 4-7 teaspoons honey (Adjust to taste.)

Directions

1. Melt the chocolate over a bain-marie (double boiler), or by placing it in a bowl over a small pan of simmering water. You can microwave it in 20 second intervals, but melting it over a stove is faster.
2. Warm the heavy cream in a saucepan until scalding (just before it boils).
3. Slowly add the heavy cream to the chocolate in small increments and mix. Aim for an emulsion of the cream and chocolate. I prefer to use a silicone spatula to mix.
4. Add in the honey and stir to combine.
5. Leave for 2-3 hours at room temperature until it is stiff enough to frost.