GIANDUIA

Gianduia image

Provided by Canal House

Time 30m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 6

5 ounces (1 cup) skinned hazelnuts
8 ounces semisweet chocolate
Baguette, optional if serving immediately
1/2 cup heavy cream
Sugar, large pinch, or more if you prefer a sweeter gianduia
4 tablespoons good quality salted butter, cut into pieces

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the hazelnuts out on small baking sheet or in an ovenproof skillet and toast them in the oven until they are a deep toasty brown, about 15 minutes. Remove the hazelnuts from the oven and set aside to cool completely.Melt the chocolate in a heatproof medium bowl set over a pot of simmering water over medium-low heat, stirring often.If serving the Gianduia immediately, place your bread in a 350 degrees F oven for 12 minutes.
Grind the hazelnuts with the sugar in a food processor to a fairly smooth, buttery paste.
Once the chocolate is completely melted, remove it from the heat and whisk in the cream and butter. Stir in the ground hazelnuts. The gianduia will thicken and become soft and peanut butter-like as it cools. Pour the mixture into small jars, or store in a container with a tight-fitting lid.
Serve the gianduia with rustic slices of buttered toast.