Chocolate Dipped Hazelnut Caramel Squares Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Place hazelnuts and 1/4 cup sugar in a food processor; process until nuts are finely ground. Add almond paste, egg whites and remaining sugar; process until blended, about 3 minutes., Cut a small hole in the tip of a pastry bag; insert a large star pastry tip. Fill bag with hazelnut mixture. Pipe 1-1/4-in. rosettes 2 in. apart onto parchment-lined baking sheets., Bake until light brown, 12-14 minutes. Cool on pans 1 minute. Remove to wire racks to cool completely., Dip bottom of each cookie in melted chocolate; allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets; refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.

Steps:

• Gently insert pointed end of a long wooden skewer into the side of each hazelnut. Place a cutting board along the edge of a countertop; place newspaper on the floor,directly under cutting board.
• Prepare an ice-water bath. Heat sugar and the water in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved and syrup is clear. Stop stirring; cook until syrup comes to a boil, washing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystals from forming. Continue to boil, gently swirling occasionally, until medium amber. Plunge pan into ice bath to stop the cooking; let stand until thickened, about 10 minutes. (To test: Dip a skewer in caramel and lift a few inches; if a thick drip slowly forms and holds a string, the caramel is ready.)
• Dip a skewered hazelnut into caramel, letting excess drip back into pan. When dripping syrup becomes a thin string, secure opposite end of skewer under cutting board. Repeat with remaining hazelnuts. (If caramel hardens before all hazelnuts have been dipped, rewarm it over low heat.) Let stand until caramel string has hardened, about 5 minutes; break each string to desired length. Carefully remove skewers. Candied hazelnuts should be used the same day; store, uncovered, at room temperature until ready to serve cupcakes.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Melt butter in a 9-in. square baking pan. On top of melted butter, evenly sprinkle crumbs, then coconut, then chocolate chips, then hazelnuts. Pour milk over all. Do not stir. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool several hours before cutting. If desired drizzle with melted Nutella.