Gianduja Marjolaine Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degree F. Butter and sugar 6 (6-ounce) ramekins.
• Heat the butter, 1 tablespoon sugar, hazelnut liqueur, and vanilla in a double boiler over medium heat until the butter melts. Remove the butter mixture from the heat, add the chocolate, and let sit until it melts, about 3 minutes. Place the chocolate mixture in a pie dish and place in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up. Use a spoon to form the chilled mixture into 6 evenly-sized balls about the size of a walnut. Reserve in the refrigerator.
• Meanwhile, place the flour in a double boiler and slowly whisk in the milk. Add the salt. Heat the mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly until thick, about 5 minutes. Add the egg yolks and continue to whisk constantly. The mixture will thicken to the consistency of mayonnaise in another 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the mixture from the heat. Stir in the 6 ounces of chocolate and set aside to let the chocolate melt.
• Place the egg whites in a large bowl with the cream of tartar. Using a hand mixer, whip the egg whites until soft peaks. Gradually add in the 1/4 cup sugar and continue whipping until firm peaks. Fold the egg whites into the warm chocolate mixture.
• Place a ball of the chilled chocolate mixture in each of the ramekins. Spoon the souffle mixture over the chocolate balls and up to the rim of the ramekins. (At this point the souffle can be covered and kept refrigerated for 2 days.)
• Place the ramekins in a hot water bath and bake until golden on top and the souffle has risen, about 30 minutes (40 minutes if refrigerated). Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line two 11-by-17-inch (28-by-43-cm) rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
• To make the cake base, spread the hazelnut powder on another rimmed baking sheet, place in the oven, and bake for about 5 minutes, or until it smells like roasting nuts. Remove from the oven and pour into a bowl to cool.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment (or by hand with determination), whip together the eggs and 1⅔ cups (180 g) of the powdered sugar until white and creamy. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the hazelnut powder and flour just until thoroughly combined. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl, and rinse the whip attachment and the mixer bowl. Dry thoroughly.
• Refit the whip attachment to the mixer, and put the egg whites, the remaining 5 tablespoons (40 g) powdered sugar, and the salt in the bowl. Beat until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the beaten whites into the egg-hazelnut mixture just until no streaks are visible.
• Divide the batter evenly between the prepared baking sheets, and spread to level with a spatula, preferably an offset spatula. Place in the oven and bake for 11 minutes, or until lightly browned and set. Let cool in the pans on wire racks for about 10 minutes, then remove the parchment paper by lifting and peeling it slowly off the cakes. Let cool completely.
• To make the ganache, put the chocolate in a bowl. In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a boil and pour it over the chocolate. Let sit for 3 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Let the ganache sit for 20 minutes at room temperature to firm up a bit.
• To make the buttercreams, rinse the whip attachment and bowl again, then put the egg yolks in the bowl. In a saucepan, combine the sugar and water over medium heat and heat until the sugar melts. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pan. When the sugar mixture reaches 226°F (108°C), start whisking the egg yolks. When it reaches 239°F (115°C), remove from the heat while slowly pouring in the yolks and whisking constantly. Continue whisking until the mixture is at room temperature.
• Add the butter a few pieces at a time to the cooled egg mixture and whisk until well incorporated. Scoop out half of the mixture into another bowl. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and, using the tip of a sharp knife, scrape the seeds from the pod halves into one of the bowls and mix well. Add the Nutella to the second bowl and mix well. If you notice a shiny film forming as you are stirring the buttercreams, quickly add a few drops of cold water and continue stirring. The buttercreams are easiest to work with if used right away.
• If you're unable to get your hands on (that is, build) a metal mold in the dimensions described in the headnote, you can use 2 half-gallon (2-liter) milk cartons with the top and one long side cut out of each one. Adjust to any desired length by sliding the sides of the two cartons onto one another. Tape the bottom of the mold so that it maintains a perfect rectangle, and line the inside of the mold with parchment paper. With your "mold" built, you are ready to build your cake.
• Measure the width of the mold, then cut the cakes into slabs of the same width, minus 1/4 inch (6 mm). Cut the slabs into even lengths to fit the mold. Place a cake layer, shiny brown side up, in the mold and brush a little of the rum over it. Top the cake layer with a layer of the Nutella buttercream, making it slightly thicker than the cake layer. Top the buttercream with a second cake layer, shiny brown side up, and brush with more rum. Top the cake layer with a layer of ganache, making it slightly thicker than the cake layer. Place a third cake layer, shiny brown side up, on the ganache layer and brush with more rum. Add a layer of the vanilla buttercream, making it slightly thicker than the cake layer. Repeat the layers, finishing with a cake layer topped with a layer of ganache. Then add the nuts.
• Let the cake rest in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, cut the tape holding the mold together to release the cake. You may discover that the whole thing has sunk a bit, or that the cake has soaked the ganache excessively. No matter. You will have a delicious, silky brick of joy. To serve, cut into slices with a hot, wet knife.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Spread each of the brownies with 1 tablespoon of nutella. Sprinkle each of the brownies with 1 tablespoon chopped hazelnuts. Top the nuts with 1 tablespoon mini chocolate chips. Place the brownies on a baking sheet and bake for 5 to 7 minutes until the chocolate is starting to melt. Transfer the brownies to the refrigerator and let cool until the chocolate hardens, about one hour.

Steps:

• Place both chocolates in a heat-proof bowl; set over a pan of simmering water. Stir occasionally until completely melted. Remove from heat; set aside in a warm place.
• Place cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment; whip until soft peaks form. Transfer to a medium bowl. Cover; chill. Wash and dry mixer bowl.
• Place the egg yolks in the mixer bowl, and whip on medium speed until pale yellow, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Place sugar, corn syrup, and 1 tablespoon water in a small, shallow saucepan set over medium-high heat. Attach a candy thermometer to side of pan, and cook until sugar syrup reaches soft-ball stage (238 degrees).
• Increase mixer speed to high; pour sugar syrup down side of bowl; continue mixing on high 5 seconds. Reduce speed to medium; mix until bottom of bowl is warm to the touch. Quickly whisk egg mixture into chocolate. Whisk in one-third of chilled whipped cream; gently fold in remainder. Cover with plastic, and chill until set, about 2 hours.

Steps:

• Pulse hazelnuts with sugar and salt in a food processor until finely ground. Transfer to a heavy medium saucepan with milk and bring just to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let steep, covered, 20 minutes.
• Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, then return to cleaned saucepan.
• Put 1/4 cup milk mixture in a small bowl and whisk in cornstarch. Return to saucepan, then boil over medium heat 2 minutes, whisking often (mixture will be thick). Remove from heat and add chocolate, stirring until melted and incorporated. Chill, stirring occasionally, until very cold, 3 to 6 hours.
• Freeze mixture in ice cream maker. Transfer to an airtight container and put in freezer to firm up.

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan heat sugar and 2 tablespoons water over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally and brushing down the sides of the saucepan with a damp pastry brush, until the sugar dissolves and comes to a boil. Cook until caramel mixture becomes golden amber in color.
• Meanwhile, gently warm 1 cup heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Pour warmed cream over caramel and add star anise and orange zest. Remove from heat and cover; let stand for 10 minutes. Soak gelatin sheet in very cold water, until softened, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Remove lid from saucepan, return to low heat, and whisk egg yolk into caramel mixture. Squeeze gelatin to remove excess water and add to caramel mixture; continue whisking until mixture has thickened slightly. Remove from heat and whisk in the gianduja; strain mixture through a fine mesh sieve set over a medium bowl.
• Divide mixture between six 3-ounce glass cups; transfer to a refrigerator and chill until set, 2 to 3 hours.
• To serve, garnish cream with whipped cream, hazelnuts, and honey.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. On a baking pan, toast the hazelnuts until golden, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and immediately transfer to food processor. Process until very smooth and runny, about 3 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl several times. While processor is running, add oil. Scrape down sides again. Add cocoa; process to combine.
• Mix corn syrup and sugar in saucepan, and place over medium-high heat. Cook until sugar has dissolved, about 3 minutes. Stir in cream until just combined; remove from heat. While processor is running, slowly pour in syrup. Transfer to small bowl, and let cool.