Bottega - Michael Chiarello [87]
Pinch of sea salt or kosher salt
½ teaspoon Frangelico liqueur (optional)
HAZELNUT CROCCANTE
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons water
1½ cups sugar
2½ cups (10 ounces) hazelnuts, toasted and skinned (see Chef’s Note)
2 pinches of sea salt, preferably gray salt
CAKE
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate (58 to 66 percent cacao), chopped
2/3 cup (11/3 sticks) unsalted butter
6 large eggs at room temperature, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons almond flour, or 5 ounces sliced almonds, toasted in a dry pan over medium heat until fragrant, then finely ground with the flour
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup sugar
FOR THE ANGLAISE: Prepare an ice bath. In a medium saucepan, combine the nuts, cream, and milk and heat over medium-low heat until bubbles form around the edges of the pan, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, set in the ice bath, and let cool. Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours to let the nuts infuse the cream with their flavor.
Prepare a second ice bath. Remove the infused cream from the refrigerator; strain and discard the nuts. Heat the infused cream over medium-low heat until it scalds and small bubbles show around the edge of the pan, 2 to 3 minutes. In a mixing bowl, whisk the sugar and egg yolks until the mixture forms a ribbon that lasts for 3 seconds on the surface before dissolving when the whisk is lifted. Add the salt. Whisk a few spoonfuls of the hot infused cream into the egg yolks to temper them. Add the yolks to the pan and simmer over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture coats the spoon. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and set the bowl in the ice bath to cool.
FOR THE TARTUFI: In a small saucepan, heat the cream over medium-low heat until bubbles form around the edges of the pan. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and stir until smooth. Add the salt and the Frangelico (if using) and stir until blended. Pour into a small dish and let cool until set, then refrigerate until firm.
Using a 3/4- to 1-ounce ice-cream scoop, teaspoon, or melon baller, scoop up small balls of the chocolate mixture. Set aside. (This makes more than you need, but you can freeze any leftover for the next molten cake or shape into truffles and eat them.)
FOR THE CROCCANTE: Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat. Coat the mat with vegetable-oil spray.
In a medium, heavy pot, combine the water and sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat without stirring and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the large bubbles on the surface have given way to small bubbles and a tinge of caramel color forms around the edge of the pan. Stir in the hazelnuts and a pinch of salt and continue stirring constantly while the syrup seizes around the nuts, forming a white coating, then turns liquid again and forms a deep-amber caramel.
Pour the nuts onto the prepared sheet, spread into a single layer with the back of an oiled large spoon, and sprinkle another pinch of salt over the top. Let cool completely. Break into chunks, using a mallet if needed.
FOR THE CAKE: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place eight to twelve 3-inch ring molds on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, or use eight to twelve ovenproof coffee cups (not mugs) or custard cups. Set the ring molds on top of the parchment and make a parchment collar for each mold: Cut a strip of parchment 5 to 6 inches wide and about 14 inches long and stand it up inside each ring mold. When you pour in the cake batter it will hold the collar in place. If baking in coffee or custard cups, you don’t need the parchment paper.
In a double boiler over simmering water, melt the chocolate and the butter together. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool for about 20 minutes, or until just warm.
In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks to blend. Whisk in a few spoonfuls of the warm chocolate mixture to temper the eggs. Gradually whisk in the remaining chocolate mixture. Add the vanilla and stir until smooth.
In a medium bowl, combine the flours (or the ground almonds with