Chocolate Candied Hazelnuts

224

Ingredients

1/4 cup water
1/2 cup Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
Pinch salt.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups (12 oz.) hazelnuts
2 (3.5 oz.) very high-quality chocolate bars

Directions

Prepare a large sheet of parchment paper or aluminum foil lightly oiled with a lightly flavored oil, and set aside.
In a large sauté pan, pour water, sugar, salt and vanilla extract and bring to a boil on high heat.
Let mixture boil for 2 minutes, add hazelnuts and stir well to coat evenly. Turn heat to medium.
Continue to toss hazelnuts until all syrup has dried and formed a white powdery coating.
Turn heat to very low and continue to toss until white coating starts to caramelize. Some hazelnuts may be fully coated with caramel while others may be partly. Remove from heat.
Scatter hazelnuts on to prepared sheet and let cool 45 minutes before proceeding with chocolate.
Prepare two cookie sheets or a work surface lined with plastic food film.
Chop chocolate bars into small pieces suitable for melting.
Select a saucepan and a metal or glass bowl that fit together nicely to create a double boiler.
Boil 1-inch of water in bottom of saucepan then lower heat to simmer. Place 2/3 of chocolate in bowl and place on top of saucepan. Set remaining 1/3 of chocolate aside.
Stir chocolate constantly until nearly melted and it has reached 115°F.
Remove from heat and allow to cool to 112°F. Add remaining chocolate and stir until most of chocolate has melted. Continue to stir until temperature is below 90°F.
Add caramelized nuts into chocolate and toss to coat.
Quickly shape mixture into mounds (about 5 hazelnuts) on prepared paper or plastic, or press into one solid chocolate hazelnut bar. Let harden at room temperature.
No need for refrigeration.