Hazelnut sauce
“Fresh hazelnuts taste OK but the texture can be furry.”
- 4 egg yolks
- 100g of caster sugar
- 25g of plain flour
- 500ml of milk to the boil
- 1 tsp of grated lemon rind
- 100g of roasted, peeled hazelnuts
- a nip of good brandy
There's a little too much roughage in their papery skin. But roast those hazelnuts for a few minutes in a moderate oven and rub them gently in a clean towel so the skin is removed and all that intense nutty flavour is released.
Method
Whisk 4 egg yolks and 100g of caster sugar until the mixture is pale and fluffy. Sift in 25g of plain flour and whisk well. Bring 500ml of milk to the boil, remove from heat and add 1 tsp of grated lemon rind. Add the milk to the egg mixture while whisking.
Transfer to a saucepan and cook over a low heat, stirring constantly, for 3-5 min until thick. Cool in a bowl with cling film on the surface to prevent a crust from forming.
Place 100g of roasted, peeled hazelnuts in a food processor and pulse on and off so they are finely ground but not pasty. Mix into the thick custard with a nip of good brandy.
Serve with
vanilla ice-cream, chocolate cake or nut tarts.
