chocolate hazelnut scones

prep time:  tbd
cook time:  30 minutes
servings:  10 scones

ingredients:
1 3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup hazelnuts - toasted and ground
1 tablespoon + 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
5 tablespoons sugar + more for sprinkling
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup + 2 tablespoon cold unsalted butter - cut into 1/2-inch cubes
6 tablespoon cold buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped dark chocolate
1 batch egg wash

steps:
1.  in a very large bowl, combine the flour, hazelnuts, baking powder, sugar, and salt and toss well.  throw in the cold butter and work it with your fingertips until the pieces are pea-and lima bean-size.  add the buttermilk, vanilla, and chocolate.  lightly toss to distribute.

2.  dump the flour mixture onto a clean surface and using only the heel of your palm, quickly flatten out the dough.  gather the dough back together in a mound and repeat.  avoid overworking.  pea-sized bits of butter should remain.

3.  form the scones by tightly packing the dough into an ice-cream scoop; then transfer to an ungreased sheet pan.  freeze for at least 2 hours before baking.

4.  preheat oven to 350 degrees.  remove the scones from freezer.  space them with plenty of room between two ungreased sheet pans, brush with the egg wash, and sprinkle liberally with sugar.  bake from frozen until cooked through, nicely browned, and easily lifted off the pan, about 30 minutes.

goop, september 2014

salted chocolate tart

prep time:  tbd
servings:  8

ingredients:
1 cup heavy cream
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate - chopped
2 tablespoons hazelnut liqueur
9-inch graham-cracker pie crust
1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts - chopped
1 teaspoon flakey sea salt

steps:
1.  in a medium saucepan, bring cream to a simmer.  off heat, whisk in chocolate until melted, then stir in liqueur.  pour into crust.  chill until set, about 2 hours.

2.  sprinkle with nuts and salt.

- rachael ray magazine, july/august 2014