Hazelnut Shortbread with Blue Cheese Cream and Candied Apricot (a cheese course)
Hazelnut Shortbread with Blue Cheese Cream and Candied Apricot (a cheese course)
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) whole hazelnuts
- 1 cup (250 ml) flour
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) fleur de sel
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) 35% whipping cream
- 3 oz (90 g) Rassembleu cheese or other blue cheese, at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) dried apricots
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) water
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) honey
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) port wine
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F). Place the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 5 minutes or until the skin begins to blister from the hazelnuts. Place the hazelnuts in a clean cloth and rub to remove the skin. Take half of the hazelnuts and grind to a powder using a coffee grinder or a small food processor. Set aside. Coarsely chop the remaining nuts and set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the ground hazelnuts, chopped hazelnuts, flour and salt. Set aside.
- In a bowl, cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer. Stir in the egg yolk and beat until smooth. Gradually add the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon to blend.
- With your hands, shape a 3.5-cm (1 1/2-inch) in diameter log. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the log into 1-cm (1/2-inch) thick slices. Place the slices on the baking sheet. Bake for about 16 minutes or until the cookies begin to brown. Place the cooled cookies in an airtight container.
Hazelnut Shortbread with Blue Cheese Cream and Candied Apricot (a cheese course)