Hazelnut and Chocolate Delice

INGREDIENTS

For the base

100g toasted hazelnuts

100g castor sugar (melt over a low heat to form a caramel)

100g corn flakes slightly crushed

For the Delice

140ml milk

325ml double cream

340g good quality dark chocolate

For the Honeycomb

100g caster sugar

30g honey

100g liquid glucose

10g bread soda

METHOD

1. For the base, blend the hazelnuts and caramelised sugar in a food processor until you have a smooth paste. Heat the paste in a small pan on a gentle heat until warm through.

2. Place the cornflakes and warmed praline paste into a mixing bowl and scrunch them together using your hands until the cornflakes are broken down and have been incorporated into the paste.

3. Using a round pastry ring, approximately 8cm in diameter, fill the ring half a centimetre high covering the base completely with the praline mixture. Push the mixture in tightly. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

4. For the Delice mixture, heat the milk and cream in a saucepan gently over a medium heat until it reaches boiling point.

5. Whisk the egg mixture in a bowl to form soft peaks as the milk and cream mixture comes to the boil. Pour it over the eggs then whisk the mixture continuously until smooth and thick.

6. Add the chopped chocolate and whisk again until the chocolate has melted and the custard is smooth.

7. Remove the pastry rings from the fridge and pour in the chocolate to fill the mould, gently tap the side of the ring to release any trapped air bubbles then smooth the surface using a pallet knife. Chill in the fridge for six to 12 hours or until completely set.

8. For the honeycomb add the sugar, honey and glucose and heat to 155°C then add the bread soda and mix well. Place the honeycomb in a deep bowl lined with greaseproof paper allow to cool for 30 minutes before breaking it into bite-size pieces.

9. To serve, heat the outside of the pastry ring with a chef's blow torch to loosen the base of then carefully remove the pastry ring.

10. Serve with fresh raspberries and the pieces of honeycomb.

Top tip

When making the honeycomb have your bowl lined with greaseproof paper ready and act fast as it can overheat and burn easily.

ABOUT THE CHEF

Norbert Neylon is the chef proprietor of The Oak Room Restaurant in Cavan since 2001.

The Oak Room moved to a new purpose-built building in May of 2017 on Bridge Street in Cavan Town.