pistachio-strawberry swirl ice cream

a warm winter makes way for an early harvest of strawberries

meandering down a country road this weekend passed

i happened across a roadside stand

loaded with berries and heaps of pistachios

locally grown

to keep up with our highly productive flock

i find myself

dreaming up custards

frozen custards

frozen custards made from

backyard eggs

fresh milk

and

farmstand goodies

pistachio-strawberry swirl ice cream

1 cup unsalted (roasted and shelled) pistachios

1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
7 large eggs yolks
pinch salt (sea or kosher)
2 cups heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup strawberry preserves
1/2 cup chopped pistachios (optional)
whisk the egg yolks, salt and 3/4 cup sugar. place milk and the pistachios in a blender and puree until the nuts are completely liquid and smooth.  add 3/4 cup sugar and place over low heat and warm to a simmer.  remove from heat and whisk into the eggs and sugar mixture.  tip back into the saucepan and cook over very low heat, stirring continually with a rubber spatula.  do not allow to boil, and cook until it just begins to thicken to nappe.  remove from heat and pour through a sieve into a clean bowl.  stir in vanilla and heavy cream. refrigerate 6 hours to overnight.  freeze according to ice cream manufacturers instructions. 
once the custard is frozen, transfer it to a freezer safe container.  swirl in the strawberry preserves and the chopped pistachios (if using)

*if you choose to make your own strawberry preserves, simply place 2 cups of roughly chopped strawberries in a saucepan.  taste for sweetness.  squeeze the juice of 1/2 lemon.  add sugar according to sweetness.  add up to 1 1/2 cups of sugar (less if sweet strawberries, more if not sweet).  cook at a simmer until strawberries break down and soften and they sit in a thick glaze.  refrigerate until needed

huckleberry ice cream

huckleberries are hard to come by

competing with bears after a long hilly hike

just ain't my thing

luckily

those whom are 

"into it"

are willing to share

with one little caveat

my dealer

is 1200 miles away

traveling for a case of berries

now that is

my thing

huckleberries are a bit like blueberries

with more punch of flavor

sweet with a tinge of sour

no pucker

just enough to 

wet your whistle

this gorgeous purple berry

 cuts rich vanilla ice cream

perfectly

Huckleberry Ice Cream

(vanilla base recipe adapted from David Lebovitz)

vanilla custard

1 cup whole milk

generous pinch kosher salt

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 cups heavy cream

7 large egg yolks

4 tsp good vanilla extract

huckleberry swirl

1 1/2 cups huckleberries

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 Tbs lemon juice

heat whole milk with 1/2 cup of sugar, and kosher salt.  meanwhile whisk egg yolks with remaining 1/4 cup of sugar.  once milk comes to a simmer, slowly pour into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly.  quickly rinse the milk saucepan to remove any dried or burnt milk.  transfer warm egg mixture back into the saucepan and cook on low heat, constantly stirring with a spatula.  watch carefully, as to not overcook the eggs.  cook and stir just until the mixture coats the spatula (consistency of a light crepe batter).  remove from heat and run through a sieve into a clean bowl.  stir in heavy cream and vanilla.  place entire bowl into another bowl filled with ice and cool water.  stir until it is cooled to room temperature.  pour mixture into a covered container and refrigerate at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.

make huckleberry swirl

in a small saucepan, place berries, sugar and lemon juice. cook until the berries throw off juice and all of the sugar has melted, then cook for about 10 minutes more..keep the heat low, you don't want to burn the sugars.  mash the berries slightly (you will want some whole, some mashed).  allow to cool and refrigerate until ready to freeze the ice cream.

when ready to freeze

place vanilla base into the bowl of your freezer.  freeze according to manufacturer's directions.  when your ice cream is finished...remove into your freezer container.  as you scoop into your freezer container, layer with your huckleberry swirl.  this will allow you to have a true swirl.  if you put the huckleberry swirl into the mixer, it will completely mix in.  continue to layer adding as much huckleberries and juice as you wish.

affogato {drowned ice cream}

sometimes

afternoons

call for a snack

a pick me up

that is both

frozen and warm

punched 

with

caffeine

when

the mood strikes

fix yourself

one

of

these

affogato

vanilla ice cream

shot of espresso

this is not a sundae...nor it is meant to be a huge dessert.  use a nice vanilla ice cream and give yourself a nice size scoop.  while your shot of espresso is still warm (but not piping hot), pour over the ice cream. the espresso will melt the ice cream, so don't linger too long....

buon appetito 

cherry marzipan ice cream

recently

in an early morning whim

i dragged hubster

to a far-off orchard

to pick

 a bushel of cherries

as we stood in the shade of a  tree

him reaching to higher branches

me 

for the low hanging fruit

cherry stained and gleeful

i half whispered

"isn't this just so much fun"

to

which hubster responded

as he bent a branch to my reach

"no

this is torture

but i am happy

you are enjoying it"

this ice cream

is

a love letter

filled with 

sweetness of ripe fruit

rich-depth of ground almonds

&

 deep warmth of a stiff drink

from me

to him

i must tell you this is not a difficult recipe, but it is complicated

taking many steps and some time

but

if you are an ice cream person

with 

a special occasion on the horizon

you should make this

it is seriously good

 

 cherry marzipan ice cream

(printable recipe)

i'm linking up to

ice cream and cake halloween style

this is probably my last halloween post 

this year

i'm not promising

but since halloween is tomorrow

it is looking good

these mini cupcakes are a lot of fun to eat

but 

if you are a perfectionist

and don't like it when things don't go your way

don't do the ice cream part

use frosting

make your favorite cupcake recipe and bake in mini-tartlet pan using paper liners.  let cool.  dip each in bittersweet chocolate ganache and let firm up.  top with ghost--and serve.

the ghosts are made from homemade philadelphia style ice cream

freeze the ice cream until it is quite thick and could hold shape. quickly put it into a pastry bag fitted with a tip with a 1/4" round hole.  pipe the ice cream onto a sheet pan, lined with parchment and immediately put it in the freezer for 4 hours.   remove the ghosts and pipe the chocolate eyes and mouth and return to the freezer. let freeze overnight.  just before serving, use an offset spatula to move the ice cream from the sheet pan to the mini-cupcakes. 

take your bow

then eat

* if you choose to use frosting rather than ice cream....you can either pipe the ghosts directly on to the cupcake, or you can pipe them on to a sheet-pan, put them in the fridge for an hour or so, decorate with chocolate ganache, and then transfer by offset spatula to the cupcakes.

chocolate roux--inspired by the movie chocolat

when i was in grammar school

i had a small chocolate business
with my sister

(and my mom--let's face it she did A LOT of the work)

we crafted

 bon bons, 

milk chocolate bunnies,

and lollies

when we probably should have been

doing homework

we did a good business

and i always thought i would grow up 

to own a fancy chocolatier

much like vianne's

in chocolat
although
if i am to  be truthful
i am much more
caroline than vianne
and not just because of the catholic thing
or perhaps
specifically because of the catholic thing
rules and ritual
thats my bag


except

 when i grow old
i care nothing about wearing purple
i want to be armande

confused by this post?
that can only mean
you haven't seen the movie

the movie that inspires
an army of chocoholics
and me
to rush to our kitchens
and create

for you today
a warm chocolate sauce with a bit of a kick
that becomes a bit chewy when it hits
the cold shock of ice cream

i know roux would approve
it is his favorite
is it yours?
spin the wheel
what do you see?

chocolate roux
(printable recipe)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup very dark unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup dark brown sugar--lightly packed
3 Tbs unsalted butter
2 Tbs corn syrup
generous pinch kosher salt
1/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
pinch chipotle pepper powder (you can use up to 1/4 tsp if you love it)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
place the cream, cocoa powder, brown sugar, butter, corn syrup and salt in a saucepan. heat over low heat and continue stirring as it comes to a boil.  let it cook on a low simmer about 3 minutes..continuing to stir.  remove from heat and whisk in chocolate chips, chipotle powder and vanilla extract.  use while warm.
i participate in food 'n flix
each month we cook from our hearts
inspired by a great movie
this is also linked to sundays at one

honey ice cream

this morning

started with a dozen fresh farm eggs 

homemade vanilla

sea salt

bottled cream

and honey from our very own hives

what would you make?

i don't really like french toast

so

i made honey ice cream

honey ice cream
(printable recipe)

5 egg yolks

1/2 tsp sea salt

2/3 cups honey

1 cup milk

1/4 cup greek yogurt

1 cup cream

1 tsp vanilla

whisk egg yolks, salt and honey together in a bowl.  heat 1 cup milk until it simmers.  temper the egg mixture with the hot milk and return the entire mixture back into the pan and cook, while continually stirring until it thickens to nappe. it will be the thickness of heavy cream.  strain into a clean bowl...let cool a bit.  while it is still warm, but not hot, stir in the yogurt.  let cool to room temperature and add the cream and vanilla. chill and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions.

**you can stir in toasted nuts just before you pack into freezer containers if you desire.

i am linking up to: just something i whipped up

ice cream dreams

i once had a boyfriend 

who thought i should create

"the great american ice cream diet"

and he would go on it

lose lots of weight

and we would become

gazillionaires

instead

i told him to lose my number

and i immediately lost 250lbs

not because of the ice cream thing

just...

..because

i did however

at one time

want to open an ice cream store

back when i was living in a foreign country

as an executive for a large bank

where everybody seemed so unhappy

about everything

i used to tilt my head

and let my mind wander 

and think to myself

"no one leaves an ice cream store unhappy

everyone is saying 

please and thank you

and 

have a nice day

my next career

should be in dairy"

hasn't happened yet

but i am still

young

enough

mint chocolate-chip ice cream
(printable recipe)

*this ice cream is not like you get at the store. the fresh mint gives it a bit of a herbaceous flavor

i add peppermint extract to tame it a bit.  you can make it without fresh mint without issue.

1 1/2 cups milk

2 cups heavy cream--divided

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1 cup lightly packed mint leaves

6 large egg yolks

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1-1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract (taste as you go)

few drops green coloring (optional)

1 cup bittersweet chocolate--melted

place the milk, 1 cup heavy cream, mint leaves and salt in a saucepan. bring to a simmer and then let steep for about 30 minutes to an hour.  drain off the mint leaves and bring the mixture back to a simmer.  meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks, sugar and vanilla together.  temper this mixture with the steamed mint milk and then put back on the stove to thicken to a nappe (when it is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon and if you wipe your finger through it, it will hold form--it is about the thickness of heavy cream).  remove from heat and add peppermint extract and food coloring (if using) and the remaining cup of cream.  cool and freeze according to ice cream maker instructions.  when your ice cream is just about finished churning, drizzle the melted chocolate in a steady stream. you will have both chunks and chips of chocolate in your finished product. 

i am participating in colors of the rainbow

for alphabe-thursday 

summer school

over at jenny matlock

this week

we honor the color GREEN

bittersweet chocolate-orange ice cream

there is a gelato shop

in my town

that makes the most

insanely delicious frozen treats

however

it is also in a dark dingy corner

of a half vacant shopping mall

in a not so great neighborhood

and

it is pricey

one of the flavors they make 

that is just

to die for 

(literally judging by its location)

is  bittersweet chocolate-orange

i quite like playing in the kitchen

so i took to the stove

and came up with 

something 

creamy and chocolatey 

with just a slight

kiss of orange

and 

as a bonus

my kitchen is well lit

and in a safe neighborhood

i do hope you try this

if you start with good quality chocolate

this will be hard to muck up

Bittersweet Chocolate Orange Ice Cream
(printable recipe)

1 1/2  cups whole milk

1/2 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 cup light brown sugar--firmly packed

finely grated zest of 1 orange

1/2 tsp kosher salt

3 large egg yolks

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

6 oz bittersweet chocolate--chopped

1/2 tsp orange extract

melted bittersweet chocolate (optional if you want to have shards of chocolate in your ice cream)

whisk together the granulated sugar and the egg yolks in a bowl. set aside.  place the the milk, cocoa powder, brown sugar, orange zest and salt in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.  temper the eggs with the warm chocolate mixture and pour it all back in the saucepan and place over a low heat.  continually stir until the custard begins to thicken to a consistency of heavy cream.  be careful not to let it come to a boil or simmer, as the eggs will curdle.  if you are unsure, once it has reached the desired consistency, pour through a sieve into a clean bowl.  in another bowl, heat the heavy cream in the microwave until it is quite hot.  add in the chocolate bits and whisk until the chocolate and cream are completely emulsified. stir in the orange extract.  let both chocolate mixtures cool down a bit, and then mix together.  place in the refrigerator to cool completely. if you are in a rush, place the bowl of chocolate custard in a larger bowl of heavily iced water.  stir until the custard is nice a cool.  freeze according to your ice cream maker instructions.

if you choose to add the chocolate shards, it is very simple.  melt the bittersweet chocolate and at the last stages of freezing, drizzle the melted chocolate in stages, as the machine is churning.  don't be too heavy handed.

i am participating in colors of the rainbow

for alphabe-thursday 

summer school

over at jenny matlock

this week

we honor the color ORANGE

Salted Caramel Ice Cream

i have this thing about gelato

i might have mentioned before

that i spent a year in florence during college

and at the end of the year

a group of friends and i

celebrated with a gelato walk

each of us picked our favorite place

and favorite flavor

let's just say

the freshsman 10

has nothing on

the florence 20

and starting on that day

25 or so years ago

i began to notice

subtle differences

in frozen treats

recently, while in bologna

i tasted the featured gelato at a place called grom

salted caramel

and it blew me away

so amazing

and today

i made an attempt to duplicate it

as an ice cream

which was good

but maybe a tad bit too salty

unless you are just going to have a taste

then it is just perfect

but you can't eat a lot of it (maybe that is good?)

however

if you then add a bit of melted chocolate and some roasted almonds

the salt is perfect

and you can over-indulge

which is what ice cream is all about

no?

Salted Caramel Ice Cream
(printable recipe)

2 cups milk (i used 2%)

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

4 Tbs unsalted butter

generous 1/2 tsp sea salt

1 cup half and half (you can use cream if you prefer)

6 large egg yolks

1 tsp vanilla

add to make turtle ice cream:

1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips--melted (optional)

1/2 cup roasted almonds (optional)

whisk egg yolks and sea salt in a bowl, set aside.  in a saucepan, cook sugar until it becomes caramel in color.  be careful to swirl so all bits are melted, but do not over-stir. watch the sugar closely, as it can go from perfect to burned in an instant.  remove from heat and drop in butter and milk.  mixture might seize, but if it does, put it on a gentle heat until it becomes liquid.  add the half and half and bring to a simmer.  temper the eggs with the hot milk mixture and pour back into the saucepan. cook over low heat until the cream becomes thickened to a nappe. be careful not to overcook.  pour through a sieve into a bowl and chill until ready to use.  the ice cream custard should be fully chilled before putting into the machine.  churn according to manufacturer's instructions.  when the ice cream is almost done, pour chocolate by spoonfuls into machine (if using). it will create frozen pieces and strands of chocolate in the ice cream. mix in almonds just before transferring to freezer container.


 this ice cream remains soft even after freezing--which makes it easy to sneak a bite while passing through the kitchen. if you don't want to be tempted...i suggest you buy a freezer and put it in the neighbor's basement. store your salted caramel ice cream there.

F is for Fudge Ripple

ha!

6 weeks in 

and i finally get to say it

f is for fudge ripple

as in my blog

and its namesake

ice cream

growing up, there was always a carton of fudge ripple in the freezer

my mom would buy it

as

it was just about the only flavor

we all could agree on

i remember it tasting glorious

but i have a feeling

that given a pint today

i would probably turn up my nose

i'm thinking

 it might have been ice milk

not sure

and my mom would never

cop to buying ice milk

just like she would never admit

that 

when we didn't finish our glass of milk

at breakfast

it reappeared

fully chilled

at dinner

and it might have been powdered

but i don't have evidence of that

only speculation

in honor of the letter F

and my blog

i present to you

a scoop

of fudge ripple ice cream

creamy and melty

and

yummy

fudge ripple ice cream
(printable recipe)

1 1/2 cups milk

3/4 cup vanilla sugar *

6 large egg yolks

1 tsp vanilla extract

pinch salt

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

chocolate ganache

place the milk, sugar and salt in a saucepan over low heat.  Cook to a simmer. Meanwhile, place egg yolks in a bowl and whisk until they lighten in color a bit.  When the milk is at a simmer, slowly pour it into the yolks to temper.  Return all to the saucepan and slowly cook until it begins to thicken.  Remove from heat and let cool for about 15 minutes.  Stir in the cream and vanilla and refrigerate until cold.  Freeze in your ice cream freezer.  Once the ice cream is frozen, hand stir in the ganache. Make sure the ganache is cool, otherwise it will just make chocolate ice cream....which is also good.

*i use vanilla sugar which i make by grinding used vanilla beans with granulated sugar. It is not necessary for this recipe. If you use plain sugar, you might want to bump your vanilla up a bit (maybe an additional tsp)..if you like your ice cream really vanilla-y

I am participating in alphabe-thursday over at 

jenny matlock

you should go check it out

and see what all the fun is about

this week

sponsored by the letter F

Beautifully Peared

yes, i know

that is not how you spell

pair

or

pare

but i am taking poetic license

because i can

yesterday

i taught a cooking class

to eight very enthusiastic women

who

scared me a bit

because let's be honest

they were all very fit

and didn't quite look the part

of hearty eaters

which is always scary for a

caterer, chef or cooking instructor

i kept saying to myself

don't take it personally if they just glance at the food

and the plates remain completely full

over and over again

the good news is

they were very interested in the cooking of the food

and

the eating of the food

some even had seconds

yeah!

they all ate dessert

and I know

because I forced it on them

we poached pears in wine

placed them on top of a very small scoop of vanilla ice cream

and then drizzled homemade chocolate sauce on top

come on

i won't apologize

there were 2 superfoods in there

red wine

and

bittersweet chocolate

paired beautifully

and absolutely delicious

i didn't take pictures

which meant i had to duplicate it all today

so i could show you

which means i cheated a bit

and used some wine poached pears I made this fall and canned

but they are poached in white wine

and not as beautiful as the ones last night

you can find that recipe here

for the class we used a combination of

moscato and petit syrah

with enough sugar to make it lightly sweet--not sticky sweet

2 cinnamon sticks, 1 star anise pod, a pinch of cardamom

and two strips of orange peel

it simmered away for about 45 minutes

the pears are delicious in this dessert

or

you can tuck them into some puff pastry and bake

and serve with a bit of cream

or

enjoy just how it is for an afternoon snack

perhaps you would rather

slice thinly and serve as part of a cheese platter

or maybe

add a little zip

to your luncheon plate

Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce
(printable recipe)

1 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate--chopped

(please use good chocolate...with a 57% or more cocoa content)

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup + 2 Tbs granulated sugar

2 Tbs water or other liquid (you can use coffee or liqueur or poaching liquid)

3 Tbs corn syrup (if you are opposed to corn syrup or don't have it...omit it..it is not essential..it won't affect the taste)

Place all ingredients together in a double boiler after the water has begun to boil  Don't let the mixture get too hot, it should just be warm enough to melt the chocolate and sugar.  I like to turn the heat off the pot once the water begins to boil, it will have enough residual heat to do the job.  Once chocolate is melted stir so the ingredients all mix nicely together and you are ready to serve.  This will keep for a couple of weeks in the fridge.

Tuesday Night Supper Club

When  I was a kid, on Halloween my mom would serve meatball sub sandwiches.  I don't remember exactly, but I think the tradition started  because the kitchen was under construction and rather than cooking another meal on the hot plate, she picked up meatball subs from Shakeys.  Each year, I think about that tradition, and wish that I was carrying it on.

But we spend Halloween away from home, and I am not so bold as to suggest to our host, what to serve  for halloween dinner. 

At least not yet. I'm still young.

Rewind to this past Halloween. I was in half-costume and hungry.  I ran to a local sandwich shop to pick up a couple of italian subs and what do I see?  A meatball  sub and it looked so delicious.  I thought, next time, that is what I am getting.

And a couple of days later I did.

And it was terrible.  

Not like anything I remember or want to eat again. I am not even sure the balls were meat.

And right then I decided meatball subs were going in the rotation...and soon.

So, tonight, Tuesday night, I made them, with homemade bread, and they were pretty darn good.

Meatball subs are easy.  Especially if you do a bit of planning and use store bought rolls (which I suggest doing unless you are obsessed like me). 

I made Sunday Sauce, on Monday and I loaded it with meatballs in preparation for tonight's dinner. 

Sunday Sauce

1/2 large onion--finely chopped

1 medium carrot--finely chopped

1 celery stalk--finely chopped

3 cloves of garlic--finely chopped

olive oil

1 1/2 lbs beef short ribs-bone in

1 lb country style pork ribs--boneless

3 links italian sausage cut in half

as many meatballs as you please

2 sprigs rosemary

2 sprigs thyme

1 heaping tsp dried oregano

2-14oz cans crushed tomatoes

2-14 oz cans tomato puree

1 cup white wine

salt and pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in large pot.  Toss in onion, carrot, and celery.  Do not let them brown, but cook until they begin to soften. Add garlic.  Add meat in batches to brown (not the meatballs).  Pour in wine and let it sizzle a bit and scrape up browned bits from the bottom of the pan.  Dump in the tomato puree and crushed tomatoes.  Add herbs.  Put burner on low, cover and let simmer.

Meanwhile, prepare the meatballs.

Meatballs

I usually add raisins and pignoli nuts to my meatballs, but since I knew I was using them for the sandwiches, I omitted this step.

ground beef

ground pork

eggs

milk

grated parmesan cheese

bread crumbs (if you use store bought go for the seasoned one)

salt

pepper

I mix the beef and pork together half and half.  Use 1 egg per pound of meat.  Put the meat in the bowl and break the eggs on top.  Shake the breadcrumbs over the top of the meat so it covers the expanse of the meat, but only a dusting.  Do the same with the parmesan, but a bit more than a dusting..but don't dump. Pour enough milk on top so that it can moisten the bread crumbs, but you don't want mush.  I would say about 1/4 cup per pound of meat.  Add salt and pepper...add a bit and then fry up just a smidge to test the seasoning.  Bottom line, you can always add salt to your meatballs when you are eating them...it's not like you are cooking in a restaurant and people are judging you...or people who are paying that are judging you.

Have a gentle hand and mix all together. Form into balls--the size is your choice.  

Heat a frying pan over medium heat.  Put a bit of olive oil on the bottom and fry the meatballs until the outside is browned evenly. The meat will not be fully cooked, which is the point.  As you take the meatballs out of the frying pan, place them in the sauce to finish cooking.  Both the sauce and the meatballs benefit from this process...trust me.

Continue cooking the sauce under simmer until all the meat is cooked well. The rib meat should be falling off the bone and the meatballs should be firm.

When you make the sandwiches--toast the bread and then be generous with the meatballs and sauce.  Top with provolone cheese and pop in the oven or broiler to make the cheese nice and melty.

On Sunday I made a tart and I had a bit of  the custard in the fridge.  I had been promising the hubster that I would make ice cream for him, so I had to make good. My word is my bond you know.

Ice Cream in a Pinch

I took about 1 cup of custard and added to it  1 cup of milk chocolate chips melted in about 1/4 cup of cream making it a bit of a ganache. I threw in a shot of very strong espresso and whisked it all up.  The mixture was cool, so I didn't have to chill it in the fridge and I dumped it right into the ice cream machine.  30 minutes later I had a mildly chocolate, minimally coffee flavored, very smooth ice cream.  As I packed it into the tub for future eating, I swirled in nutella...for nutella ripple ice cream. 

While the ice cream was freezing, I made a quick hazelnut brittle

Hazelnut Brittle

1 cup sugar

water

1 Tbs honey

hazelnuts

Put sugar in a saucepan.  Add enough water so the sugar has the consistency of wet sand.  Add honey and put over low heat.  Let cook away until the sugar and honey is melted and the mixture starts to turn color.  Once you see the color beginning to amber, swirl the pan....to even out the color.  I like mine a soft amber, so a few minutes into coloration, I throw in the hazelnuts and swirl a couple of times. Don't be vigorous...just do it a bit to move the contents around.  Pour the hot sugar on a silpat or parchment lined cookie sheet.  Let cool. Be very careful..hot sugar is like molten lava...it will burn, and burn bad.  Let the brittle cool and then break into pieces

Eat Up!