Cold Desserts Recipes - Iced Chocolate And Nut Gateau

Ingredients

• 75g/3/4 cup shelled hazelnuts

• 32 sponge fingers

• 150ml/2/3 cup cold strong black coffee

• 30ml/2 tbsp cognac or other brandy

• 450ml/1 3/4 cups double cream

• 75g/1 cup icing sugar, sifted

• 150g/5oz plain chocolate icing sugar and cocoa powder, for dusting

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Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Spread out the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven for 5 minutes until golden. Transfer the nuts to a clean dish towel and rub off the skins. Cool, then chop finely.

2. Lien a 1.2 liter/5 cups loaf tin with clear film and cut the sponge fingers to fit the base and sides. Reserve the remaining biscuits.

3. Mix the coffee with the Cognac or other brandy in a shallow dish. Dip the sponge fingers briefly into the coffee mixture and return to the tin, sugary-side down.

4. Whip the cream with the icing sugar until it holds soft peaks. Roughly chop 75g/3oz of the chocolate, and fold into the cream with the hazelnuts.

5. Melt the remaining chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Cool, then fold into the cream mixture. Spoon into the tin.

6. Moisten the remaining biscuits in the coffee mixture and lay over the filling. Wrap and freeze until firm.

7. Remove the gateau from the freezer 30 minutes before serving. Turn out on to a serving plate and dust with icing sugar and cocoa powder.