A wonderful combination of flavors and textures: creamy French yogurt, crunchy hazelnut brittle, toothsome brandy-braised prunes, and sweet, nutty chestnuts. It has the additional virtues of 1) being just as delicious if made with low- or non-fat yogurt and 2) being ridiculously easy to make. The only slightly fussy thing about it is the timing: it can’t be made too far ahead (an hour at most), or the caramelized hazelnuts get soggy.
Linzer Torte is a holiday tradition in Austria and Hungary, a nutty, spiced cookie dough surrounds a filling of tart-sweet raspberry or apricot jam, then is topped with a lattice of the same nut dough. Named after the city of Linz, Austria, it’s the oldest-known torte in the world — the oldest surviving recipe dates back to 1650. It’s a cinch to make, but since the jam is a major component of the torte’s flavor, the jam needs to really shine. And if you make home-made jam, this dessert is going to be your new best friend — what better way to showcase your creation?
This is a showstopper of a dessert: a crisp nutty tart shell, a soft, rich layer of caramel studded with crunchy hazelnuts, topped with a dark chocolate layer that lies somewhere between a flourless chocolate cake and a ganache, garnished with sparkly caramelized hazelnuts. It’s a sophisticated balancing act between sweet, bitter, and salty flavors.
One the best and simplest ways to complete a Summer meal: red-ripe strawberries drizzled with a thick balsamic glaze. Easy, tart-sweet, and healthy! Here the strawberries are accented with crisp shortbreads, richly flavored with ground nuts and spices. To further gild the lily, the shortbreads are topped with crunchy whole hazelnuts and half-dipped in melted bittersweet chocolate.
This is a very delicious moist cake with a texture that is slightly crunchy from the hazelnuts. The jam and shaved chocolate on top give it a great extra punch and the fromage frais adds just a little tang.
Hazelnuts, also called filberts, have a rich nuttiness that compliments beets’ sweet earthiness. But great taste is only one of hazelnuts’ virtues: they are high antioxidants including vitamin E and vitamin A, a natural antioxidant with cancer-preventing properties. They also provide B-group vitamins, particularly vitamin B5 and B6. And hazelnuts are an excellent source of minerals, particularly manganese, selenium and zinc. What’s not to love?