Gianduia Gold Cups

Ingredients

4 ounces good-quality milk chocolate (such as Lindt or

Ghirardelli), chopped

1 cup Nutella (chocolate- hazelnut spread)

6 tablespoons coarsely chopped toasted hazelnuts

18 ounces bittersweet (not un-

sweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped. I like

Scharffen Berger semisweet.

32 1-inch-diameter gold foil candy cups

32 whole hazelnuts, toasted, husked

Directions

• Stir milk chocolate in me- dium metal bowl set over

saucepan of barely simmer- ing water (do not allow bot-• tom of bowl to touch water) until melted and smooth. Remove chocolate from

over water. Whisk in Nutella and chopped hazel- nuts.

• I tried to follow tempering directions in Scharffen choc box. Stir bittersweet choco- late in another medium

metal bowl set over sauce- pan of barely simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water) until chocolate melts and candy thermometer registers 110°

• (chocolate will feel warm to touch). Remove from over wa- ter. Using 1-inch-wide pastry brush, coat insides of candy cups with just enough choco- late to cover. Rewarm choco- late as necessary to maintain temperature. Place cups on baking sheet. Chill until choco- late is firm, about 15 minutes.

• Spoon enough hazelnut mix- ture into center of each choco- late cup to fill to within 1/8 inch of top (about 1 heaping teaspoonful in each cup). Re- frigerate until filling sets, about 15 minutes.

Re warm remaining melted bit- tersweet chocolate in bowl set over barely simmering water to 110°F. Spoon enough choco- late over filling to cover and to fill cups completely. Immedi- ately top each with whole nut. Refrigerate cups until firm, about 20 minutes. (Can be made 2 weeks ahead; refriger- ate in single layer in airtight container.) Let stand 15 min- utes at room temperature be- fore serving.