Food for Friends

Hazelnut, chocolate & cardamom cream pie



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For the filling: 1 x 200 gram bar of good quality dark chocolat, 10 whole cardamom pods, 1 x 284ml cartoon double cream, 25 grams  butter

To decorate: 1 level tablespoon cocoa powder (sifted)

You will also need a 23cm loose based fluted flan tin with a depth of 2cm

Preheat oven to 190c
 

1. Toast the hazelnuts in the preheated oven for 10 mins or until lightly browned. Let them cool, then chop in the food processor or electric coffee grinder until finely ground.

2. Cream butter with sifted icing sugar and add 40 grams of the ground nuts then gradually work in the sifted flour. Beat the egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of water together and add this to the pastry gradually working it into a ball.  Turn the pastry on to a lightly floured surface and using your hands press it out gently into a circle slightly smaller than your flan tin.

3. Carefully place it into the tin (don’t worry if it breaks) and press it round and up the sides using lightly floured fingers until you have formed the pastry case. Chill in the fridge for at least half an hour.  Prick the base of the pastry then bake it for 15 - 20 minutes until it’s lightly browned set aside to cool.

4. Meanwhile crush the cardamom pods using a pestle and mortar, remove the green husks and finely grind the seeds. Add the cardamom to the cream and warm gently in a saucepan until the surface is just beginning to tremble but don’t let it boil.

5. Remove the pan from the heat and add the chocolate broken into chunks, the butter and the remaining ground hazelnuts. Stir until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool but don’t let it get totally cold. Pour the mixture into the pastry case and place in the fridge to harden for at least 2 hours. 

Before serving dust with the sifted cocoa powder.