Bonfire Cracklers

This recipe is again from Biscuits by Miranda Gore Browne. I picked this one as I do not tend to do chocolate biscuits much but, these looked really nice. I changed the recipe a tiny bit by leaving out the coffee and chilli and if I were to do it again, I would increase the cinnamon a bit to make up it.

Ingredients:

175g dark chocolate 70% coca solids
50g unsalted butter
100g hazelnuts toasted
175g plain flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 large eggs
150g caster sugar
50g granulated sugar
50g icing sugar
Icing sugar/cocoa powder to dust

Equipment:

2 Baking trays
Non stick baking paper
Small ice cream scoop if you have, not essential if you have a teaspoon and hands
Food blender/bag and something heavy to bash nuts
Hand held whisk/Stand alone mixer

Makes about 30-35ish

First thing, put the chocolate and butter into a heatproof bowl, and place over a pan of gently bubbling water. Once melted put to the side to cool a little bit.

Now, put the hazelnuts, (to toast put nuts in oven for 10 minutes, take out, cool and then skins should peel off easily ready to use) flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking powder into a blender and whizz till ground finely. If you are like me on the nut texture thing, then whizz till very fine. Also, I found half a hazelnut that is shaped depending on the mood, like a heart or an arse. Just thought I would share.

Next, whisk the eggs and caster sugar on a high speed for 5ish minutes till it has gone pale and increased in size to be all moussey. Add the chocolate and whisk again on slow till it is just combined.

Fold the egg mix into the dry ingredients, cover and then put in the fridge for at least an hour. The book says you can also leave it overnight.

Just before taking the mixture out, preheat the oven to gas mark 3/160°C and line two baking trays with non stick baking paper.
Set up a little station with one bowl of  granulated sugar, and another of icing sugar. Then, using whatever you have, ice cream scoop, spoon, hands, feet, whatever, make little balls and roll in the granulated first, then the icing and place on the baking tray.

Put in the oven for 12-15 minutes till the tops crack and once done, cool on the trays.

Just before serving you can dust with icing sugar or cocoa powder. I used icing because I like the contrast of colours.
I really liked these treats. They go very well with a glass of cold milk.