Hazelnut Crunch Ice Cream Cake

The hazelnut crunch ice cream cake is a very popular cold dessert, and I’ll try to give you the recipe with a small Italian twist in flavor. Here’s how to prepare a delicious Hazelnut Crunch Ice Cream Cake, with an Italian touch that we can achieve by using Piedmont hazelnuts for the brittle.

Ingredients

For the ice cream:

• 500 ml fresh whipping cream
• 250 ml condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or vanillin)

For the brittle:

• 100 g toasted Piedmont hazelnuts
• 100 g sugar
• 2 tablespoons water

For decoration:

• Chocolate sauce
• Chopped hazelnuts (optional)

Preparation

1. Start by preparing the brittle: pour the sugar and water into a pan. Melt over medium heat until you have a clear syrup.
2. When the syrup begins to turn golden, add the toasted hazelnuts and stir well until they are completely coated with the caramelized sugar.
3. Pour the mixture onto a heat-resistant surface (such as a silicone mat or parchment paper) and let it cool completely.
4. Once solidified, break the brittle into pieces of the desired size, setting aside a few whole pieces for decoration.

For the ice cream:

5. In a large bowl, whip the fresh cream until it becomes frothy and almost stiff.

6. Add the condensed milk and vanilla extract, then mix gently with an upward folding motion to maintain the air in the whipped cream.

7. Add the brittle pieces to the ice cream base and mix gently to distribute them evenly.

8. Pour the mixture into a springform cake pan (previously lined with parchment paper), level the surface and cover with plastic wrap.

9. Place in the freezer for at least 4-5 hours, or until fully solidified.

10. When ready to serve, remove the cake from the freezer and let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes to make slicing easier.

11. Decorate the surface with chocolate sauce and chopped hazelnuts, and add the reserved brittle pieces.

An Italian touch is guaranteed by the use of fine Piedmont hazelnuts which, thanks to their rich and intense flavor, give the brittle a unique and unmistakable taste.

Fun Fact

The Piedmont IGP hazelnut (Protected Geographical Indication), particularly the ‘Tonda Gentile delle Langhe’ variety, is highly renowned and features in many desserts of Italian culinary tradition, such as the famous Baci di Dama or the delicious hazelnut cream “gianduia”. In your dessert, it will add a touch of nobility to your hazelnut crunch ice cream cake.