VEGAN HAZELNUTS COOKIES

PREPARE THE COOKIE DOUGH:

1. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and baking soda.

2. Cream vegan butter, cassonade, and caster sugar until smooth.

3. Gradually add dry ingredients and soy milk, mixing well. Divide into three portions.

4. Mix the cookie dough with hazelnuts paste, chopped hazelnuts, and dark chocolate.

5. Shape into cookies and bake a 180°C or 350°F for 14 to 16 minutes, you don’t want it to be to cooked.

TOPPINGS:

Hazelnut praline:

1. Toasting the Hazelnuts:

   1. Kick off your hazelnut praliné adventure by preheating your oven to a toasty 180°C (356°F) in the conventional setting.

   2. Spread those hazelnuts on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, making sure they've got their own space to shine.

   3. Let them bask in the oven's warmth for 6-8 minutes, or until they release that ir-resistible nutty aroma and turn a beautiful golden brown.

   4. Once toasted to perfection, set these hazelnuts aside while you gear up for the next step – the creation of your hazelnut dream.

   
   

2. Crafting the Hazelnut Bliss Caramel:

   1. Grab a large pot and sprinkle a thin layer of sugar evenly. Crank up the heat to medium-high, resisting the urge to stir right away. When the sugar starts melt-ing, bring it down to a cozy medium-low.

   2. Gently nudge any rebellious sugar crystals toward the melting party using a heat-proof spatula. Sugar clumps? No problem – they'll melt away. Adjust the heat if things get too hot too fast.

   3. After about 15 minutes of amber magic, take the caramel off the heat, but watch out – it's hot! Resist the temptation to taste it just yet.

   4. Drizzle this liquid gold over your patiently waiting, toasted hazelnuts. Let them cool at room temperature, keeping the food processor out of harm's way until everything's cooled down

   
   

3. Blending the Hazelnut Praliné Symphony:

   1. Break the caramel into small, dance-worthy pieces and toss them into the food processor with the hazelnuts and a dash of salt.

   2. Process this hazelnut party, scraping the bowl now and then, until your praliné paste puts on its shiny, slightly runny outfit. This may take 10-15 minutes of mu-sical blending. If your food processor needs a break, let it chill for 5 minutes. If the paste seems a bit stiff, add a smidge of neutral vegetable oil to get it groov-ing.

   3. Keep blending for that silky-smooth, runny texture, or stop earlier if you fancy a thicker, grainier vibe.

4. Chillax and Store:

   1. Pop your hazelnut praliné masterpiece into an airtight container and give it a cozy spot in the fridge until it's showtime in your recipes. Get ready for the hazelnut magic to unfold!

   
   

Caramelized hazelnuts:

1. After preparing your hazelnuts and setting up your base, pour half of the sugar into your saucepan and melt it over medium heat while stirring gently. Once the sugar has melted, add the second half of the sugar and stir. The sugar transitions from a semi-liquid blonde state to a liquid brown state. When the caramel is cooked, stop the cooking process.

2. Insert toothpicks into the hazelnuts, being careful not to break them. Submerge each hazelnut into the caramel. The caramel should have slightly thickened.

3. Finally, spear each hazelnut, let the caramel flow, and once cooled, delicately re-trieve the hazelnut.

ENJOy!

Allow cookies to cool and savor the delightful combination of hazelnuts and chocolate!