Chocolate & salted hazelnut praline slice

Method

• step 1

  First, make the praline. Lightly oil a baking tray and set aside. Tip the sugar into a heavy-based pan with 3 tbsp water and warm over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Turn up the heat slightly and bubble until the sugar becomes a dark caramel, about 5 mins. Remove from the heat, then stir in the nuts and a generous pinch of sea salt and immediately pour onto the prepared baking tray. Carefully spread to an even layer using a silicone spatula and leave to cool completely.

• step 2

  When the praline is cold and brittle, break it into rough pieces. Snap off about 10 of the caramel-coated hazelnuts and set aside.
  Tip the rest of the praline into a food processor and pulse to the texture of coarse breadcrumbs, then set aside.

• step 3

  Butter a 900g loaf tin and line with a strip of baking parchment. Melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, ensuring the base of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Or, do this in the microwave in 20-second bursts. Once melted, remove from the heat and stir until glossy. In a separate bowl, whip the cream to soft peaks, then fold this through the chocolate mixture. Stir in most of the crushed praline, reserving about 4 tbsp. Scrape the mixture into the tin, smooth the surface and chill overnight until firm and set. Will keep chilled for up to two days.

• step 4

  Gently ease the set chocolate out of the tin onto a serving dish or board, then dust with cocoa powder and top with the reserved whole hazelnuts. Slice using a warm knife, then serve with dollops of crème fraîche and a sprinkling of the remaining crushed praline.