Premium Chocolate, Hazelnut and Walnut Crocanti Petit Gâteau.

Dark chocolate, hazelnut biscuit, chocolate cream and nut crocanti, finished with abundant chocolate curls.

This Petit Gâteau is presented as an individual dessert and combines different textures through chocolate and nuts. The base is made with thin layers of hazelnut biscuit, stacked and joined together with a chocolate and hazelnut cream. The sides are covered with a nut crocanti featuring pieces of walnut and hazelnut, while the top is finished with abundant chocolate curls.

The result is an elegant pastry creation, combining the softness of the biscuit, the creaminess of the filling and the crisp finish of the caramelised nuts.

Ingredients

For the hazelnut biscuit

• 3 eggs
• 80 g sugar
• 70 g hazelnut flour
• 35 g plain flour
• 20 g melted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• A pinch of salt

For the chocolate and hazelnut cream

• 180 g dark chocolate
• 120 g hazelnut paste or hazelnut praline
• 220 ml whipping cream
• 30 g butter
• 15 g icing sugar
• A pinch of salt

For the nut crocanti

• 70 g roasted hazelnuts
• 60 g walnuts
• 40 g roasted almonds
• 80 g sugar
• 10 g butter
• A pinch of salt

For the chocolate coating

• 180 g dark chocolate
• 80 ml whipping cream
• 20 g butter
• 10 g honey or glucose syrup

For the decoration

• Dark chocolate for the curls
• Roasted hazelnuts
• Roasted walnuts
• Nut crocanti
• Thick toffee, optional

Method

1. Prepare the hazelnut biscuit

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Beat the eggs together with the sugar until the mixture becomes light, airy and slightly pale.

Add the hazelnut flour, plain flour and a pinch of salt, previously sifted. Fold gently to preserve the air incorporated into the mixture.

Add the melted butter and vanilla extract and mix until smooth and homogeneous.

Spread the mixture onto a baking tray lined with baking paper, forming a thin and even layer.

Bake for approximately 8–10 minutes, until the biscuit is lightly golden while remaining soft.

Leave to cool completely before cutting.

Once cold, cut out the individual discs. Depending on the desired height, prepare three or four discs for each Petit Gâteau.

2. Prepare the chocolate and hazelnut cream

Heat the cream without allowing it to boil and pour it over the previously chopped dark chocolate.

Leave to stand for one minute, then mix from the centre outwards until you obtain a smooth and glossy ganache.

Add the hazelnut paste, butter, icing sugar and a pinch of salt. Mix until all the ingredients are fully incorporated.

Leave the mixture to rest in the refrigerator until it reaches a creamy but sufficiently firm consistency for assembling the pastries.

3. Assemble the Petit Gâteau

Place the first hazelnut biscuit disc.

Spread a thin, even layer of chocolate and hazelnut cream over it.

Place a second disc on top and cover again with the cream.

Repeat the process until you have assembled three or four layers of biscuit, finishing with a thin layer of cream.

Press gently so that the layers are properly set together and refrigerate the pieces for at least two hours.

This resting time will allow the structure to firm up sufficiently so that each individual piece can be covered and finished without losing its shape.

4. Prepare the nut crocanti

Roughly chop the hazelnuts, walnuts and almonds, keeping small visible pieces. For this finish, it is preferable that the walnut remains recognisable among the other nuts.

Prepare a dry caramel with the sugar. Once it reaches a golden colour, add the butter and a pinch of salt.

Immediately add the nuts and mix until they are evenly coated with the caramel.

Spread onto baking paper and leave to cool completely.

Once cold, break the crocanti into small irregular pieces. There is no need to crush it too finely; some larger pieces will provide a more pronounced texture on the sides.

5. Cover the sides

Carefully remove each piece from the mould.

Prepare the coating by melting the chocolate with the cream, butter and honey or glucose syrup. Mix until smooth and glossy.

Apply a thin layer around the sides of each Petit Gâteau.

Before the chocolate sets, cover the sides with the crocanti, pressing it gently so that it adheres.

The finished surface should be irregular, with visible hazelnut, almond and, especially, small pieces of walnut.

6. Finish the top

Cover the top with a thin layer of chocolate.

To prepare the curls, spread tempered dark chocolate over a smooth surface. When it begins to crystallise, scrape it with a spatula to create small curls and shavings.

Arrange the curls generously over each piece, creating volume while maintaining a natural finish.

You may add a few pieces of roasted walnut and hazelnut among the curls.

If you wish to reproduce a finish with caramel, add small amounts of thick toffee between the chocolate, without covering the curls.

Texture and result

When cut, the piece should reveal several thin layers of hazelnut biscuit, joined together with a smooth and creamy chocolate and hazelnut filling.

The sides provide the contrast of caramelised crocanti, with the characteristic texture of roasted nuts and small pieces of walnut.

On top, the chocolate curls provide a light and crisp finish.

Presentation

Serve each Petit Gâteau individually on a light or neutral ceramic plate.

Keep the chocolate curls elevated and allow the crocanti on the sides to remain clearly visible. There is no need to add an excessive amount of decorative elements; the contrast between the biscuit, chocolate and nuts provides the main finish of the dessert.

Storage

Keep the Petit Gâteau refrigerated at 4–6°C, protected from moisture.

For serving, I recommend removing them from the refrigerator approximately 15–20 minutes before serving. This allows the chocolate cream to reach a more pleasant texture while the biscuit retains its soft consistency.

The chocolate curls should be protected from moisture until serving to preserve their texture and volume.

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