Bavarian Cream with Chocolate, Hazelnuts, and Amaretti

The Bavarian Cream with Chocolate, Hazelnuts, and Amaretti is a refined dessert that combines the creaminess of a classic Bavarian cream with the intense flavor of chocolate and the crunchiness of hazelnuts and the sweetness of amaretti. Here is the recipe to prepare it:

Ingredients

• 250 ml of milk
• 100 g of granulated sugar
• 100 g of toasted hazelnuts
• 4 egg yolks
• 20 g of vanilla sugar
• 150 g of dark chocolate
• 12 g of fish gelatin (sheet gelatin)
• 300 ml of whipping cream
• 100 g of amaretti biscuits

Preparation

1. Start with the Bavarian cream. Soak the fish gelatin in cold water for about 10 minutes.
2. Finely chop the toasted hazelnuts, or you can use ready-made hazelnut flour.
3. In a saucepan, bring the milk to a boil with half of the granulated sugar and the vanilla sugar.
4. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining half of the granulated sugar until you achieve a light and fluffy mixture.
5. When the milk reaches a boil, pour it slowly onto the whipped yolks, stirring continuously.
6. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly until the cream slightly thickens, without bringing it to a boil to prevent the yolks from curdling. This process is called “crème anglaise.”
7. Remove the cream from heat and incorporate the chopped chocolate, stirring until it has completely melted.
8. Squeeze out the soaked fish gelatin and add it to the hot cream, stir until it has completely dissolved.
9. Let the cream cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
10. Whip the cream and, when the chocolate cream has cooled to lukewarm, gently fold in the whipped cream with movements from the bottom up to avoid deflating it.
11. Add the chopped hazelnuts and gently fold into the mixture.
12. Pour a third of the Bavarian cream into a mold, previously moistened with water, and sprinkle half of the crushed amaretti over it. Repeat the operation creating another layer and finish with the remaining cream.
13. Let the Bavarian cream rest in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, or until it is well set.
14. Before serving, briefly dip the mold in hot water and turn the Bavarian cream out onto a serving dish.

Curiosity

Bavarian cream is a spoon dessert of French origin, invented in the 19th century. Its creation is probably due to Marie Antoine Carême, also known as “the king of chefs and the chef of kings.” The Chocolate Bavarian Cream is one of the countless variations that can be created starting from the basic recipe, which consists of a crème anglaise thickened with gelatin and mixed with whipped cream.