#hazlenuts

This Luxury Praliné, thus called because it is made with no less than four different nuts, will gorgeously enhance everything it touches whether you swirl it into a cake batter, an ice cream, spread it on toasts or use to make chocolates... It will also make a lovely gift this Holiday Season...even if it's only to yourself! Happy Wednesday!

Ingredients (makes a jar):

1/4 cup hazelnuts

1/4 cup peanuts

1/4 cup almonds

1/4 cup pecan halves

3/4 cup demerara sugar

1/4 cup caster sugar

1/4 teaspoon fleur de sel or sea salt flakes

Line a small tray or plate with baking paper. Set aside.

In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, toast hazelnuts, peanuts, almonds and pecans until fragrant. Remove from the heat, and transfer to a plate. Set aside.

Wipe the pan with a paper towel, and return to the stove, over medium heat. Sprinkle demerara sugar evenly at the bottom of the pan, without stirring, until sugar starts melting. Sprinkle in caster sugar evenly, and allow to dissolve into a light brown caramel. Swirl the frying pan to help sugar dissolve.

Once completely dissolved and you have a nice, shiny caramel, reduce heat to medium-low and stir in sea salt flakes with a wooden spoon.

Finally, stir in toasted hazelnuts, peanuts, almonds and pecans, coating them generously in the caramel. Then, spoon onto prepared plate or tray, and spread out into an even layer with the wooden spoon. Let cool, 15 minutes.

Once cooled and hardened, break nutty brittle into pieces in a food processor. Pulse a few times, until brittle is finely ground; and then, process on high speed until mixture breaks down and comes together into a thick, then smooth paste or Praliné. This will take a few minutes, at least 10, for the nuts to release their oils and make the paste smooth and shiny. Scrape the sides of the food processor occasionally.