The Hearthfire Guanaja: Valrhona 70% & Piedmont Hazelnut Praliné Skillet Biscuit

Contemporary Plated Dessert★★★★★ 4.99 (288 reviews)

A transformative fine-dining elevation of the classic skillet bakery cookie. Features aged brown-butter dough enriched with toasted hazelnut flour, layered with molten pockets of Valrhona Guanaja 70% dark chocolate and a hidden ribbon of salted Piedmont hazelnut-feuilletine praliné, baked in pre-tempered cast iron for a caramelized, shatter-crisp perimeter and an unctuous, velvet-soft core.

★ BAKERY TESTED & CERTIFIED📌 Save Pin to Pinterest

✔ BAKERY TESTED & CERTIFIED

The Hearthfire Guanaja: Valrhona 70% & Piedmont Hazelnut Praliné Skillet Biscuit

A transformative fine-dining elevation of the classic skillet bakery cookie. Features aged brown-butter dough enriched with toasted hazelnut flour, layered with molten pockets of Valrhona Guanaja 70% dark chocolate and a hidden ribbon of salted Piedmont hazelnut-feuilletine praliné, baked in pre-tempered cast iron for a caramelized, shatter-crisp perimeter and an unctuous, velvet-soft core.

★★★★★ 4.99 / 5.0·Oven: 375°F (190°C)

⏱ Prep Time

40 mins

🔥 Cook Time

18 mins

❄ Chill Time

1 hrs

🍽 Servings

6 slices

⚡ Calories

640 kcal

🌡 Temp

375°F

Ingredients

(Tap items to cross off as you bake)

• 170g high-fat European unsalted butter, browned to deep hazelnut aroma (beurre noisette) and cooled to 28°C
• 130g dark soft muscovado sugar
• 70g superfine caster sugar
• 1 whole large egg plus 1 egg yolk, room temperature
• 1 vanilla bean (Madagascar bourbon), split and seeds scraped
• 190g French T55 or unbleached all-purpose flour
• 35g finely ground toasted Piedmont IGP hazelnut flour
• 3g baking soda
• 2g baking powder
• 4g Maldon smoked sea salt, divided
• 180g Valrhona Guanaja 70% dark chocolate feves, coarsely hand-shattered
• 90g artisanal hazelnut praliné paste (minimum 50% hazelnut)
• 25g crushed pailleté feuilletine
• 40g whole roasted Piedmont hazelnuts, cracked into coarse shards

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. 1
   In a small bowl, fold together the hazelnut praliné paste and pailleté feuilletine with a pinch of the smoked sea salt. Drop six rounded quenelles onto parchment paper and freeze for 30 minutes until rock solid.
2. 2
   In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cooled beurre noisette, dark muscovado sugar, and caster sugar. Beat on medium-low for 3 minutes until smooth and emulsified, avoiding incorporating excess air.
3. 3
   Incorporate the whole egg, egg yolk, and scraped vanilla bean caviar, mixing until a lustrous ribbon forms.
4. 4
   Sift the T55 flour, toasted hazelnut flour, baking soda, and baking powder together; gently fold into the wet mixture until just combined with faint flour streaks remaining.
5. 5
   Fold in 140g of the coarsely shattered Valrhona Guanaja feves and the cracked Piedmont hazelnuts, reserving the rest for surface embellishment. Form the dough into a disk, wrap in film, and chill for 60 minutes to hydrate the flours.
6. 6
   Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) with an 8-inch (20cm) seasoned cast iron skillet positioned on the center rack for 15 minutes to absorb ambient heat.
7. 7
   Carefully remove the hot skillet, brush lightly with melted butter, and press half of the chilled dough across the bottom. Evenly space the frozen hazelnut praliné quenelles over the layer, then seal completely with the remaining dough.
8. 8
   Press the reserved 40g of Valrhona feves into the top surface. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes until the edges are deep amber and slightly blistered, while the center retains a gentle, molten give.
9. 9
   Remove from the oven, immediately sprinkle with the remaining smoked Maldon salt, and allow to rest for 8 minutes to set the crust before serving warm directly from the skillet.

👨‍🍳 🍳

CHEF'S GOLDEN BAKING SECRETS:

• Pre-warming the cast iron skillet before introducing the dough initiates rapid Maillard browning and guarantees the coveted bakery-style contrast between a crusty edge and a fudgy center.
• Valrhona Guanaja 70% possesses distinct bitter-floral and roasted wood notes that perfectly counteract the intense caramelized sweetness of the muscovado and hazelnut praliné.
• Freezing the praliné-feuilletine disks prior to encasing them ensures they remain a distinctly gooey, textural surprise rather than melting into the surrounding cookie matrix during the bake.

NUTRITION INFORMATION (PER SERVING):

Calories

640

Protein

7g

Carbs

38g

Fat

32g

Sugar

26g

Did you bake this recipe? Tag us with #SweetAndSavory on Pinterest to be featured!