- 6 tablespoons hazelnuts, toasted and skinned
- 2 cups heavy (whipping) cream
- 1/3 cup hazelnut-cocoa paste, such as Nutella
- 4 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 6 large egg yolks
- 1/3 cup sugar, plus 6 tablespoons for topping
- Preheat the oven to 275°F. Finely chop the hazelnuts.
- Pour the cream into a medium saucepan. Place over medium heat until small bubbles form around the edges of the pan. Remove from the heat and stir in the hazelnut-cocoa paste and chocolate until blended; let cool to room temperature.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks until pale in color. Whisk in the 1/3 cup sugar until dissolved. Whisk in the chocolate cream.
- Place six standard-size flan dishes in a baking pan. Divide the custard mixture among the dishes. Sprinkle with the toasted nuts. Pour warm water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the dishes. Bake in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the center of each custard still jiggles slightly. Remove from the oven and lift the dishes from the hot water. Let cool 10 minutes, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
- When ready to serve, place the dishes on a baking sheet. Evenly sprinkle 1 tablespoon sugar over the top of each custard. Using a hand-held blowtorch, caramelize the sugar .