Adventure and Hazelnuts

Sometimes when I'm walking around and realize that I've never been down the street that is under my feet, I start to feel explorative.

We've been in Victoria for 6 months now, I've been unemployed...I have had a lot of time to see the city on foot. 

The other day I went to pick up a cute little beach bbq from a nice lady's work in an area that I haven't yet been to.  Which was not far from where we currently live at all.

                   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

                             [Super awesome spaceship BBQ!]

As I was walking home with the bbq, I came across an area that consisted of a small intersection and some beautiful buildings, right in the middle of regular residential houses.  Victoria is kind of quirky like that, there's all these little 'villages' that exist within the older residential areas.  I'll try one day to find them all and post some photos.  Maybe that is an adventure for Miss. Erin and I when she comes to visit!

Anyway, this was on Fernwood at Gladstone ave:

Later on I brought David with me to show him my 'find' and we picked up some tasty jerk pork and chicken from this Caribbean spot called 'Stir it up!'  They are an extremely nice, hospitable family in there and I suggest you go give them your business!

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And I just wanted to share a little bit of hazelnut love.

Chocolate Hazelnut Pudding

1/2 cup sugar

2 Tbsp cornstarch

1 Tbsp cocoa powder

Pinch of Salt

3/4 cup milk

3/4 coconut milk

4 ounces of chocolate (I used 62% dark)

1 egg yolk

1 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temp.

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup roasted hazelnuts

Toast hazelnuts at 400F for 10 mins or so. Let them cool a little and just rub them in your hands or tea towel to get the skins off. Set aside.

Sift cornstarch and cocoa powder together and put sugar into a medium saucepan.

Make a hazelnut 'butter' by food processing 3/4 cup of the hazelnuts until they are almost smooth and creamy. Have that ready with your chopped chocolate and soft butter.

Combine yolk with the two milks.  Put saucepan with dry ingredients over medium heat. Slowly whisk the milk/egg mixture into the saucepan, keep stirring.

Stir until it starts to thicken and comes to a low boil. Let it boil for 6 'steamboat' seconds and take it off the heat.  Stir in the chopped chocolate, butter and hazelnut 'butter' until everything is smooth and homogenous. 

Portion however you like and refrigerate until set and cool. 

I just kept some of the roasted hazelnuts for garnish and whipped some cream to go on top! Yummy!

Cheers! and good eats!