Ingredients:
- 350g flour
- 50g brown sugar
- 250g butter
- 250g double cream cheese
- 50g white sugar
- 50g ground hazelnuts
- Optional: dark and white couverture (chocolate)
Preparation:
1. Prepare the Dough: Begin by placing the butter, cream cheese, and flour in a mixing bowl. Using the dough hooks of your electric mixer, knead the ingredients together until they form a smooth dough. Once the dough is ready, wrap it in plastic wrap and place it in the freezer for about 12 to 15 minutes to chill.
2. Divide the Dough: After the dough has chilled, remove it from the freezer and divide it into four equal pieces. Mix the brown and white sugar with the ground hazelnuts in a separate bowl. Scatter 1/4 of this mixture onto your work surface.
3. Roll the Dough: Roll one piece of dough into a round shape, about 26cm in diameter, on the sugared surface. If you don’t have a cake divider, use a knife to cut the dough into 16 equal pieces, like you would with a pizza.
4. Shape the Hörnchen: Take each of the 16 pieces and roll them up starting from the wider side towards the tip. Make sure each piece is rolled tightly but gently to maintain the shape.
5. Bake the Hörnchen: Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Arrange the rolled-up pieces of dough with the point facing up on the baking sheets. Preheat your oven to 185°C (350°F) for conventional ovens or 155°C (311°F) for fan-assisted ovens (gas mark 2). Bake the Hörnchen for about 12 to 15 minutes, or until they turn golden brown and crisp.
6. Optional Chocolate Decoration: For an extra touch, you can dip the tips of the Hörnchen in melted dark and white chocolate couverture after baking. This will give them a delicious, sweet finishing touch and make them look even more appealing.
7. Enjoy: Once baked and decorated (if desired), let the Hörnchen cool on a wire rack. These little pastries taste even better the next day, as the flavors develop further. Serve them with a hot cup of tea or coffee for a delightful treat.
Enjoy these deliciously crunchy and sweet hazelnut Hörnchen! Perfect for any time of the day!
