Vanilla Ice Cream Bars with Caramel and Hazelnuts Coated in Chocolate

Remember the Bouchée de Partage from chocolatier William Artigue I wrote about recently? This delightful chocolate snack consists of multiple layers of bliss, and once you taste it, you’ll just want more and more. Since it’s quite large and best shared with someone, it got its name “Bouchée de Partage,” which means “a snack to share.”

This wonderful treat, whose recipe I shared with you, is made of layers of chocolate praliné crunch, a layer of salted caramel cream, a crispy layer of caramelized hazelnuts, all coated in a delicate layer of dark chocolate. After I published the recipe, many of you wrote to me saying you plan to try making it. What better time than summer vacation to bring this project to life?

As if that wasn’t enough, Artigue decided to transform the Bouchée into an ice cream! This time, not to share, but for each person to enjoy their own 🙂. Of course, Artigue agreed to share this recipe with me as well. After several attempts in my cozy kitchen, here it is, adapted for home preparation.

A perfect recipe for hot days and any time you need a sweet treat. These indulgent ice cream bars feature a generous layer of salted caramel, a crunchy layer of caramelized hazelnuts, all wrapped in a delicate dark chocolate coating. Enjoy!

Vanilla Ice Cream Bars with Caramel and Hazelnuts Coated in Chocolate
6 units (depends on the size)
Silicone mold with 7-8 cm diameter disk-shaped cavities

Ingredients
Caramelized Hazelnuts:
130g hazelnuts 
8g water
15g sugar 
6g honey (I use lavender)
Pinch of salt

Vanilla Ice Cream:
About 400 grams vanilla ice cream recipe included, or use high-quality store-bought vanilla ice cream

Salted Caramel Cream:
50g glucose syrup
210g sugar
185g whipping cream
2g Fleur-de-Sel
40g butter, cubed

Chocolate Glaçage:
400g dark chocolate
70g sunflower or canola oil

Preparation
1. Caramelized Hazelnuts: Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F).
2. Spread the hazelnuts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 6 minutes. Remove from the oven, leave the oven on, and increase the heat to 170°C (340°F).
3. Once the hazelnuts have cooled, coarsely chop them and place them in a small bowl.
4. In a small saucepan, combine the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Pour over the chopped hazelnuts and mix well.
5. Transfer 1-2 teaspoons of the mixture into each cavity of the silicone mold, spreading it out to form a thin, non-compacted layer.
6. Bake for 12-14 minutes until the hazelnut disks are well caramelized and have a deep amber color. Remove from the oven, let cool, and then remove from the mold. Store in an airtight container.
7. Vanilla Ice Cream: Form 12 vanilla ice cream disks, each about 1.5 cm thick, using the same mold used for the caramelized hazelnuts. Press the ice cream into the mold cavities and freeze for at least 4 hours.
8. Remove the ice cream disks from the mold, place half of them on a parchment-lined surface, and place an ice cream stick on each one. Top each disk with another ice cream disk, pressing firmly to form a cohesive bar. Return to the freezer.
9. Salted Caramel Cream: In a medium saucepan, bring the glucose to a boil.
10. Add a layer of sugar and stir. As the mixture starts to turn light brown, add more sugar, stirring continuously. Repeat until you have a deep amber caramel. The temperature should reach 180°C (356°F).
11. Meanwhile, place the cream and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.
12. Pour the hot cream into the caramel through a strainer. Be cautious as the mixture will bubble and rise. You may need to remove the pan from the heat briefly to prevent overflow. Return to heat and stir vigorously until smooth (110°C/230°F).
13. Remove from heat, add the butter, and stir until smooth. Transfer to a glass jar and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate overnight before use.

Assembly
14. Remove the ice cream bars from the freezer and pipe a layer of salted caramel cream (about 0.5 cm thick) onto the center of each bar, approximately 25 grams per bar.
15. Place a caramelized hazelnut disk on top of each caramel layer and press gently. Freeze for at least 3 hours.
16. Chocolate Glaçage: Melt the chocolate over a double boiler, remove from heat, and stir in the oil until smooth.
19. Remove the ice cream bars from the freezer and dip each one into the chocolate, shaking off the excess. Place on a parchment-lined surface and return to the freezer. Enjoy whenever you like!

Bon-Appétit
Sharon