Chocolate Hazelnut Filo Cigars with White Chocolate Dip

Ingredients

100g toasted skinned hazelnuts, finely chopped, plus a hand
100g dark chocolate, finely chopped or grated (70% cocoa solids)
50g caster sugar
1 teaspoon honey
4 sheets of filo pastry, thawed if frozen
60g unsalted butter, melted
ful extra to decorate

For the syrup:
4 tablespoon honey
25g caster sugar
1 tablespoon orange blossom water

For the white chocolate dip:
40g unsalted butter
100g white chocolate, finely chopped
50ml cream
Icing sugar, to dust
 

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), gas mark 4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a small bowl, mix together the hazelnuts, dark chocolate, caster sugar and honey. Take one sheet of filo pastry and brush it with melted butter, keeping the remainder covered with a damp tea towel to prevent it from drying out.

3. Cut the pastry widthways into four equal strips. Put a tablespoon of the chocolate-nut mixture at the top of each strip, then roll them up into cigar shapes. Repeat with the remaining pastry sheets and the chocolate-nut mixture. Arrange the cigars on the baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes or until crisp and golden.

4. Meanwhile, make the syrup. Put the honey in a small saucepan with the sugar, orange blossom and a tablespoon of water. Heat until the sugar dissolves, then simmer until you have a thick syrup. When the cigars are cooked, drizzle over the syrup and leave to cool.

5. To make the white chocolate dip, melt the butter and white chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and fold in the cream and then allow to cool. This can be served chilled or at room temperature whichever you prefer.
6. Arrange the chocolate hazelnut filo cigars on a platter or individual plates and dust with icing sugar and scatter over the rest of the hazelnuts to decorate. Add a bowls of the white chocolate dip to serve.