Cheese Nougat

Toast hazelnuts and peel them between 2 paper towels and set aside. Toast remaining nuts and let cool. Soak gelatin in cold water to soften and drain. Smooth out goat cheese with the hazelnut oil using a rubber spatula. Add the toasted nuts along with the diced apricots. Heat up heavy cream without boiling it. Turn heat off and mix in the softened gelatin and pour into the goat cheese mixture and mix to combine. Fold in whipped cream and season with a pinch of cayenne and salt. Pour nougat mixture into a small baking tray lined with plastic wrap and form a 6x8-inch/ 15x20 cm. Cover with plastic in contact and chill overnight. Un-mold and trim off edges. Divide nougat into seven 1x5-inch/13x2.5 cm bars and place in the freezer for an hour to harden. At this juncture, savory nougat can be kept frozen for a couple of weeks (sealed in container or best-sous-vide).

Finish bars while still frozen and leave them out for a couple of hours prior to serve. Make thin slices of brioche and cut into 5X1-inch/13x2.5 cm rectangles; 2 per bar and toast. Let cool. Place each nougat bar between 2 slices of toasted brioche. Cheese nougat bars can be divided into cubes for amuse-bouche too!... Garnish nougat with powdered pistachio and minced chives. Bon appétit!