Ciao Chow Linda

Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

Author: Ciao Chow Linda

Ingredients

• FOR THE SPONGE CAKE:

• 10 eggs

• 2 cups (300g) sugar

• 3/4 cup (50g) cocoa powder

• 3/4 cup (50g) corn starch

• 1/2 cup (50g) all-purpose flour

• Pinch of salt

• 1 cup hazelnuts (150 g)

• 1 cup diluted espresso (250 ml)

• FOR THE MOUSSE:

• about 1 1/3 cup (300g) dark chocolate

• 1 13 ounce jar (300g) Nutella

• 1 3/4 cup (400g) heavy cream (whipped to medium hard peaks)

• 4 tbsp sugar

• 4 tbsp rum

• 4 eggs

• FOR THE GANACHE (This is enough for half the cakes, since I froze half the cakes unfrosted. Just double if frosting the entire cake).

• 2 cups (about 425 grams) heavy cream

• 12 oz. chocolate (I used three, 4 oz. bars of Hershey’s Special Darrk)

Instructions

1. TO MAKE THE SPONGE CAKE:

2. Whisk the eggs and sugar at high speed for about 10 minutes.

3. Sieve the cocoa powder, flour and corn starch and add them to the egg mixture gradually and folding slowly.

4. Pour the mass into a half-size hotel pan (my pan measured 15″ by 10″ x 2.5″ but the chef used a pan that was 20″ x 10″ x 2.5″)

5. Bake at 350F for 30-40 minutes or until cake pulls away from sides of pan.

6. Let cool at room temperature, then wrap with plastic film and store in the fridge or freezer until needed.

7. Cut the cake in half to make for easier handling, then cut each half in half horizontally, in order to have two layers.

8. Then put some plastic wrap on the bottom and sides of the pan where you baked the cake, and put the layers inside, with separate pieces of plastic wrap for each half of the cake.

9. That way, you can easily remove only half the cake and leave the rest frozen for later use.

10. Each half of the cake made 12 servings, (30 for Chef Destro who cuts smaller portions) so unless you have a crowd of 24, you can keep half frozen.

11. TO MAKE THE MOUSSE:

12. Separate the egg whites from the yolks and set aside.

13. Whisk the yolks with sugar and rum.

14. Add the chocolate (previously melted) folding it slowly, then add the Nutella and combine (This is the hardest part because the Nutella is quite stiff. But keep at it.)

15. Whisk the egg whites to hard peak, then gradually fold them into the chocolate mixture (again it’s hard because the Nutella is so stiff, but once you have all the egg whites added, it loosens up and when you add the whipped cream, it will be just right consistency.)

16. Fold in the whipped cream and set in the fridge until ready to use.

17. TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE AND FILLING:

18. Leave the cake in the pan and remove the top layer.

19. On the bottom layer of the sponge cake, drizzle with half the espresso.

20. Set half the mousse on top of it and sprinkle with the hazelnuts.

21. Place the top layer over the mousse and drizzle with the other half of the espresso.

22. Cover and chill in the freezer for at least 4-6 hours.

23. FOR THE GANACHE:

24. Heat the cream, turn off the heat and add the chocolate, stirring to combine until smooth.

25. TO FINISH THE CAKE WITH THE GANACHE:

26. Cut the frozen cake in 24 portions, if you plan to serve all at one time.

27. In that case, double the ingredients for the ganache.

28. Otherwise, place half the cake in the freezer and cut the other half into 12 portions.

29. Place them on a perforated rack and quickly coat them with the warm ganache.

30. Place back in the freezer to harden.

31. Repeat the coating process once more and place in the fridge until ready to serve.

32. Save a bit of the ganache to use as a center dollop with a hazelnut perched on it.

33. If you have any gold leaf, add a small piece to the top.