Recipe: Chocolate Hazelnut Torte
Summary: This delicious, dense, and moist cake recipe was created by Chef Edward Leonard at the Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts. It’s a little bit fussier baking than dumping a cake mix in a box, but don’t be intimidated by the number of steps or bowls used. You’ll be rewarded with a cake that’s unlike anything you can buy from the store. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1⁄2 cup peeled hazelnuts
- 1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbl quality cocoa
- 1⁄4 tsp Kosher salt
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 6 oz 72% cacao extra bittersweet chocolate baking chips
- 6 oz cold unsalted butter, diced
- 2 Tbl Nutella
- 1⁄2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp real vanilla extract
- 1⁄4 tsp cream of tartar
- 1⁄4 cup granulated white sugar
Instructions
- Toast Hazelnuts: Place hazelnuts in 300°F oven for 10–12 minutes.
- In food processor, pulse toasted nuts, flour, cocoa, and salt until finely ground.
- Heat oven to 375°F. Line the bottom of an 8 x 3-inch spring-form pan with parchment paper that has been rubbed with cold butter; set aside.
- Separate eggs; set aside.
- Melt chocolate, butter and Nutella in a stainless steel bowl over a small pan of low simmering water. Remove from heat; reserve.
- With electric mixer, beat egg yolks, 1⁄2 cup sugar and vanilla until pale and thick (about 4–5 minutes), creating a ribbon effect when you lift beater.
- With a rubber spatula, gently fold in the warm chocolate mixture. Then fold in the ground nut mixture; reserve.
- In a clean stainless steel bowl, with the whisk attachment, whisk egg whites at medium speed until foamy; add cream of tartar. Whisk just until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, beating at high speed, until meringue is fluffy and still moist.
- With a whisk, fold 1⁄3 of the whites into the chocolate batter. Quickly fold in the remaining whites. Do not overmix.
- Pour mixture into prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake 30 to 40 minutes. Check cake by placing a toothpick into the center of the cake; when done, moist crumbs will appear.
- Cool in pan on wire rack for about 15 minutes. It will slightly rise and fall a bit in the center. Remove from pan.
- Serve with chocolate sauce and soft whipped cream, if desired.
Preparation time: 10 minute(s)
Cooking time: 40 minute(s)
Number of servings (yield): 8
Wow…this looks delish, i am gonna have to try that when my daughter comes home for a week at christmas (before the dreaded deployment)…we can bake together again
You know im not a huge Nutella Fan but i think i have to give this recipe a try looks delicious