Photo credit: Ben Fink Copyright 2011
Hazelnut Cake with Nutella Mousse
INGREDIENTS
For the cake:
12 tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pan
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
1 1/2 cups unhusked hazelnuts, toasted
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup hazelnut paste
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1 tsp baking powder
Pinch of kosher salt
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
For the mousse:
1 1/2 cups Nutella
1/2 cup of mascarpone or cream cheese
1 cup heavy cream, chilled
PREPARATION
For the cake:
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Butter and flour a 9" round or square baking pan.
2. In a food processor, pulse the hazelnuts until coarsely chopped and set them aside.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine butter, sugar, hazelnut paste, and vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy. Then beat in eggs one at a time.
4. Add the baking powder, salt, and cocoa, and beat to combine. Gradually add the flour, stopping when it is just combined. Fold 1 cup of the chopped hazelnuts into the batter, reserving the rest for garnish.
5. Transfer batter to the prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cake cool for 10 minutes, remove from the pan and let cool completely.
For the mousse:
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the Nutella and mascarpone.
2. In another large bowl, beat heavy cream to soft peaks. Add a spoonful to the Nutella mixture and stir until you don’t see any streaks.
3. Using a rubber spatula, fold a third of the remaining whipped cream into the mixture. Lift the mixture gently from underneath, bring the spatula up, turn it over, and fold the mixture over as you rotate the bowl slowly. Do this gently so it stays fluffy. Repeat two more times with the remaining whipped cream until you have a fluffy, homogeneous mixture.
To assemble the cakes:
1. Cut the cake into 3" squares or rounds and cut each of these in half equatorially.
2. Schmear the mousse on each half, then sprinkle with chopped nuts. Place top half on bottom half and serve.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
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