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Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

Prep
1 hr
Bake
1 hr
Chill
4 hr
Total
6 hr
Makes
12 slices

Ingredients

Sponge

  • 2 sticks plus 2 tbsp250 gunsalted butteror margarine; softened. German butter is unsalted and has about 82 percent fat. In the US use unsalted butter; European-style unsalted butter is closest. In the UK, unsalted butter.
  • 1 ¼ cups250 ggranulated sugar
  • 1 pinchsalt
  • 2 tspvanilla sugar1 packet = 2 tsp (8 g). Sugar flavored with vanillin (artificial vanilla), sold in small packets of about 8 g. In the US use 1 tsp vanilla extract plus 2 tsp sugar for each 8 g packet; in the UK, vanilla sugar sachets, or 1 tsp vanilla extract plus 2 tsp sugar per sachet.
  • 5large eggsroom temperature
  • 1 tspbaking powderGerman baking powder is sold in 15 g packets, each meant for about 500 g (4 cups) of flour. In the US and the UK use baking powder, 1 tbsp plus ¾ tsp per 15 g packet.
  • 2 cups250 gall-purpose flourIn German recipes plain flour means soft wheat flour Type 405 unless stated otherwise. In the US use all-purpose flour; in the UK, plain flour.
  • ¾ cup90 ghazelnutschopped

Filling

  • 7 oz200 gchocolate ganache or Nutella
  • 2 packetswhipped cream stabilizerA packet of modified starch and sugar that keeps whipped cream firm; one packet is used for about 1 cup (250 ml) of cream. In the US use whipped cream stabilizer powder (sold online and in some baking aisles), or about 1 tbsp nonfat dry milk powder per cup of cream. In the UK, cream stabiliser powder (sold online), or a spoonful of mascarpone whipped in with the cream.
  • 1 ¼ cups300 mlheavy creamGerman cream for whipping has about 30 to 32 percent fat. In the US use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream; in the UK, whipping cream (double cream also works but whips faster, so watch it).
  • 9 oz260 ghazelnut cream wafersCrisp layered wafers with a hazelnut cream filling. In the US and the UK use hazelnut cream wafers such as Manner or Loacker.

Decoration

  • hazelnutstoasted and skinned
  • hazelnut cream wafers
  • unsweetened cocoa powderPure unsweetened cocoa powder for baking. In the US use unsweetened cocoa powder (not hot cocoa mix); in the UK, cocoa powder (not drinking chocolate).
  • ¾ cup plus 1 tbsp200 mlheavy cream

Method

Sponge

  1. Beat the butter, sugar, salt & vanilla sugar vigorously for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F (170°C) convection (fan) and line a 10-inch (26 cm) springform pan with parchment paper.

  2. As soon as the mixture is light and fluffy, beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each, and scrape down the sides of the bowl regularly if needed.

  3. Roughly combine the flour, baking powder & hazelnuts and stir them into the batter.

  4. Pour the batter into the springform pan and bake in the preheated oven until golden, then let it cool in the pan.

  5. Release the sponge from the pan, cut it in half horizontally and set the pan ring around the bottom layer.

Filling

  1. Whip the cream until stiff, sprinkling in the whipped cream stabilizer as you go.

  2. Lovingly stir the ganache or Nutella into the cream, then spread half of it over the bottom layer in the pan, cover it completely with wafers and spread the rest of the cream on top. Place the second layer on top and let the cake set in the fridge for at least 3 hours.

Decoration

  1. Whip the cream until stiff, fill it into a piping bag and pipe it on top to decorate. Finish with hazelnuts, cocoa powder & wafers.

From German Pastry Chef. Full recipe with photos: germanpastrychef.com/recipes/chocolate-hazelnut-cake/