Hazelnut Praline Cake
August 22, 2008 at 7:04 pm | Posted in cakes & tortes, events, layer cakes, sweet things | 18 Comments
If you asked me “cake or pie?” I’d yell “cake” every time! That’s why event-mistress-extraordinaire Laurie’s newest play-along, Layers of Cake, sounded right up my alley. In a happy coincidence this month, I knew I would be making a cake for R’s birthday anyway. R picks his own cake every year, and then I whip up his request. A couple weeks ago, when he chose a Hazelnut Praline Cake from a gorgeous book called Crave: A Passion for Chocolate by Australian Maureen McKeon, I momentarily thought I’d landed in Bizarro World– hadn’t I made something sort of like this but a little different last month? No matter, it was his choice after all, and I knew it would be good.
This is not what I would think of as an “American-style” layer cake. It’s a flourless chocolate cake, with ground hazelnuts providing the structure and whipped eggs providing the lift. It has the dense but creamy texture I was expecting and hoping for. The frosting is a milk chocolate whipped ganache (oh my gosh, is it ever good!), and it’s sprinkled with as much homemade hazelnut praline as your heart desires. It’s really rich, but fantastic– definitley fit for a special occasion, and not bad with a nice (giant, as you can see above!) glass of Cookoothama Botrytis Semillon, either.
Hazelnut Praline Cake– makes 10-12 servings
adapted from Maureen McKeon’s Crave: A Passion for Chocolate
Note: I halved this recipe and baked it in two 6-inch rounds. Rather than cutting each round into layers, as the author suggests, I left mine as a two-layer cake.
-Make the hazelnut nut praline (recipe follows) and allow to cool. Then break some into shards to decorate and crush the rest.
-Bake the cake (recipe follows) and allow to cool completely.
-While the cake is baking, make the milk chocolate cream (recipe follows) and chill.
-Slice both of the 9-inch cakes horizontally into two layers, or the 10-inch cake into three layers. (If you halve the recipe, or if your baked cakes are simply thin, use your judgement here to decide if you want to slice them or not.) Put one layer on a cake board and spread with some of the whipped chocolate cream. You may need to dip the your icing spatula into hot water to aid in spreading. Sprinkle with some of the crushed praline, and top with the next cake layer. Repeat until all layers are used.
-Spread the remaining cream on the outside of the cake. Sprinkle with as much crushed praline as you’d like and decorate with the shards.
-Cover lightly and refrigerate until service.
Hazelnut Praline
Note: This may make more than you want to use on the cake. You can adjust the quantities accordingly, but extras save nicely for a couple weeks and can be used crushed over ice cream, etc.
235 g granulated sugar
pinch of salt
250 g skinned hazelnuts, warmed
-Line a baking tray (with sides) with a Silpat or parchment.
-Put the sugar, pinch of salt and 50 ml water into a heavy pot. Stir to combine and clean down and sugar crystals on the sides of the pot with a little water. Bring the sugar to a boil and cook until a light caramel color (do not stir).
-Add the nuts and stir over low heat with a wooden spoon. You will notice the sugar go chalky white, and as you stir it will slowly begin to re-caramelize. Increase the heat at this point and continue to cook until the mixture turns a deep honey color.
-Turn the caramel and nut mixture out onto the lined tray. Pat into a single layer with the back of your wooden spoon. Allow to cool completely, and it will harden.
-Once hard, break into shards or put in plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin.
-Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.
Cake
6 large eggs, separated
115 g plus 1 T granulated sugar
pinch of salt
185 g chopped dark chocolate, melted and cooled to tepid
185 g ground hazelnuts
-Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch or one 10-inch round cake pans and line with parchment.
-Using an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks and 115 g sugar on medium-high speed until thick and pale.
-Using clean beaters and bowl, beat the whites with a pinch of salt until soft peaks. Add the 1 T sugar and beat until glossy.
-Mix the tepid chocolate with 3 T hot water and add to the egg yolk mixture. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the ground hazelnuts. Then gently fold in the meringue in two stages.
-Divide the batter among the prepared pans. Bake in the middle of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes (maybe less if you halve the recipe), or until the top is firm to the touch.
-Allow to cool completely in the cake pans before turning out.
Milk Chocolate Cream
375 ml cream (35% fat)
pinch of salt
300 g chopped milk chocolate
60 g unsalted butter
-Bring the cream and pinch of salt to a boil in the saucepan and remove from the heat. Add the chocolate to the hot cream and allow it to stand for a minute or two. Stir until smooth; then stir in the butter. Cover and chill for two hours.
-Use a wooden spoon to beat the chilled ganache mixture until thickened and spreadable.
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a whisk and a spoon 
What a beautiful looking cake… I am planning my brother’s 40th bash at the moment, and this is exactly the right type of thing. Picture perfect.
Comment by Suzie— August 22, 2008 #
Whoa whoa whoa – hold up there. Flour chocolate *layer* cake?!? With hazelnuts?! Dangit, that’s just not fair.
Comment by Caitlin— August 22, 2008 #
I can’t wait for another birthday party so I can bake this beauty. 🙂
Comment by Patricia Scarpin— August 22, 2008 #
That cake is BEYOND marvelous – especially since I looove hazelnuts!! 🙂
Comment by VeggieGirl— August 22, 2008 #
OMG. This looks SO amazingly rich and delicious. I can just imagine it melting in my mouth. Definitely adding this to my list!
Comment by Sues— August 23, 2008 #
Oh, wow, this looks amazing! It looks so beautiful and delicious. I’m definitely bookmarking this so I can make it when I get a chance!
Comment by Erin— August 23, 2008 #
*gushes*.. my gosh… i’m booking marking this one right here right now! the hazelnut praline looks divine!..
Comment by Sihan— August 23, 2008 #
Your cake is beautiful! I’ll have to make it for a special occasion.
Comment by Lynne— August 23, 2008 #
Decadent and truly scrumptious! I will have to save this recipe for a special day.
Comment by Camille— August 24, 2008 #
hmmmmmmm this looks super super delicious. Its got chocolate and hazelnuts. my favorite ingredients. I ll be in heaven if i just grab a piece 🙂
Comment by snooky doodle— August 24, 2008 #
This looks so good~! I wanted to tell you that I made the rhubarb filled cupcakes that you won Cupcake Hero with back in April and they were absolutely amazing. Wonderful recipe!
Comment by Mary Ann— August 25, 2008 #
yum! what a lovely cake!
Comment by Jaime— August 26, 2008 #
Wow!!! It looks absolutely wonderful
Comment by Marthe— August 27, 2008 #
That looks incredible!
Comment by Judy— August 29, 2008 #
That looks so delicious. I love your photos & fonts. 😉
Comment by howtoeatacupcake— September 6, 2008 #
This looks very good. I have been searching for some good cake recipes for a birthday that is coming up. This one looks like it might fit the bill.
I scream cake instead of pie everytime too.
Comment by Lori— September 12, 2008 #
This cake, while looking amazing in the picture was a complete disaster when I made it. I’m usually very good at cakes but this one never cooked completely though, no matter how long I cooked it. And yes, the oven was at the correct temperature.
Disapointed as was for my mum’s Birthday
Comment by kieran— November 5, 2010 #
Hmmm…sorry to hear that. I just double-checked the cake portion of the recipe, and I didn’t make any mistakes in typing. I did not have that experience with the cake.
Comment by steph (whisk/spoon)— November 5, 2010 #