Chocolate And Hazelnut Crunch Cake Recipes

HAZELNUT CRUNCH CAKE WITH MASCARPONE AND CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• FOR THE CAKE:.
• Preheat the oven to 350º F.
• Butter and flour 2 (8-inch) cake pans.
• Prepare the cake mix according to package instructions.
• Divide the batter between the 2 cake pans and bake according to package instructions; remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.
• FOR THE CRUNCH:.
• Place the toasted nuts close together in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.
• Stir the sugar mixture until dissolved.
• Bring to a boil and let cook until the sugar is light brown, about 8 minutes.
• Let the bubbles subside then pour the caramelized sugar over the nuts.
• Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator and let the sugar nut mixture cool until hard, about 30 minutes.
• When the sugar nut mixture is hard and cool, top with another piece of parchment paper and pound into small pieces, or place the sugar nut mixture on a cutting board and cut into small pieces; set aside.
• FOR THE FILLING:.
• Put the mascarpone cheese, cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla into a large mixing bowl.
• Using an electric mixer whip the cream mixture to soft peaks.
• Fold the crunch mixture into the whipped cream.
• FOR THE TOPPING:.
• Place the chocolate, sugar and zest in a food processor.
• Process the mixture until the chocolate is finely ground.
• ASSEMBLY OF CAKE:.
• Put 1 cake on a serving plate.
• Top with 1-inch of the whipped cream crunch mixture.
• Top with the second layer of cake and continue frosting the entire cake with the remaining whipped cream crunch mixture.
• Sprinkle the top and sides of the cake with the ground chocolate.
• Serve & Enjoy!

HAZELNUT CRUNCH CAKE WITH MASCARPONE AND CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• For the cake:
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter and flour two 8-inch cake pans. Prepare the cake mix according to package instructions. Divide the batter between the 2 cake pans and bake according to package instructions. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.
• For the crunch:
• Place the toasted nuts close together in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir the sugar mixture until dissolved. Bring to a boil and let cook until the sugar is light brown, about 8 minutes. Let the bubbles subside then pour the caramelized sugar over the nuts. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator and let the sugar nut mixture cool until hard, about 30 minutes. When the sugar nut mixture is hard and cool, top with another piece of parchment paper and pound into small pieces, or place the sugar nut mixture on a cutting board and cut into small pieces. Set aside.
• For the filling:
• Put the mascarpone cheese, cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla into a large mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer whip the cream mixture to soft peaks. Fold the Crunch mixture into the whipped cream.
• For the topping:
• Place the chocolate, sugar and zest in a food processor. Process the mixture until the chocolate is finely ground.
• To assemble the cake:
• Put 1 cake on a serving plate. Top with 1-inch of the whipped cream crunch mixture. Top with the second layer of cake and continue frosting the entire cake with the remaining whipped cream crunch mixture. Sprinkle the top and sides of the cake with the ground chocolate. Serve.

CHOCOLATE AND HAZELNUT CRUNCH CAKE

Steps:

• Combine both chocolates and melt them over a double boiler. Whisk the yolks and 1/2 of the sugar in a mixer equipped with a whisk, set aside at room temperature. In a separate bowl, whisk the whipping cream to the soft peak stage and set aside, refrigerated. Combine the 3 egg whites with the remaining sugar and whip to a soft peak stage. Pour the melted chocolate into the yolk and sugar mixture and whip at high speed until the mixture begins to pale and increase in volume. Fold in the whipped egg whites and then the whipped cream until smooth and homogenous. Pour into individual 3-inch diameter plastic round bottom (about 1/2 cup capacity) molds and freeze.
• Combine and melt the Gandujia and the hazelnut paste over a double boiler until smooth. Set aside at room temperature. Add the royaltine chips and the peanut oil and fold into the chocolate mixture until smooth. While the mixture is still warm, spread it on a sheetpan in a 1/2-inch layer, evening the surface with the aid of an offset spatula. Refrigerate until solid and then cut into 3-inch circles and refrigerate. These circles will serve as the base for the mousse cakes.
• Combine both of the ingredients over a double boiler and melt until smooth. Allow to cool to a warm stage and fill a container of an electric spray gun with the mixture. The spray gun should be new or has never been used for any purpose other than food.
• To assemble cakes: Remove the crunchy 3-inch discs from the refrigerator and place on plates. Remove mousse molds and unmold on top of the disc. These should be kept frozen until ready to spray with the chocolate mist. Remove mousse cakes from the freezer and spray the chocolate domes liberally to create a velour type finish, while still frozen. Refrigerate until set. Serve the mousse cakes with chocolate sauce and chocolate decorations of your choice.

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT CAKE WITH PRALINE CHOCOLATE CRUNCH

Steps:

• For praline chocolate crunch:
• Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Stir sugar and 1/3 cup water in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and cook without stirring, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down sides with a wet pastry brush, until amber in color, 7-8 minutes. Stir in hazelnuts, then pour onto 1 prepared sheet, separating nuts. Let cool.
• Transfer candied nuts to a food processor. Add hazelnut oil and purée until smooth to make praline paste.
• Combine both chocolates and 3 tablespoons praline paste in a medium metal bowl (reserve remaining praline paste for praline mousse layer). Set bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and stir in salt, then cereal. Spread out in a thin layer (about 1/8") on second prepared baking sheet. Chill until set, about 30 minutes.DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled. Cover and chill remaining praline paste.
• For cake:
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 17x11x1" sheet pan with parchment paper; butter paper. Sift flour and cocoa powder into a medium bowl and set aside. Separate 4 eggs, placing yolks in a large bowl and whites in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat yolks with 1/2 cup sugar on medium speed until thick and light yellow, about 3 minutes. Beat in 4 whole eggs, one at a time, blending well between additions.
• Using clean, dry beaters, beat egg whites with remaining 1/2 cup sugar and corn syrup until slightly thickened and frothy, about 2 minutes. Add egg-white mixture to egg-yolk mixture and beat to blend. Add flour-cocoa powder mixture; fold just to blend. Spread out evenly on prepared baking sheet.
• Bake until a tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely. Invert cake onto a large cutting board or baking sheet and peel off parchment. Brush cake all over with brandy. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.
• For nut ganache:
• Bring cream to a boil in a small saucepan. Purée hot cream, hazelnut butter, and salt in a food processor. Let cool to room temperature. With machine running, add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, puréeing until smooth between additions. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Return to room temperature before using.
• Praline Mousse:
• Combine chocolate, praline paste, and butter in a medium bowl. Bring 3/4 cup cream to a boil in a small saucepan; pour over chocolate mixture. Let stand for 1 minute, then stir until melted and smooth. Beat remaining 1 cup chilled cream until soft peaks form. Fold whipped cream into chocolate mixture. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
• Assembly:
• Spread nut ganache over cake and chill in freezer until set, about 15 minutes. Spread mousse over ganache and chill in freezer until set, about 15 minutes. Cut cake crosswise into thirds; stack layers on top of each other. Trim edges, then spread Chocolate Glaze epi:recipelinkover top and sides of cake. Freeze until set, about 1 hour. Place in refrigerator and chill overnight. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Tent with foil and keep chilled.
• Let cake stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving. Break up praline chocolate crunch into large shards and arrange on top of cake. Garnish with roasted hazelnuts.

MILK CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE WITH HAZELNUT CRUNCH CRUST

Steps:

• For cake:
• Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 350°F. Line bottom of 9-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides with parchment paper. Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat. Spoon off foam from top of butter and discard. Spoon clear yellow butter into small metal bowl, leaving water and milk solids in bottom of pan. Add vanilla to butter in bowl; set clarified butter aside.
• Sift flour and cocoa powder together 3 times into medium bowl. Whisk eggs and sugar in large metal bowl to blend. Place bowl with egg mixture in large skillet of barely simmering water; whisk constantly until egg mixture is lukewarm (105°F), about 2 minutes. Remove bowl from water. Place bowl with clarified butter in hot water in same skillet over low heat to keep warm.
• Using electric mixer, beat egg mixture until cool and tripled in volume, about 5 minutes. Sift 1/3 of flour-cocoa mixture over egg mixture and gently fold in with rubber spatula. Fold in remaining flour-cocoa mixture in 2 more additions. Fold 1 cup of cake batter into warm clarified butter until incorporated. Using rubber spatula, gently fold butter-cake batter mixture into remaining cake batter.
• Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake until tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean and top springs back slightly when gently pressed, about 30 minutes. Cool completely in pan on rack. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; store at room temperature.)
• Run knife between pan sides and cake to loosen. Invert cake onto rack; remove parchment. Using long serrated knife, trim top of cake horizontally, forming 3/4-inch-high cake layer. Using bottom of 8-inch-diameter springform pan as guide, trim around sides of cake to form 8-inch round cake. Set cake aside.
• For hazelnut crunch:
• Line bottom of 8-inch-diameter springform pan with parchment paper. Pour enough water into large skillet to reach depth of 1 inch; bring to simmer. Remove skillet from heat. Place gianduja in medium metal bowl; set bowl in hot water in skillet. Stir until gianduja is melted and smooth. Stir in cereal and nuts. Spread crunch evenly over parchment in pan. Place cake atop crunch layer, pressing to adhere. Chill until crunch is firm, about 1 hour.
• For mousse:
• Place gianduja in metal bowl. Pour enough water into large skillet to reach depth of 1 inch; bring to simmer. Remove from heat; place bowl with gianduja in hot water in skillet. Stir until gianduja is smooth. Remove bowl from water; cool gianduja to lukewarm.
• Using electric mixer, beat cream and salt in another bowl until very soft peaks form (when bowl is tilted, cream should be fluffy but still pourable and flow to one side). Mix 3 tablespoons water into melted gianduja. Pour whipped cream over and fold into gianduja just until incorporated (mousse will be very soft).
• Brush top of chilled cake with liqueur. Spread mousse over cake in pan. Cover and chill overnight. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.)
• Run knife between cake and pan sides to loosen. Soak kitchen towel in hot water; wring out water. Wrap hot wet towel around pan sides and hold 30 seconds. Carefully remove pan sides from cake; smooth mousse with knife if necessary. Place cake on pan bottom on rack set over baking sheet. Sift cocoa powder lightly over top of cake. Using stencils such as snowflakes or stars, sift powdered sugar over top of cake. Transfer to platter and serve.
• *Many supermarkets sell pre-husked hazelnuts. if you can't find them, here's how to husk whole hazelnuts: Scatter nuts on rimmed baking sheet and toast at 350°F until skins darken, 12 to 15 minutes. Wrap warm hazelnuts in kitchen towel and rub together to remove skins.