Hazelnut Praline Layer Cake Recipes

HAZELNUT PRALINE CAKE

Steps:

• In a large enough bowl with the help of a Hand whisk, whisk together half of the sugar (50 g) and egg yolk until slightly fluffy
• Add corn starch, flour, and vanilla with until thoroughly incorporated and have a smooth paste
• Bring milk and the other half of the sugar (50 g) to boil in a saucepan on medium heat ,then remove it as soon as it starts simmering. Make sure it is simmering but not crazy boiling, see tips above
• Pour the warm milk over the egg yolk mixture slowly while whisking vigorously with a Hand whisk.
• Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook on medium heat for a few minutes until it thickens. Concretely it is approximately 1 min after the first boil. It might get lumpy first, don't worry just keep whisking and the cream will get smooth and glossy. It's worth to keep a good quality (so that the milk won't burn in it) small/medium sized saucepan for making pastry cream
• If in doubt, strain the pastry cream for a lump free, creamy end result
• Add in room temperature butter and mix with a Rubber spatula until completely incorporated. It is worth to add the butter in 3 stages and mix well after each addition.
• Pastry cream needs to completely cool down before using it for any dessert. Place the cream into a shallow bowl and cover the entire surface with plastic wrap to avoid skin forming on top
• Once pastry cream set, prepare the mousseline cream by whipping room temp butter first
• Whip in praline paste for 1-2 minutes
• Start whipping in the room temp pastry cream in 4 stages until cream reaches a stable yet fluffy texture. Do not over whip the mixture as it can become runny
• Pre-heat oven to 180 C / 356°F
• Cream room temp butter with icing sugar for a few minutes until it becomes pale and fluffy
• Mix in egg, one at a time and whip the mixture further
• Sift in flour & hazelnut & salt mixture, fold with a Rubber spatula until fully combined
• Using ideally a Silikone roulade mat or alternatively a large tray, spread cake batter in even and thin layer with the help of an Offset spatula and bake for 8-10 minutes
• Let the sponge cool in the tray then cut out 4 x 15 cm circles
• Set your Mousse cake ring (adjustable in size) to 15 cm as the size of the sponges, use Acetate cake collar if you wish. Start building up the cake from bottom to top in the following order: sponge, praline paste, mousseline cream, sponge, praline paste, mousseline cream, sponge, praline paste, mousseline cream, sponge. Use a Digital scale to divide the cream and praline paste equally between the layers
• Let the cake set in the fridge overnight or minimum 4 hours
• Place the remaining cream into the fridge
• Carefully remove the Mousse cake ring (adjustable in size) and cake collar, spread a thin layer of mousseline cream on the side and top of the cake. Decorate the side with chopped nuts
• Temper Callebaut WhiteChocolate (callets) and spread it over a sheet of parchment paper in a thin and even layer then roll it up. Let it set in the fridge for 60 minutes then carefully start rolling the parchment out The chocolate should should naturally break into shards as you are rolling it out. Decorate the cake with the chocolate shards

HAZELNUT PRALINE LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Cake.
• Set a rack in the middle of the oven, and preheat to 375 degrees. Lightly coat two 9-inch cake pans with nonstick vegetable spray. Line the bottom of each pan with a circle of baking parchment.
• Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together three times.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter and sugar at high speed for 15 seconds, until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until each is incorporated.
• Continue beating on high until light and fluffy, about 6 minutes more.
• With the mixer on its lowest setting, beat in a third of the flour mixture. Beat in half the buttermilk and all the Frangelico, then the hazelnuts and another third of the flour mixture. Beat in the remaining buttermilk and then the remaining flour.
• Spread the batter in the prepared pans and bake about 20 to 25 minutes, until cake is golden brown and the center springs back when lightly pressed and a cake tester comes out clean.
• Set the pans on a rack to cool. Turn out the cakes when cool enough to handle. (If the cakes are refrigerated for 2 hours at this stage, they will be easier to handle and frost.).
• Praline Buttercream.
• Put 1/2 cup water and the sugar in a small saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer. Over high heat, bring the temperature to 240 degrees (soft-ball stage).
• In the meantime, in the completely clean and dry bowl of an electric mixer, whisk the egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar until creamy, foamy, and barely able to hold very soft peaks. With the mixer running on slow, carefully drizzle in the hot syrup. Continue to whisk on high speed until mixture is fluffy, firm, and cooled to room temperature; gradually beat in the butter and then the praline paste.
• When the cakes are cold, trim the tops with a large serrated knife. Split each cake into two layers.
• Spread a 1/4-inch layer of the buttercream between each layer. Frost the outside of the cake with the remaining buttercream, and then coat the sides of the cake with the chopped hazelnuts.
• Optional.
• Decorate top of cake with whole hazelnuts, blackberries, or raspberries to form a row around the edge.