Combine hazelnuts with chocolate and there is no way the little boy above will give up even a bite of one cake. That's right, folks, for this week's bake Rob combined hazelnuts and chocolate to create a beautiful and delicious treat. If you are looking to create something marvelous for the New Year holiday, or any time for that matter, below you will find a recipe worthy of your time. It will not disappoint your palate!
Chocolate Hazelnut Cream Cake by Wes Martin
From the website: Christopher Kimball's Milk Street
https://www.177milkstreet.com/recipes/chocolate-hazelnut-cream-cake
For the whipped ganache:
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170 grams (6 ounces) white chocolate, finely chopped
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1 packet (7 grams) unflavored gelatin
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2 cups heavy cream
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8 ounce container mascarpone cheese
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2 tablespoons honey
For the cake:
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40 grams (½ cup) unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder, plus more for the pan
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216 grams (1⅔ cups) all-purpose flour
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321 grams (1½ cups) white sugar
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½ teaspoon baking powder
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½ teaspoon baking soda
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½ teaspoon kosher salt
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2 large eggs
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1 cup buttermilk, preferably low-fat
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⅔ cup grapeseed or other neutral oil
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2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the soaking syrup:
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71 grams (⅓ cup) white sugar
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1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
For assembly:
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95 grams (⅓ cup) chocolate-hazelnut spread, such as Nutella
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35 grams (¼ cup) toasted skinned hazelnuts, half roughly chopped, half very finely chopped, reserved separately
A Nutella lover can appreciate the jumbo size!
As stated in an article from Hazelnut Hill (https://www.hazelnuthill.com/about/history-of-gianduja-chocolate-hazelnut-spread):
"The marriage between chocolate and hazelnuts can be traced back to Turin, Italy during the early 1800s.
At the time, Napoleonic France had imposed the Continental System which blocked French allies and neutral countries from trading with the British. The restriction of British goods from entering European harbors put a huge strain on cocoa supplies.
Italian chocolatiers from Turin decided to extend what little chocolate they were able to get their hands on by mixing it with the abundant hazelnuts from the Langhe hills south of Turin.
This was the birth of gianduja (or gianduia) — a sweet chocolate spread which contains about 30 percent hazelnut paste. The name gianduja comes from Gianduja, a carnival and marionette character of the time that represented a person native to Piedmont – an Italian region known for its hazelnut confectionery.
Around the mid-1800s in Turin, chocolatier Michele Prochet, is said to have perfected the gianduja mixture and is often credited for creating gianduiotto — individually foil-wrapped hazelnut chocolates that are shaped like upside-down boats.
In fact, many popular hazelnut products were invented as a response to a lack of availability of normal ingredients.
For instance, Nutella was invented during World War II when the war had created another chocolate shortage. Italian chocolatier Pietro Ferrero created pasta gianduja which was sold in a hard loaf and could be sliced to put on bread.
In 1949, he accidentally added cocoa butter to the mixture which made the paste soft enough to spread. Long story short, modern Nutella hit the market in 1964 and has been undeniably successful ever since."
Below are photos of Rob's bake. The marriage of hazelnuts and chocolate is a harmonious success. Thank you for spending time with us. Happy New Year to you. - Linda and Rob
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