Chocolate Hazelnut Layer Cake

 This week’s bake is a Chocolate Hazelnut Layer Cake from Yolanda Gampp of How to Cake It!

It has three layers of chocolate sponge cake, two layers of hazelnut meringue and a layer of chocolate creme wafers.  It is filled with a Hazelnut Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream, and topped with Ferrero Rocher Chocolate Hazelnut Candies !

The combination of chocolate and hazelnut has it’s origin from the days of the Continental System, imposed by Napoleon in 1806.   It prevented British goods from entering European ports under French control, putting a strain on cocoa supplies.  A chocolatier in Turin named Michele Prochet extended the little chocolate he had by mixing it with hazelnuts from the Langhe hills south of Turin.  From a base of gianduja, Turin-based chocolate manufacturer Caffarel invented gianduiotto in 1852. 

It takes its name from Gianduja, a Carnival and marionette character who represents the archetypal Piedmontese, natives of the Italian region where hazelnut confectionery is common.

Gianduja is made in both plain and milk versions. It may also contain other nuts, such as almond.  As a bar, gianduja resembles regular chocolate, excepting the fact that it is significantly softer due to the presence of hazelnut oil.

Here is the recipe:

 

Chocolate Hazelnut Layer Cake from Yolanda Gampp of How To Cake It!

Hazelnut Meringues
4 egg whites
150g caster sugar
65g ground hazelnuts
85g chopped roasted hazelnuts
8 hazelnut creme-filled wafers, chopped
¾ tsp baking powder

Chocolate Hazelnut Buttercream
280g dark chocolate chips
225g nutella
180g caster sugar
4 egg whites
1/8  tsp cream of tartar
450g butter, soft
¼ tsp salt

Chocolate Sponges
100g cocoa powder
480g just boiled water
330g plain flour
1 tsp salt
1 ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tsp baking powder
560g caster sugar
230g unsalted butter, soft
4 eggs

Simple Syrup
240g water
225g caster sugar

Chocolate Sponge Cake

Add boiling water to cocoa, stir and set aside and let cool
Sift flour together with salt, baking soda and baking powder and mix together
In the bowl of mixer beat soft butter and caster sugar for 8-10 mins until pale and fluffy

Add eggs and beat well until fully incorporated, scraping down bowl as needed

Add flour and cocoa mixture in 4 parts dry and 3 parts wet alternating between dry and wet
divide batter between 3 tins that are greased and lined with parchment paper
Bake at  350 F   for 30-40 minutes until skewer comes out clean

Hazelnut Meringue

Prepare 2  8" tins by greasing tins and lining bottom and sides of tin with parchment paper
Separate eggs
Place egg whites in mixer bowl and add sugar to whites
Mix on med/high for 8-10 minutes until tripled in volume and glossy and white to stiff peaks
Put chopped wafers, chopped hazelnut and ground hazel nut into separate bowl and add baking powder and mix together
Mix into meringue and then add batter to the tins evenly - then level off with a palette knfe

Bake at 300 F for 40-50 mins

Simple Sugar

Heat Water and Sugar to the boil
Let cool
Add 2-3 tbs to each chocolate cake

Chocolate and Hazelnut Buttercream

Melt chocolate and set aside to cool
In a heat proof bowl add egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar put on saucepan over simmering water
Stir constantly over medium heat with a whisk until sugar is dissolved - 160F
Transfer to mixer bowl and whip on high speed for 8-10 minutes, until it is thick, white and glossy and bowl is cool to the touch
Add butter a piece at a time, and once it is all mixed in,  add cooled chocolate and Nutella and mix together for another couple of minutes until smooth
Leave some of buttercream in bowl and add some to piping bag with round nozzle tip

Assembly

Start with first chocolate sponge layer and add buttercream to cake layer - smooth and even out
Add meringue round to top of first layer
Pipe outline of buttercream around edge of meringue layer and fill with Nutella spread and level off
with palette knife
Add another chocolate layer on top and put a thin layer of buttercream on top of the  layer
Cut wafers into triangles and place in a circle on top of buttercream, then spread a layer
of buttercream on top of wafers to fill in gaps and keep in place
Add third layer of chocolate sponge cake and add layer of buttercream on top of that layer
And then add final layer of meringue cake
Add light coating of buttercream around side of cake but leave top of cake unfrosted

Add Four pierces of Ferrer Rocher chocolate candies to center of cake, using buttercream to hold in place

Here are some pictures of the bake:

                                

                

Have a great day !