Chocolate hazelnut cake

10 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1 cup Gran sugar
¼ cup Water
1 tablespoon Instant coffee powder
6 ounces Semisweet chocolate, broken
Into pieces
1 teaspoon Almond extract
6 ounces Semisweet chocolate, broken
Into small pieces
¼ cup Water
1 tablespoon Instant coffee powder
1 cup Unsalted butter, room temp
½ cup Unsalted butter, room temp
8 Eggs, separated, room temp
1 cup Skinned toasted hazelnuts,
Ground semifine
2 tablespoons Graham cracker crumbs
3 Egg yolks
1 cup Sifted powdered sugar
¼ cup Ground skinned toasted
Hazelnuts

Directions

CAKE

FROSTING

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 9" cake pans. To make the cake, simmer the sugar, water and coffee powder in a small saucepan over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate and almond extract. Stir until the chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.

Set aside to cool. Beat the butter in a mixer bowl until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the cooled chocolate mixture. Then stir in the hazelnuts and graham cracker crumbs. Beat the egg whites in a separate bowl with clean beaters until stiff but not dry. Fold a quarter of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, and then gently fold in the remaining. Pour the batter into the prepared pans, dividing evenly. Bake until the cake separates from the edge of the pan and springs back when lightly touched in the center, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in the pans 5 minutes; then invert onto wire racks to cool completely. To make the frosting, heat the chocolate, water, and coffee powder in a small saucepan over low heat until smooth. Set aside to cool. Cream the butter in a mixer bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time. Beat in the cooled chocolate mixture; then beat in the powdered sugar. Refrigerate the frosting until thick enough to spread. Place one cake layer on a serving plate and frost the top. Place the second cake layer on the first and spread the top and side of the cake with the frosting, smoothing the frosting as you spread it. Press the ground hazelnuts all around the side of the cake. Pipe any remaining frosting through a pastry tube decoratively on the top of the cake. From The Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook by Julee Russo & Sheila Lukins.

Submitted By TERRI WOLTMON On 04-23-95

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