We were haveing some friends and a neighbour over for dinner one evening we needed a dessert. Cake!
Utilizing cookbooks seems to be a challenge foe me lately. With the web always close at hand, in my mind it can be easier to go and print something off. One of my ongoing goals is to use our large collection of cookbooks more often. After all , they are already printed.
A few years ago I was given John Barricelli's book - The SONO Baing Company Cookbook. I can't get over that it was published 5 years ago! I haven't made too many things from the book, but the Hazelnut Cake recipe always interested me.
This recipe uses:
For the sponge:
- 1/4 Cup Hazelnut flour
- 3.4 Cup Sugar
- 9 Tablespoons Cake Flour
- 6 Tablespoons of Cornstarch
- 3 Large Eggs
- 3 Large Egg Yolks
- 1/8 Teaspoon of Salt
- 1 Tablespoon of Almond Extract (see note)
- 3/4 Cup of Vegetable oil
For the Butter Cream
- 5 Large Egg Whites
- 1 1/3 Cups of Sugar
- 1 Pound of Unsalted Butter
- 8 Ounces of chopped Milk Chocolate
- 2 Tablespoons of Dutch Cocoa
- 1/4 Cup of Praline Paste (see note)
More after the break....
According to the directions I sprayed a 9" pan with vegetable spray and lined the pan with parchment and sprayed it again (see note).
As I was using hazelnut flour, rather than whole hazelnuts, is sifted the flours, cornstarch, 1/4 of a cup of sugar. Just to get out any obvious lumps.
Using my mixer, I combined the eggs, egg yolks and 1/2 cup of sugar, salt and almond extract . I Whipped it on high speed for 8 minutes until the mixture held a thick ribbon.
It was then into the pan and off to a pre heated 375 degree oven. For 28 minutes (your time may vary).
As soon as the cake came away from the edges I removed it to a cooling rack.
I immeditely turned it out as per the instructions. The parchment stock to the pan and some of the cake stuck to the parchment. Not a pretty dight but easily recoverable. I let the cake cool completely.
While the cake was in the oven I started in on the butter cream, mixtures. I combined the sugar and eggwhites in a bowl and heated them until it was warm to the touch.
I then transferred the mixture to the mixer and whipped it until stiff peaks formed.
While the mixer was soing it's job, I started melting some milk chocolate and let it cool just a little.
Once the stiff peaks had formed it was time to beat in the pound of butter tablespoon by tablespoon. This took 4 or 5 minutes.
I then split the buttercream in 1/2 and added the milk chcolate to one of the bowls and combined it well.
In another bowl, I added the praline paste and a scoop of the remaining plain butter cream. I combined the two to lighten up the praline paste.
Next I added the rest of the remaining plain butter cream and combined them well.
Once the cake was cool I split it into 3 layers. On the first 2 layers I spread 1/2 of the hazelnut buttercream.
I added the 3rd layer and spread 1/2 of the milk chocolate butter cream all over the top and sides as a crumb coat. I let this chill in the fridge or 30 minutes. I cam back to the cake and finished frosting it and decorating. The recipe really had not decorating directions. A few swirls and some German Hazelnut Krokant finished the cake.
It was a decent cake! Our guests enjoyed it.
Bakers Notes:
- 1 Tablespoon of Almond Extract is way too much. Hides any hint there may have been hazelnuts used. Maybe a teaspoon would be better
- Praline paste is available in some higher end grocerys stores or your local gourmet market. For this recipe I made my own. A can of a few ounces was $12.
- In my opinion, other than the overwhealming almond flavour of the sponge, it was not very memorable. The praline and milk chcocolate butter creams seemed to be the stars
- Butter and flour the pan, the recipe only calls for buttering
- I would use and 8" cake pan for a taller cake
- The instructions said to place the cake pan on a sheet pan in the oven. Next time I would avoid the sheet pan.
- I woud make the chocolate butter cream again and again!