To be honest I let out a big old groan when I read this month’s challenge for The Daring Bakers. It felt just like yesterday since I made that White Opéra Cake with Lemon Butter Cream, White Chocolate Mousse & Almonds two challenges ago. This was basically the same thing with different ingredients and still a lot of hard work that takes time too. After much deliberation I decided not to throw in the towel after all and got down to business…
It seemed a bit ridiculous to me that the recipe stated you should do 40 folds. Come on, who counts?? Afterwards I understood why they said you should work fast though. All that lovely air you whipped in your eggs with your mixer evaporates in a jiffy and before you know it your mixture’s volume is halved. That’s what happened to me. Of course having learnt my lesson during my first challenge I take nothing for granted. Only after the sponge came out perfectly, did I continue with the rest of the recipe. It’s a complete waste to start making buttercream when all you have is a flopped (pan)cake!
Maybe I prepared the sugar syrup all wrong. In my mind syrup is an ultra-sweet, thick and sticky sauce. Mine resembled brown sweet water. It did its job though by moistening the genoise.
One of the advantages of waiting a bit before baking the month’s challenge is that you can check out the forums and see if other Daring Bakers have come across problems in the recipe. When even the DB who chose this recipe couldn’t get the Swiss buttercream right after a few tries, I decided to slap up my own. While I was in the middle of making it, I thought adding a bit of cocoa to the buttercream will give it a lovely brown colour that will contrast with the beige sponge. Just after I have done it, a big (insert your favourite cuss word here) DOH!!! reverberated through the house and I’m sure the neighbours heard it too. At that moment I realised I forgot that the buttercream will end up on top of the cake too, on top of dark brown chocolate ganache glaze. So much for wanting contrasting colours. Oh well, “kyk noord en fok voort”. If you ask an Afrikaans South African nicely he might translate that for you.
Blend vanilla and liqueur/rum together and set aside.
Break the chocolate into 1-inch pieces and place in the basket of a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer into a medium sized bowl and set aside.
Heat the cream and corn syrup in a saucepan, on low, until it reached a gentle boil. Once to the gently boil, immediately and carefully pour over the chocolate. Leave it alone for one minute, then slowly stir and mix the chocolate and cream together until the chocolate is melted and incorporated into the cream. Carefully blend in vanilla mixture. If the surface seems oily, add ½ - 1 teaspoon hot water. The glaze will thicken, but should still be pourable. If it doesn’t thicken, refrigerate for about 5 minutes, but make sure it doesn’t get too cold!
After reading on the forums that some members thought that the apricot glaze made the cake taste a bit funny, I decided against using it. Read: I’m just lazy. Afterwards I heard from my retired baker neighbour that it is used to seal a cake before covering it with some topping. Oh. When I mentioned the taste issue, he said you only have to use very little, so little that you won’t notice the flavour. Oh. Hmmm, I think the recipe above uses too much of it then.
In record time I finished the baking challenge, just glad to get it over with. I’m still busy dieting, and the quicker I get rid of the cake, the better. I tend to reward myself with a slice, leave hubby a chunk and then give the rest to the neighbours. The only problem was that the neighbours were all on holiday. What to do, what to do? The next day the Southend Photographic Society held a “Summer Tea” at one of the member’s houses and I decided to take 75% of the cake along. Neil looked at me quizzically. I knew what he was going to say before he even opened his mouth. “You’re not going to take half a cake to this event, are you?!?” Hell yeah, I am! It would be an awful shame to let it all go to waste. When we got there he said I should go and “deliver” the cake first, because he’s too embarrassed to be seen with it. Hmpf, fine. None of the members made any comment and when desserts were served, the cake, MY cake, was polished off first. Ha! That felt good.
This all happened a few weeks ago. Looking back at the photos now I feel slightly bad for having not been so enthusiastic about the cake in the first place. Only now I start appreciating the beauty of the cake and I have to give it credit, it tasted damn fine too as far as cakes go. Bring on the next challenge!
📖 Recipe
Hazelnut Cake with Chocolate Praline Buttercream
- Total Time: 4 hours
- Yield: 24 servings 1x
Description
This hazelnut cake recipe comprises hazelnut genoise, sugar syrup, Swiss buttercream, praline paste and buttercream, apricot glaze & ganache glaze. Yum!
Ingredients
Filbert Genoise
Because of the amount of nuts in the recipe, this preparation is different from a classic genoise.
- 1 ½ cups hazelnuts, toasted/skinned
- ⅔ cup cake flour, unsifted
- 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
- 7 large egg yolks
- 1 cup sugar, divided ¼ & ¾ cups
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- ½ tsp. grated lemon rind
- 5 lg. egg whites
- ¼ cup warm, clarified butter
Sugar Syrup
Makes 1 cup, good for one 10-inch cake – split into 3 layers
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 Tbsp. dark rum or orange flavored liqueur
Swiss Buttercream
- 4 large egg whites
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 ½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly firm
- 1 ½ -2 Tbsp. Grand Marnier or liqueur of your choice
- 1 tsp vanilla
Praline Paste
- 1 cup (4 ½ oz.) Hazelnuts, toasted/skinless
- ⅔ cup Sugar
- Line a jelly roll pan with parchment and lightly butter
Praline Buttercream
- 1 recipe Swiss Buttercream
- ⅓ cup praline paste
- 1 ½ - 2 Tbsp. Jamaican rum (optional)
Apricot Glaze
Good for one 10-inch cake
- ⅔ cup thick apricot preserves
- 1 Tbsp. water
Ganache Glaze
- 6 oz. (good) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, like Lindt
- 6 oz. (¾ cup) heavy cream
- 1 tbsp. light corn syrup
- 1 Tbsp. Grand Marnier, Cointreau, or dark Jamaican rum (optional)
- ¾ tsp. vanilla extract
- ½ - 1 tsp. hot water, if needed
Assembling the Cake
- ½ cup heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks
- 3 tablespoons (filberts) hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
Instructions
Filbert Genoise
- Position rack in the lower 3rd of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10” X 2” inch round cake pan.
- Using a food processor, process nuts, cake flour, and cornstarch for about 30 seconds. Then, pulse the mixture about 10 times to get a fine, powdery mixture. You’ll know the nuts are ready when they begin to gather together around the sides of the bowl. While you want to make sure there aren’t any large pieces, don’t over-process. Set aside.
- Put the yolks in the bowl of an electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, and beat until thick and light in color, about 3-4 minutes on med-high speed. Slowly, add ¾ cup of sugar. It is best to do so by adding a tablespoon at a time, taking about 3 minutes for this step. When finished, the mixture should be ribbony. Blend in the vanilla and grated lemon rind. Remove and set aside.
- Place egg whites in a large, clean bowl of the electric mixer with the whisk attachment and beat on medium speed, until soft peaks. Increase to med-high speed and slowly add the remaining ¼ cup of sugar, over 15-20 seconds or so. Continue to beat for another ½ minute.
- Add the yolk mixture to the whites and whisk for 1 minute.
- Pour the warm butter in a liquid measure cup (or a spouted container). * It must be a deep bottom bowl and work must be fast.* Put the nut meal in a mesh strainer (or use your hand – working quickly) and sprinkle it in about 2 tablespoons at a time – folding it carefully for about 40 folds. Be sure to exclude any large chunks/pieces of nuts. Again, work quickly and carefully as to not deflate the mixture. When all but about 2 Tbsp. of nut meal remain, quickly and steadily pour the warm butter over the batter. Then, with the remaining nut meal, fold the batter to incorporate, about 13 or so folds.
- With a rubber spatula, transfer the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the surface with the spatula or back of a spoon. If collected butter remains at the bottom of the bowl, do not add it to the batter! It will impede the cake rising while baking.
- Tap the pan on the counter to remove air bubbles and bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes. You’ll know the cake is done when it is springy to the touch and it separates itself from the side of the pan. Remove from oven and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Invert onto a cake rack sprayed with nonstick coating, removing the pan. Cool the cake completely.
- If not using the cake right away, wrap thoroughly in plastic wrap, then in a plastic bag, then in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If freezing, wrap in foil, then the bag and use within 2-3 months.
Praline Paste
- Put the sugar in a heavy 10-inch skillet. Heat on low flame for about 10-20 min until the sugar melts around the edges. Do not stir the sugar. Swirl the pan if necessary to prevent the melted sugar from burning. Brush the sides of the pan with water to remove sugar crystals. If the sugar in the center does not melt, stir briefly. When the sugar is completely melted and caramel in color, remove from heat. Stir in the nuts with a wooden spoon and separate the clusters. Return to low heat and stir to coat the nuts on all sides. Cook until the mixture starts to bubble. **Remember – extremely hot mixture.** Then onto the parchment lined sheet and spread as evenly as possible. As it cools, it will harden into brittle. Break the candied nuts into pieces and place them in the food processor. Pulse into a medium-fine crunch or process until the brittle turns into a powder. To make paste, process for several minutes. Store in an airtight container and store in a cook dry place. Do not refrigerate.
Sugar Syrup, Swiss Buttercream & Praline Buttercream
- In a small, yet heavy saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add the liqueur. Cool slightly before using on the cake. *Can be made in advance.
- Blend ½ cup buttercream into the paste, then add to the remaining buttercream. Whip briefly on med-low speed to combine. Blend in rum.
- Place the egg whites in a lg/ bowl of a elevtric mixer and beat with the whisk attachment until the whites are foamy and they begin to thicken (just before the soft peak stage). Set the bowl over a saucepan filled with about 2 inches of simmering water, making sure the bowl is not touching the water. Then, whisk in the sugar by adding 1-2 tablespoon of sugar at a time over a minutes time. Continue beating 2-3 minutes or until the whites are warm (about 120 degrees) and the sugar is dissolved. The mixture should look thick and like whipped marshmallows.Remove from pan and with either the paddle or whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and sugar on med-high until its a thick, cool meringue – about 5-7 minutes. *Do not overbeat*. Set aside.
- Place the butter in a separate clean mixing bowl and, using the paddle attachment, cream the butter at medium speed for 40-60 seconds, or until smooth and creamy. *Do not overbeat or the butter will become toooooo soft.*
- On med-low speed, blend the meringue into the butter, about 1-2 Tbsp. at a time, over 1 minute. Add the liqueur and vanilla and mix for 30-45 seconds longer, until thick and creamy.
- Refrigerate 10-15 minutes before using.
- Wait! My buttercream won’t come together! Reheat the buttercream briefly over simmering water for about 5 seconds, stirring with a wooden spoon. Be careful and do not overbeat. The mixture will look broken with some liquid at the bottom of the bowl. Return the bowl to the mixer and whip on medium speed just until the cream comes back together.
- Wait! My buttercream is too soft! Chill the buttercream in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes and rewhip. If that doesn’t work, cream an additional 2-4 Tbsp. of butter in a small bowl– making sure the butter is not as soft as the original amount, so make sure is cool and smooth. On low speed, quickly add the creamed butter to the buttercream, 1 Tbsp. at a time.
- Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or can be frozen for up to 6 months. If freezing, store in 2 16-oz. plastic containers and thaw in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for several hours.
Apricot Glaze & Ganache Glaze
- In a small, yet heavy saucepan, bring the water and preserves to a slow boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes. If the mixture begins to stick to the bottom of the saucepan, add water as needed.
- Remove from heat and, using a strainer, press the mixture through the mesh and discard any remnants. With a pastry brush, apply the glaze onto the cake while the cake is still warm. If the glaze is too thick, thin to a preferred consistency with drops of water.
- Blend vanilla and liqueur/rum together and set aside.
- Break the chocolate into 1-inch pieces and place in the basket of a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer into a medium sized bowl and set aside.
- Heat the cream and corn syrup in a saucepan, on low, until it reached a gentle boil. Once to the gently boil, immediately and carefully pour over the chocolate. Leave it alone for one minute, then slowly stir and mix the chocolate and cream together until the chocolate is melted and incorporated into the cream. Carefully blend in vanilla mixture. If the surface seems oily, add ½ – 1 teaspoon hot water. The glaze will thicken, but should still be pourable. If it doesn’t thicken, refrigerate for about 5 minutes, but make sure it doesn’t get too cold!
Assembling the Cake
- Cut a cardboard disk slightly smaller than the cake. Divide the cake into 3 layers and place the first layer top-side down on the disk. Using a pastry brush, moisten the layer with 3-4 Tbsp. of warm sugar syrup. Measure out 1 cup of praline buttercream and set aside.
- Spread the bottom layer with a ¼-inch thickness of the remaining buttercream. Cover with ½ of the whipped cream, leaving ¼-inch border around the edge of the cake. Place the middle layer over the first, brush with sugar syrup, spreading with buttercream. Cover with the remaining whipped cream.
- Moisten the cut side of the third layer with additional sugar syrup and place cut side down on the cake. Gently, press the sides of the cake to align the layers. Refrigerate to chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Lift the cake by sliding your palm under the cardboard. Holding a serrated or very sharp night with an 8-ich blade held parallel to the sides of the cake, trim the sides so that they are perfectly straight. Cut a slight bevel at the top to help the glaze drip over the edge. Brush the top and sides of the cake with warm apricot glaze, sealing the cut areas completely. Chill while you prepare the ganache.
- Place a rack over a large shallow pan to catch the ganache drippings. Remove the gateau from the refrigerator and put it the rack. With a metal spatula in hand, and holding the saucepan about 10 inches above the cake, pour the ganache onto the cake’s center. Move the spatula over the top of the ganache about 4 times to get a smooth and mirror-like appearance. The ganache should cover the top and run down the sides of the cake. When the ganache has been poured and is coating the cake, lift one side of the rack and bang it once on the counter to help spread the ganache evenly and break any air bubbles. (Work fast before setting starts.) Patch any bare spots on the sides with a smaller spatula, but do not touch the top after the “bang”. Let the cake stand at least 15 minutes to set after glazing.
- To garnish the cake, fit a 12 – 14-inch pastry bag with a #114 large leaf tip. Fill the bag with the reserved praline cream. Stating ½ inch from the outer edge of the cake, position the pastry tube at a 90 degree angle with the top almost touching the top of the cake. Apply pressure to the pastry bag, moving it slightly toward the center of the cake. As the buttercream flows on the cake, reverse the movement backward toward the edge of the cake and finish by pulling the bag again to the center. Stop applying pressure and press the bag downward, then quickly pull the tip up to break the flow of frosting. Repeat, making 12 leaves evenly spaced around the surface of the cake.
- Make a second row of leaves on the top of the first row, moving the pastry bag about ¾ inch closer to the center. The leaves should overlap. Make a 3rd row, moving closer and closer to the center. Add a 4th row if you have the room. But, leave a 2-inch space in the center for a chopped filbert garnish. Refrigerate uncovered for 3-4 hours to allow the cake to set. Remove the cake from the refrigerator at least 3 hours before serving.
- Leftover cake can be covered with foil and kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Prep Time: 3 hours
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Cake
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: hazelnut cake recipe, hazelnut genoise, sugar syrup, Swiss buttercream, praline paste, praline buttercream, apricot glaze, ganache glaze
Sally
This took a while for me to get through but it was worth it! so yummy!
★★★★★
Pamela
What a lovely recipe!
plasterer bristol
Yum, this sounds amazing...Super delicious i bet. Thanks for sharing.
Simon
Lauren
Ooo, your cake looks amazing! Great job!
Debyi
Wow, your cake looks amazing! What a great job.
Jeanne
I've said it before and I'll say it again - you are a braver woman than me!! I would read the recipe and run screamign into the hills to become a recluse!! Well done you on finishing this long and fiddly task, particularly because you knew you were on diet and would not be eating it! And I LOVE how your cake looks - too beautiful.
Sweet Tooth
The color of the buttercream inside is what caught my eye first. I thought - oooh, either really dark toasted hazelnuts, a much better food processor than mine, or added chocolate. After reading it (and laughing about the "Duh" for your neighbors to hear, I have to say that I am sure it tasted great with the extra chocolate punch.
I am not surprised your cake was eaten first!
Alexandra
George@CulinaryTravels
Your cake looks stunning!! What a lovely challenge it was though 🙂
foni
Fantastic cake. I was thinking to try but while I read the recipe ,finally give up as too much things to do for this cake.
Great Job.
Rosa
Your cake looks fabulous! Those layers look perfect! Very well done!
Cheers,
Rosa
dove
Pretty cake! Great story! Your cake just looks so delicious...
Y
Wow look at those layers and the height on that cake! Fab! I wasn't too keen on making this cake to begin with as well, but I'm definitely glad I did give it a go 🙂
brozy
Beautiful!
Michelle
Gorgeous! Well done!
giz
We must have been groaning in unison - I thought for sure this one would be the death of me. It was a challenge but ultimately I'm still alive and the cake was superb. Yours looks really sophisticated and delicious. Thank goodness for pictures since I'm sure yours, like mine, is only a memory now.
kittie
That is one heck of a recipe, beautifully executed - well done you!!!
Mochachocolata-Rita
omg, kudos to you, michelle! well done! i'd pass out when i am challenged by such a recipe ^_^
Gina
A lovely cake (beautiful, really!), and a wonderful post about it. I admit I laughed aloud a couple of times. 🙂
Libby
yeah. done. not worth the effort, but I am seriously happy i made it, if only to be done.
jo
Haha! I felt exactly like you when i read the recipe. Great job and well done, your cake looks lovelyl