Baking is my love language! This is so much more than just a delicious cake (that too!). It’s true that I don’t need reason to bake but when it comes to birthdays, anniversaries or any special occasions I go above and beyond!
Saahil and I baked this for Jaimin’s birthday last week; so much love and fun went into making and baking this straight forward recipe. And my husband fully appreciates how much of my heart and soul goes into these things I do!
Happy Birthday to the foodiest person I know!
Hazelnut Cake
Equipment
- Food Processor
Ingredients
Cake
- 5 ounces hazelnut
- 1/2 pound unsalted butter plus more for greasing
- 1 vanila bean
- 1 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 6 large egg whites
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
Chocolate Ganache
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 4 ounce semisweet chocolate
- 1/2 tsp instant coffee
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven at 350 F
- On a baking sheet spread the hazelnut evenly and toast them in the oven for 15 minutes.
- Once the skin on the hazelnuts starts peeling, around 15 minutes, remove from the oven and wrap the nut into a kitchen towel and let them steam for 5 minutes.
- Next, vigorously rub them to get in the towel to remove the skin.
- Once the skin is almost gone from the nuts, return them to the baking sheet and bake for another 12 minutes. They would golden brown in color.
- Let them cool while you brown the butter
- Place 1/2 pound butter in a medium sauce pan. Slice the vanilla bean and using a paring knife scrape the seeds and pulp and add it to the butter.
- Add vanilla pod to the pan as well and cook the butter and vanilla on a medium low heat until it is brown. Around 6 minutes. Stir and scrape frequently.
- Remove the vanilla pod and let the butter cool down in a heat proof bowl.
- Grease a 10 inch round pan with melter butter and line with parchment paper. Keep aside.
- Grind the hazelnuts with the powdered sugar in a food processor until they’re finely ground. Add the flour and pulse to combine. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on a medium speed until the whites are foamy. Add the granulated sugar and mix on high speed for 5 minutes, until the mixture forms very stiff peaks.
- Transfer the whites to a large mixing bowl.
- Alternately fold the dry ingredients and the brown butter into the egg whites, a third of a time.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Until the cake tester comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes.
- Run a knife around the inside edge of the pan, peel off the paper, and turn the cake over onto a serving platter.
Chocolate Ganache
- In a heat safe bowl place the chocolate and coffee.
- Heat the heavy cream in a sauce pan on a low heat until simmering.
- Add warm cream on top of the chocolate and let it sit for a minute.
- Start whisking from the center and moving outwards until the chocolate is melted and the ganache is completely smooth.
- Cover the cake with ganache, sprinkle some chopped hazelnut if you like.
