Title: Caramel-Cloaked Chocolate Hazelnut Torte
Ingredients:
- 2 hazelnuts
- 6 eggs
- 1/2 sugar
- 3 vanilla extract
- 1 bittersweet chocolate
- 1 1/2 brown sugar
- 1 light corn syrup
- 1 butter
- 1 salt
- 1 vanilla
- 1/2
- 1/4
- 1
Instructions:
1. CHOCOLATE GANACHE:
2. In a 2-3 quart pan over low heat, stir 1-1/2 cups chopped chocolate and 1 cup whipping cream until melted and smoothly blended, 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Let cool, stirring occasionally, until ganache no longer flows when pan is tilted, about 2 to 2-1/2 hours.
4. CAKE:
5. Preheat oven 350ºF.
6. Place nuts in a 10x15-inch baking pan; roast, shaking pan occasionally, until golden beneath skins, about 10-12 minutes.
7. Pour nuts into towel and rub to remove loose skins.
8. Let cool at least 15 minutes.
9. Set aside 8 completely skinned nuts.
10. Whirl remaining nuts in food processor until finely ground.
11. In a bowl, with mixer on high speed, beat egg yolks and 1/4 cup sugar, scraping bowl occasionally, until very thick and light colored, about 4 minutes.
12. Stir in ground nuts, bread or cake crumbs, and vanilla extract.
13. In a large bowl, with clean beaters, beat egg whites on high speed until they hold soft peaks.
14. Gradually, add remaining 1/4 cup sugar and continue to beat until egg whites hold short, distinct peaks, about 3 minutes total.
15. Add half the whites to nut mixture and stir to blend well.
16. Gently fold in remaining whites, spread batter level in buttered and floured 9-inch cheesecake pan with removable rim.
17. Bake until cake is golden brown and springs back in the center when lightly pressed, 25-30 minutes.
18. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes.
19. Run a knife between cake and pan rim.
20. Lat cake cool on a rack about 45 minutes.
21. With a long serrated knife, split cake in half horizontally.
22. Gently slide a baking sheet under top cake layer and lift it off.
23. Spread bottom cake layer evenly with chocolate ganache, slide top layer, cut side down, back in place over ganache.
24. CARAMEL CLOAK:
25. In a 3-4 quart pan, combine 1 cup each firmly packed brown sugar, light corn syrup and whipping cream; 1/2 cup butter and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
26. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and stir occasionally until mixture reaches 240ºF, 12-14 minutes.
27. Pour into a 1 qt glass measure and stir occasionally until mixture cools to 150ºF, about 25 minutes.
28. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla.
29. Pour over cake immediately.
30. Set cake on rack in a 12x17-inch pan.
31. Pour about1-1/2 cups warm caramel cloak over cake--enough to coat it--starting at the center and spiraling to edges, letting caramel drip down sides to cover completely.
32. Arrange reserved hazelnuts evenly around top edge of cake.
33. Let stand until caramel stops dripping and it is firm enough to cut, about 30 minutes.
34. Scrape caramel drips from pan back into the measuring cup containing caramel cloak.
35. Cook, uncovered in microwave at 30% power, stirring occasionally, until warm and fluid, about 2 minutes.
36. Pour into a nice gravy boat for serving.
37. Place cake on plate.
38. Cut into wedges with a sharp knife.
39. Offer remaining caramel cloak to spoon over portions.
40. ENJOY, YOU'VE EARNED IT!