Hazelnut-chocolate cake with Ferrero Rocher chocolates
Ingredients:
Sponge cake:
- eggs 4
- powdered sugar 200 g
- all-purpose flour 70 g
- potato starch 70 g
- cocoa powder 2 tablespoons
Soaking:
- hazelnut-flavored vodka (e.g., Soplica) or hazelnut liqueur or hazelnut coffee syrup 60 ml
- vanilla extract 2 teaspoons
Cream:
- Nutella 230 g
- mascarpone 250 g
- cold heavy cream (30%) 250 ml
Decoration:
- Ferrero Rocher chocolates 12
- hazelnuts (shelled or peeled and chopped) 70 g
Glaze:
- dark chocolate (semi-sweet) 50 g
- heavy cream (30%) 3 tablespoons
- vegetable oil 3 tablespoons
Preparation:
Sponge Cake: Bring the eggs to room temperature or warm them in a bowl of warm water. Separate the egg whites from the yolks. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place parchment paper on the bottom of a 21 cm springform pan, close the ring leaving the paper outside. Grease the bottom and sides with butter. Beat the yolks with half of the powdered sugar for about 7 minutes until fluffy and thick.
In another bowl, beat the egg whites with the remaining powdered sugar for about 7 minutes until a thick, glossy, and stiff meringue forms. Sift the all-purpose flour, potato starch, and cocoa powder together into a separate bowl and mix well. Combine the yolks with the egg whites using a spatula, making a few or a dozen gentle movements. Sift 1/3 of the flour mixture into the batter and gently fold it in without deflating the meringue.
Add the next 1/3 of the flour mixture and fold gently, then repeat with the remaining flour. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, level the top. Bake for about 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool. Cut around the edges of the pan with a knife and once completely cooled, cut the cake into 3 horizontal layers.
Cream: Place Nutella in a large bowl. Separately, whip the cold heavy cream with mascarpone into a stiff cream (about 2 minutes). Add the whipped cream to Nutella, one tablespoon at a time, mixing each addition with a spoon.
Assembly: Place the bottom sponge layer on a cake stand, soak with 1/3 of the soaking mixture, and spread 1/3 of the cream. Place the second layer, add another 1/3 of the soaking mixture, and spread 1/3 of the cream. Repeat with the final sponge layer and soak it. Spread the remaining cream on top and around the sides of the cake.
Decoration: Toast the hazelnuts on a pan for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the skins come off easily and the nuts are lightly browned. Remove from the pan and place in a kitchen towel, wrap, and rub the nuts with your hands to remove most of the skins. Chop the nuts on a board or grind them in a food processor, then press them onto the sides of the cake.
Glaze: Break the chocolate into pieces, place in a bowl, add oil and heavy cream. Melt (in a microwave or double boiler), then stir until a smooth glaze forms. Pour the glaze over the top of the cake, decorate with Ferrero Rocher chocolates. Refrigerate until serving (at least 2 hours).
