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This recipe yields an indulgent travel cake that takes the classic combination of chocolate, hazelnut, and coffee to an exquisite level. The components of this dessert provide an array of textures and flavors that are accentuated using different types of chocolate in multiple ways. The design, decorations and flavor profile make this a modern and sleek dessert that is perfect for the cool winter days.
Yield: two 2ʺ x 7 ¾ʺ (5 X 19.6 cm) loaves
Hazelnut Praline
- 150 g roasted hazelnuts unsalted
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 25 g glucose syrup
- 40 g water
- Pinch of salt
- Grape seed oil (or any vegetable oil), as needed
1. Roast the hazelnuts at 300°F (150°C) for 15 minutes.
2. Make a caramel in a saucepan by cooking the sugar, glucose syrup and water until amber in color. Add the roasted hazelnuts to the caramel and combine with a spatula. Pour the hazelnut-caramel onto a silicone mat, spread with a spatula, and let cool completely.
3. Break into small pieces and place in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the brittle becomes a smooth and thin paste. Add salt. If the paste is not smooth, add a small amount of vegetable oil and continue mixing in the food processor.
Hazelnut Cake
- 60 g hazelnuts
- 90 g Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Chocolate Chips
- 20 g unsalted butter
- 80 g cake flour
- 10 g Ghirardelli 100% Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 3 g baking powder
- 150 g eggs
- 20 g egg yolk
- 140 g granulated sugar
- 40 g heavy cream, 36% fat
- 40 g milk
- 30 g Hazelnut Praline (see recipe)
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Roast the hazelnuts for 8 minutes. Let cool and chop into small pieces.
2. Oil and line with parchment paper a rectangular travel cake loaf pan with a tubular center (Martellato 30TC50F stainless steel, 28.7 ounces).
3. Melt both the 60% cacao chocolate chips and the butter.
4. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder and baking and set aside.
5. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolk and sugar until combined. Add the sifted dry ingredients and whisk gently until they are combined. Do not overmix. Add the heavy cream, milk, Hazelnut Praline and butter and 60% cacao chocolate chip mixture. Whisk gently to combine. Fold the chopped hazelnuts into the batter with a spatula. Pour the batter onto the prepared loaf pan to fill ¾ of its capacity. Close the pan with the lid. Bake on a sheet tray for 30-35 minutes, until the internal temperature is 190-210°F (88-98°C). Let cool completely before removing from the pan.
Coffee Dark Chocolate Ganache
- 60 g heavy cream, 36% fat
- 90 g brewed espresso
- 30 g glucose syrup
- 300 g Ghirardelli Dark Coating Wafers
- 75 g unsalted butter, soft
- Pinch of salt
1. In a saucepan, bring the heavy cream, espresso and glucose syrup to a boil.
2. Pour over the dark coating wafers and let sit 30-60 seconds, without disturbing. Stir with a spatula doing circular motions in the center of the bowl to combine. Add the soft butter and salt. Use an immersion blender to emulsify. Cover with plastic film and let completely cool down at room temperature.
Hazelnut (Rocher) Milk Chocolate Glaze
- 180 g hazelnuts
- 600 g Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate Wafers
- 80 g grapeseed oil
1. Roast the hazelnuts at 300°F (150°C) for 15 minutes. Let cool down and chop into small pieces.
2. Melt the milk chocolate wafers in a double boiler. Add the grapeseed oil and stir to combine. Fold in the chopped hazelnuts. Use when the temperature of the glaze is at 90°F (32°C).
Dark Chocolate Whipped Ganache
- 1 gelatin sheet or 2.5 g powder, 200-bloom
- 137 g heavy cream, divided
- 30 g glucose syrup
- 80 g Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Chocolate Chips
- Pinch of salt
1. Hydrate the gelatin in cold water.
2. Bring 12 g of the heavy cream and the glucose syrup to a boil. Pour the heated mixture over the 60% cacao chocolate chips and let sit, undisturbed, for 30 seconds. Stir with a spatula. Add the bloomed gelatin, salt and the remaining 125 g of the cream and emulsify with an immersion blender. Cover with plastic film and refrigerate to set, 2 to 4 hours, or preferably overnight.
3. Whip using a whisk attachment until smooth, shiny, and airy.
Décor
- 200 g Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Chocolate Chips
- 50 g roasted hazelnuts
- Gold luster dust
1. Temper 60% cacao chocolate chips following the instructions on the packaging using the seeding method.
2. Pour over an acetate sheet and spread to make a thin layer using an offset spatula. Once the chocolate starts to set and becomes dull, cut a rectangle with a sharp knife (e.g., X-acto) that fits the size of the cake mold. Additionally, cut small discs using both sides of a piping tip (e.g., Wilton #12). Let the tempered chocolate decorations fully set.
3. Remove from the acetate. Brush the discs with gold luster dust.
Assembly
- Gold leaf
- Halved roasted hazelnuts
1. Place the Coffee Dark Chocolate Ganache in a piping bag fitted with a round tip (Wilton #2A).
2. Remove the cake from the pan once is fully cooled down. Fill the tubular center with the coffee dark chocolate ganache.
3. Pipe four strips of dark chocolate ganache on the top of the cake. Pipe three additional strips on top. Place the cake in the freezer for 25-30 minutes.
4. Heat the Hazelnut (Rocher) Milk Chocolate Glaze to 90°F (32°C), place it in a piping bag. Cut the tip of the piping bag and glaze the chilled cake. Remove the excess from the bottom. Cut the edges of the cake to expose the ganache in the center.
5. Sprinkle gold luster powder on top of the cake using a small brush. Pipe 3 dollops of dark chocolate ganache on top of the cake. Place the tempered chocolate rectangle on top.
6. Whip the Dark Chocolate Whipped Ganache and place it inside a piping bag. Cut the tip of the bag on an angle. Pipe the whipped ganache on top of the tempered chocolate rectangle in a zigzag pattern. Finish by adding the chocolate discs, gold leaf, and halved roasted hazelnuts.
(This recipe appeared in the Winter 2024 issue of Pastry Arts Magazine)
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