Since we’re not hosting Christmas parties or even extended-family dinners this year, you could argue it’s not the year to make an over-the-top, three-layer, mousse-filled, ganache-topped, liqueur-spiked and nut-sprinkled masterpiece of a chocolate dessert. I would disagree. Don’t you, and the ones you’re hunkered down with, deserve this Chocolate Hazelnut Torte for yourselves? I made it last weekend and John and I enjoyed it for three nights straight, then reluctantly tucked the rest in the freezer. We’ll enjoy it again on Christmas Eve, and won’t let one hazelnut crumb go to waste. It’s that good.
We’ll get to all the tastes and textures in a second but can we just pause to appreciate how beautiful it is? While it sat chilling for several hours before dinner that first night, John kept opening the refrigerator door just to gaze at it and say, “Wow.”
A torte is a cake that has ground nuts in place of some or all of the flour – in this case rich, buttery hazelnuts, a traditional pairing with chocolate in Italian cuisine. I’ve continued the hazelnut theme throughout each layer, using Frangelico liqueur to flavor both the silky dark chocolate mousse filling and the shiny ganache topping. And to finish, a handful of toasted hazelnuts scattered on the top of the torte. The little bit of crunchiness they add is the perfect complement to all the smooth textures of the layers underneath.
Speaking of smooth, let’s talk chocolate. I always recommend using premium chocolate and in a special occasion dessert like this, why would you scrimp? That being said, there’s a lot of chocolate in this cake – 20 ounces altogether – and high end chocolate is pricey. I chose to splurge on the chocolate I used for the ganache, since that’s where the chocolate is purest and the quality will be most noticeable. For the cake and mousse layers I used a good-quality semisweet baking chocolate from the grocery store. That worked out fine – just don’t use chocolate chips, which contain stabilizers that would alter the texture, especially in the ganache.
The cake bakes in one piece on a sheet pan; after it cools you’ll cut it into three pieces and layer them with the mousse in between. Spread the mousse out so it extends a little beyond the edges of the cake, then once all the layers are in place, use the edge of a spatula or large knife to smooth off the excess mousse to create neat, flat sides. The ends will be rough and uneven, too; wait until after you’ve spread the ganache on top, and then shave a thin slice off each end to make a smooth edge, for a beautiful presentation.
Making this ahead and what to do with leftovers:
- Chocolate Hazelnut Torte is a multi-step recipe that requires cooling and chilling time between steps and after the torte is assembled, so start early in the day, or make it the day before. It will keep for up to a week in the fridge; for the first day just leave it uncovered, but if you’re going to store it for a longer period of time, press a small piece of plastic wrap directly against the cut side on each end of the cake to keep it from drying out.
- The torte can be frozen, either in one piece or sliced if you’re going to want to thaw it a few pieces at a time. Make sure it’s well chilled so the ganache is firm before wrapping it tightly for the freezer. Use it within one month.
To see this recipe as part of a Christmas Eve menu, complete with a game plan with timing for every step, read my post for Christmas Eve 2020.
Chocolate Hazelnut Torte
Ingredients
- For the cake layers:
- 6 ounces good quality semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 11 tablespoons unsalted butter, preferably European-style, at soft room temperature
- 1¼ cups (5 ounces or 140 grams) confectioner’s sugar, divided
- 6 large eggs, separated into yolks and whites
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon hot water
- 6 ounces peeled hazelnuts, finely ground in the food processor (should measure 1 and 1/3 cups when ground)
- ¼ cup (1 ounce or 28 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- For the mousse:
- 6 ounces good quality semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, preferably European-style, at soft room temperature
- 2 tablespoons Frangelico liqueur
- ¾ cup cold heavy cream
- For the ganache:
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, preferably European-style, at soft room temperature
- 8 ounces good quality semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 3 tablespoons Frangelico liqueur
- For topping:½ cup chopped hazelnuts (about 2 ounces)
Directions
- Step 1 Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter a 9 x 13-inch jelly roll pan (quarter sheet pan, a baking sheet with sides) and line it with parchment paper. Lightly butter the parchment paper.
- Step 2 Heat 6 ounces of chopped chocolate in a microwave safe bowl on 50% power until melted, about 3 minutes. Stir until the chocolate is smooth. Set the chocolate aside to cool.
- Step 3 Cream 11 tablespoons of butter with ¾ cup (3 ounces) of the confectioner’s sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer, until smooth. Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating on low speed after each addition. Beat in the vanilla, then the melted chocolate, and finally 1 tablespoon of hot water.
- Step 4 Combine the ground hazelnuts with the flour and add to the chocolate mixture, beating on low speed just until combined. Set this mixture aside.
- Step 5 Switch to a clean bowl and the whisk attachment, and whip the egg whites until they begin to thicken. Gradually add the remaining ½ cup (2 ounces) of confectioner’s sugar and whip until stiff peaks form. Add ¼ of the egg whites to the chocolate mixture and fold it in gently with a rubber spatula. Add the remaining egg whites and fold gently until they’re fully incorporated, being careful not to deflate the egg whites. Transfer the batter to the prepared baking sheet and spread it out to an even layer. Bake the cake for 20 to 22 minutes, until it just begins to pull away from the sides of the pan.
- Step 6 Let the cake cool for 10 minutes. Place a large baking sheet over the cake and flip the pans so the cake is upside down on the larger sheet. Carefully remove the baking sheet from the cake and peel away the parchment. Let the cake cool completely.
- Step 7 Make the mousse. Put 6 ounces of chopped chocolate and 12 tablespoons of butter in a large bowl and melt in the microwave at 50% power for 3 minutes. Stir the mixture until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Stir in 2 tablespoons of Frangelico. Set the mixture aside to cool to room temperature.
- Step 8 Whip ¾ cup of heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Add the whipped cream to the cooled chocolate in three additions. For the first addition, use a whisk, stirring carefully and gently so the mixture is smooth but the whipped cream is not deflated. You may need to use the whisk for the second addition as well, to get the mixture completely combined and smooth. For the third addition, fold gently with a rubber spatula to maintain as much volume in the whipped cream as possible. If the cake layers are not completely cool yet, chill the mousse until you’re ready to assemble the torte.
- Step 9 Trim ½ inch off each end of the cake so you have a 9 x 12-inch rectangle. Then cut the cake into thirds so you have three pieces each measuring 9 x 4 inches – use a ruler to make sure the pieces are the same size. Transfer one piece of the cake to a serving platter, tucking a strip of wax paper under the long edges on both sides to protect the platter from smudges as you build the torte. Slather the cake with half of the mousse. If the mousse has been chilling for a while, you may need to stir it to loosen it. Spread the mousse all the way out to and a little beyond the edges on the long sides. Top the mousse with another cake layer, then the remaining mousse, and the final cake layer. Using a frosting spatula or a large knife, scrape along each long side of the torte to smooth off the excess mousse to create a smooth, even edge. Don’t worry about the short ends, you’ll clean those up later. Freeze the torte for 30 minutes, or as long as it takes the ganache and nuts to cool (see upcoming steps).
- Step 10 Make the ganache. Combine ½ cup of cream with the granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and add 8 ounces of chopped chocolate. Whisk until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Whisk in 3 tablespoons of Frangelico. Set the ganache aside to cool to room temperature. For assembly, you want the ganache to be pourable but just barely, not so thin it will all run off the cake. To test it, lift a spoonful and let it pour back into the pan. It should flow slowly but smoothly off the spoon.
- Step 11 While the ganache cools, toast the chopped hazelnuts in a dry pan over medium heat for 5 minutes, just until they begin to turn golden. Cool the hazelnuts completely.
- Step 12 Spoon the ganache over the top of the chilled torte,. Use the spoon or a spatula to gently coax the ganache over the edge of the torte and down the sides. Glaze just the top and sides, not the ends of the torte. The ganache will thicken as it hits the cold cake, and you should be able to frost the sides of the torte without the ganache running off and puddling on the plate. If it seems too runny, put both the torte and the ganache in the refrigerator for a couple of minutes and try again. If the ganache is too thick to spread, loosen it by microwaving it for just a couple of seconds. Once all the ganache is spread on the cake, sprinkle about 2/3 of the toasted chopped hazelnuts down the center of the top of the torte, reserving the rest. Chill the torte for at least 30 minutes.
- Step 13 Use a thin, sharp knife to trim each end of the torte to remove the uneven edges of the cake and create a clean edge. Carefully remove the wax paper from under the edges of the cake, and clean any smudges off the plate. Scatter the reserved hazelnuts along the bottom edge on each side of the torte. Keep the torte chilled until serving.
