Chocolate cake is definitely the most popular cake in the world, and no wonder – who can say no to a large (or a small) piece of luscious chocolate cake?
This chocolate fudge cake has a unique look, and it combines also espresso and hazelnuts. Chocolate fudge cake layer topped with milk chocolate mousse domes, espresso cream and crunchy hazelnut tuilles. Be ready for some compliments!
Photo: Natalie Levin
Coffee and Hazelnuts Chocolate Fudge Cake
For coffee chocolate fudge cake:
- 200 grams dark chocolate
- 150 grams butter
- 30 ml. expresso
- 150 grams sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 tsp. instant coffee powder
- 3 large eggs
- 75 grams cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
For milk chocolate mousse domes:
- 1 gram gelatin powder
- 5 ml. water
- 150 grams milk chocolate
- 85 ml. milk
- Pinch of salt
- 1 large egg yolk
- 200 ml. whipping cream (very cold)
For crunchy hazelnuts:
- 50 grams Nutella spread
- 25 grams dark chocolate
- 15 grams butter
- 20 grams hazelnuts (coarsely chopped)
For coffee and praline cream:
- 250 ml. whipping cream (very cold)
- 1 tbsp. sugar powder
- 1 tbsp. praline paste
- 1 tsp. instant coffee powder
- 1 tsp. instant vanilla pudding powder
Decoration:
- roasted hazelnuts (Halved)
- Preheat oven to 170 degrees and grease the pan.
- Chop the chocolate and put in a bowl. Add butter and melt together in the microwave or over double-boiler until melted and smooth.
- Add espresso, sugar, salt and instant coffee and beat until smooth.
- Add the eggs one at a time, while whisking between additions.
- Add cornstarch and baking powder and mix just until incorporated.
- Pour the mixture into the pan, and smooth the top.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until set at the edges but still slightly soft in the center.
- Cool completely before assembly and decoration. The cake does not rise very high and that’s fine.
- Milk chocolate mousse domes: in a small bowl mix gelatin and water and set aside for about 5 minutes at room temperature, until the gelatin absorbs the liquid.
- Chop the chocolate and put in a medium bowl. Melt it over double-boiler or in the microwave and set aside.
- In a small saucepan heat milk and salt to simmering point. Meanwhile, in a small separate bowl, beat the yolk until smooth.
- Add about 1/3 of hot milk mixture into the yolk while intense whisking. Transfer the yolk mixture into the pot along with remaining milk and mix well.
- Cook the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring with a spatula, until the mixture thickens slightly and reaches a temperature of 82-84 degrees.
- Remove from heat, melt the gelatin and add in.
- Strain the mixture and add in the melted chocolate. Beat well until mixture is smooth and chocolatey. Cool for about 10 minutes at room temperature.
- Whip the cream to soft peaks and gently fold into the chocolate mixture until a smooth mousse is formed.
- Pour the mousse into a silicon mold shaped like 6-7 cm domes and level the top. Freeze for 3-4 hours until completely frozen.
- Crunchy hazelnuts: in a small bowl put Nutella spread, chocolate and butter and melt in the microwave until everything is melted and mixture is smooth.
- Add the nuts and stir.
- Transfer the mixture onto a tray lined with baking paper and spread to about 1-2 cm thick. Freeze until completely set.
- With a sharp knife, cut the crunch into small squares and store in the freezer until the assembly of the cake.
- Coffee and praline cream: in a bowl of a mixer whip cream, powdered sugar, praline paste, instant coffee and stabilizer until firm.
- Transfer the whipped cream into a piping bag with a serrated piping tip.
- Assemble the cake: extract the mousse domes from the mold and place on top of the cake freely.
- Between domes, pipe mounds of coffee and praline cream.
- Garnish with crunchy nut squares and hazelnuts.
- Keep the cake in a closed container in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days.
- You can use any type of nuts you like instead of hazelnuts.
Photo: Natalie Levin