Chocolate Hazelnut Mascarpone Torte- part 1
Submitted by jbk355
Chocolate hazelnut mascarpone torte layering a coffee-deepened chocolate butter cake with framboise-spiked mascarpone cream, fresh raspberries, and caramelized hazelnuts under a glossy chocolate ganache glaze.
YIELD
16 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
30 minREADY
1 hrsThis is a special-occasion showstopper, the kind of layered torte worth clearing an afternoon for. The base is a chocolate butter cake where strongly brewed coffee stands in for some of the liquid, a baker’s trick that deepens the cocoa without leaving any coffee taste at all.
The brewed coffee and alkalized cocoa give the cake a dark, almost fudgy depth, while alternating the dry ingredients with the coffee in thirds keeps the batter smooth and the crumb tender.
The layers come alive with a mascarpone filling whipped with cream and framboise, the raspberry brandy that ties everything to the mounds of fresh raspberries tucked between the layers.
Caramelized hazelnuts bring crunch, a glossy chocolate ganache seals it, and a framboise syrup brushed over the cake keeps it moist while reinforcing that berry-and-chocolate pairing.
Pro Tips
- Toast the hazelnuts until golden under the skins, then rub them in a towel to slip the bitter skins off.
- Bring the eggs, butter, and coffee to room temperature first so the batter emulsifies instead of curdling.
- Don’t overbake. Pull the cake when the surface springs back and the edges just begin to pull from the pan, or it dries out.
- Chill the assembled torte before glazing so the mascarpone filling firms up and the layers stay put.
Variations
- No framboise on hand? Use Chambord, kirsch, or a splash of orange liqueur.
- Swap the raspberries for fresh strawberries or a mix of berries.
- Toast and chop extra hazelnuts to press around the sides for a fully nut-coated finish.
Ingredients
Directions
Spread the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden beneath the skins. Wrap the nuts in a clean towel and cool completely.
Transfer the cooled hazelnuts to a large sieve and rub them back and forth to remove the loose skins.
Make the chocolate butter cake: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375℉ (190℃).
Line the bottom of a 17½-by-17½-inch jelly roll pan with parchment or waxed paper. Lightly spray the bottom and sides of the pan with nonstick cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Sift the flour mixture onto a piece of waxed paper and set aside.
In a 17½-quart bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the butter at medium-high speed for 1 minute, until creamy.
While continuing to beat the butter, gradually add the granulated and brown sugars, stopping the machine and scraping down the side of the bowl as necessary.
Beat the butter/sugar mixture at medium-high speed for 2 minutes, until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla. Reduce the speed to low and alternately add one-third of the reserved dry ingredients and one-third of the coffee.
In two more batches, alternately add the remaining dry ingredients and coffee, scraping down the bowl as necessary.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and, using a metal cake spatula, smooth the batter evenly into the pan.
Bake the cake for 25 to 28 minutes, until the sides just begin to pull away from the pan and the surface springs back when lightly touched.
Cool the cake in the pan set on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
Invert the cake onto a wire rack; carefully peel off the parchment paper and allow the cake to cool completely. Continued.
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