Milk Chocolate + Hazelnut Flourless Cake
I’m a pescatarian in a family with a lot of hard-core carnivores, so I don’t think twice about adjusting meal or party planning to account for the vegetarians, vegans, dairy-intolerant, (or the merely picky) among our dear friends. When one of our best friends and regular recipients of my baking efforts was diagnosed with Celiac Disease, however, I admit I felt at a bit of a loss. The fact that he already had very…um, let’s call it “particular” likes and dislikes made me question whether I would ever be able to bake for him again.
But I don’t really surrender that easily. Besides, I’d made flourless cakes before and knew they are far less difficult than they seem. But I also don’t tend to go for simple. I mean, if you’re going to take on a challenge, why make it easy on yourself?
This friend is not the only person in my world who much prefers milk chocolate over dark, so that was the main twist I wanted to try. In terms of flavor profiles, I knew that coffee, booze and spice were out. Nuts! (That’s not a complaint, but the solution.)
Almond felt a little ubiquitous for this one. Walnut was a little too polarizing for the rest of the dinner guests (namely, my husband). And as fun as the ‘chocolate-covered peanut’ idea was, it felt less elegant than I was going for. So, hazelnuts of course. This is Oregon, after all.
This cake was so good it didn’t feel like an accommodation in any way!
The cake was creamy, dense, and light at the same time, and the bittersweet ganache made it taste like a hazelnut truffle. I wasn’t the only one who thought so — we gave a left-over quarter of it to our neighbors, who told me they nibbled and savored for weeks. Made my day!
These are some of the items I find especially helpful for this bake. (These are affiliate links.)
Valhrona Milk Chocolate Wafers
Valhrona Baking Milk Chocolate Wafers
Cook’s Hazelnut Extract
Fat Daddio’s Aluminum Cake Pan, 9-Inch
Milk Chocolate + Hazelnut Flourless Cake
makes one 9-inch cake
INGREDIENTS
1 pound milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup butter, cut into cubes, room temperature
1/2 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
7 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon Madagascar bourbon vanilla
1 tablespoon hazelnut extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon hazelnut extract
1/4 cup hazelnuts, chopped
INSTRUCTIONS
Set the rack to center and preheat the oven to 350°. Grease a 9-inch cake pan, line the bottom and sides with parchment, and lightly grease or spray the paper. (If you are using a springform or pan with a removable bottom, wrap the pan in a double layer of aluminum foil.) Boil a kettle of water for the water bath.
Place the chocolate, butter and cocoa into a heatproof bowl. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, bring the water, sugar and salt to a boil. Stir until the sugar is fully melted, then pour the mixture over the chocolate and let it sit for 5 minutes. Gently whisk until the mixture is completely smooth, and set aside to cool for at least 10 minutes.
In a medium-large bowl, lightly whisk the eggs to break them up, but don’t whip. Stir in the extracts. Add the eggs to the cooled chocolate mixture, and stir with a spatula until fully incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.
Set a roasting pan or deep baking ban on the oven rack, place the cake pan in the center, and slowly pour boiling water into the roasting pan, filling halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Carefully slide the rack into place.
Bake for 50-55 minutes. The top should feel set if you tap the center gently.
Carefully lift the cake pan from the water bath, and place on a rack to cool for 1 hour or until the pan feels only slightly warm to the touch. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
When ready to remove the cake from the pan, set the pan into 1 inch of very warm water for a minute. Dry the pan, run a knife around the edge of the pan outside the parchment, center a serving plate on the pan, hold the two together firmly, and carefully flip them over. Tap firmly on the sides of the pan until you hear the cake release. Remove the pan and parchment, and return the cake to the refrigerator while you make the ganache.
In a small frying pan over low heat, toast the chopped hazelnuts, swirling or stirring frequently and then constantly as they become fragrant. When they begin to look golden, remove them from the pan and set aside to cool.
Place the chocolate chips and hazelnut extract in a heatproof bowl. Warm the heavy cream in a small saucepan, just to the point of simmer. Pour the cream over the chips, let it sit for 30 second, then stir with a whisk until smooth and glossy.
Pour the ganache over the top of the chilled cake, covering just to the edge or allowing some ganache to drip down the sides. Let the ganache set for a couple of minutes, and then sprinkle the toasted hazelnuts evenly across the cake’s surface. Return the cake to the refrigerator to fully set the ganache.
To serve, cut slices with a very sharp clean knife while the cake is cold. (Dipping the blade in warm water and wiping dry between cuts is helpful.) Allow the slices to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.
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