Chocolate hazelnut mascarpone torte with raspberries pt 1

Quantity		Ingredient
2	cups	Cake flour
¾	cup	Unsweetened alkalized cocoa powder
1¼	teaspoon	Baking soda
½	teaspoon	Salt
12	tablespoons	(1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1	cup	Granulated sugar
¾	cup	Packed light brown sugar
2	larges	Eggs; at room temperature
1	tablespoon	Vanilla extract
1⅓	cup	Strongly brewed coffee; at room temperature
		CARAMELIZED HAZELNUTS AND HAZELNUT PRALINE:
½	cup	Granulated sugar
¼	cup	Water
12		Perfect hazelnuts; toasted (see Note)
¾	cup	Hazelnuts; toasted
¼	cup	Water
2	tablespoons	Granulated sugar
1	tablespoon	Framboise liqueur
1	teaspoon	Vanilla extract
2	cups	Mascarpone cheese (Italian cream cheese)
¾	cup	Granulated sugar
¼	cup	Framboise liqueur
1½	cup	Heavy cream
5	cups	Fresh raspberries
8	ounces	Bittersweet chocolate; finely chopped
1	cup	Heavy cream
1	tablespoon	Light corn syrup

CHOCOLATE BUTTER CAKE

FRAMBOISE SYRUP

MASCARPONE CREAM FILLING

ASSEMBLY

CHOCOLATE GLAZE

DIFFICULTY: *** PREPARATION: 3½ hours plus baking and chilling times.

Recipe From: Chocolatier Magazine Note: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 F.

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: 1.Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 F. Line the bottom of a 17 ½-by-11 ½-inch jelly roll pan with parchment or waxed paper. Lightly spray the bottom and sides of the pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2.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.

3.In a 4 ½-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.

4.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.

Make the caramelized hazelnuts and hazelnut praline: 1.Lightly spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to medium-high and continue to cook without stirring for 4 to 6 minutes until the syrup caramelizes. Immediately remove the pan from the heat. Add the 12 perfect hazelnuts to the caramel and toss to coat. With an oiled fork, remove each hazelnut, letting the excess caramel drip back into the pan, and place them at one end of the prepared baking sheet. Quickly stir the ¾ cup of hazelnuts into the remaining hot caramel. Pour the hazelnut praline onto the other end of the baking sheet. Cool the praline for 30 minutes until hard. Reserve the individual caramelized hazelnuts for decorating the cake.

2.Coarsely chop the praline. In a food processor fitted with the metal chopping blade, process the praline for 35 to 45 seconds until finely ground.

continued in part 2

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