Wednesday 23 July 2014

Hazelnut Chiffon Cake


Picking up momentum from the recent Bake Along - Chiffon Cakes, I baked another one last weekend. The motivation? To clear up some pantry items. I find that I over stock on baking supplies (too optimistic) and at times my ingredients expired before I could use them. Case in point, half a bag of Horlicks that hardened to stone. Haiz...


I have a packet of ground hazelnuts in my fridge, only a little bit of which was used during a bake which I can't even remember when. I definitely do not want this to go to waste because it is not a cheap ingredient. That's when Sonia's lovely Nutty Chocolate Chiffon Cake came to mind. 

Sonia's recipe uses whole hazelnuts which are roasted and then finely ground. This is definitely the ideal ingredient because freshly roasted hazelnuts are not only very fragrant but very tasty too. But since I wanted to use my ground hazelnuts, I toasted them in a pan until light and fragrant. Of course they were not as fragrant as toasted whole nuts.


When I prepared the egg yolk batter, I found that the batter was thick and heavy. The density is due to the ground hazelnuts. And when I folded the meringue into it, I was a little bit concerned. The batter was obviously not as light as other chiffon cakes that I have baked. I was worried that due to the "heaviness" of the batter, the cake wouldn't rise. But seriously, this is my sifu's recipe. I shouldn't be so sceptical.



As usual when baking chiffon cakes, I like to run to the oven every now and then to check if the cake was rising. Actually I should bake chiffon cakes more often because that's the only time when I would be running around in the house. Good exercise, really! To my relief the cake kept rising and rising and rising. In spite of the density of the batter, it gracefully rose in the pan as if it were as light as feather.



The smell coming from the oven was so good! Fragrant hazelnut aroma with light hint of chocolate. Once the cake was baked and fully cooled, I used my usual method to unmould it. I still dare not use the bare hand method for fear of destroying the cake. But I will attempt this method when I bake a chiffon which I don't need to photograph. Even if it breaks, it's no big deal :)

The cake was very fluffy, light and moist. But I didn't get much of the chocolate taste possibly due to the cocoa powder that I used. I reckon I could bake this cake again and add cocoa powder to part of the batter and marble it. Then I would get a more chocolaty taste.



I was very happy with this latest chiffon bake. Once I have used up my ground hazelnuts and other UFOs in the fridge, I will buy whole hazelnuts to bake this recipe again. Thank you Sonia for sharing this nutty bake!




Hazelnut Chiffon Cake
Recipe source : Adapted from Nasi Lemak Lover
Ingredients :
- 5 egg yolks
- 60g caster sugar
- 50ml grapeseed 
- 120ml milk
- 90g superfine flour
- 20g rice flour 
- 60g ground hazelnut, toasted till fragrant and set aside to cool
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence (this is not necessary but I added because I was afraid my hazelnuts would not be fragrant enough)

- 5 egg white (A size)
- 60g caster sugar 

- enough cocoa powder (I think I must have used 3 teaspoons or more)

Method : 

1. In a mixing bowl, add self raising flour, rice flour and toasted ground hazelnuts and use a whisk to mix them evenly. Set aside.
2. Add sugar into egg yolks and lightly whisk the egg yolks and sugar till light.
3. Add in grapeseed oil and mix well. Then add in milk, stir well to combine. Add in flour mixture, stir to well combine.
4. Beat egg whites till foamy, gradually add in sugar in and continue to beat until stiff peaks.
5. Take 1/3 of meringue and use a hand whisk to mix well and lighten the egg yolk batter.
6. Now change hand whisk to a silicone spatula, fold in 1/3 of meringue, gently fold with egg yolk batter till slightly combined. Fold in the balance meringue and gently fold till well combined. (I used my hand as usual)
7. Pour 1/3 cake batter into chiffon pan, sift a thin layer of cocoa powder on it. Repeat the rest of layers. 
8. Bake at pre-heated oven at 160c for 45mins at lower rack or until cooked.
9. Once done, turn your chiffon tin upside down and cool completely before remove from the chiffon pan.


60 comments:

  1. Horlicks? Now, THAT, I like!!! :D

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    1. No worries. You're not the only one. I am always throwing away long-expired stuff in the house. Bought but never used...and don't look at me! I didn't do that! Hehehehehehe!!!!

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    2. And I went out to buy another packet of Horlicks. hee..hee..hee...

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  2. I've only eaten two types of chiffon cakes - pandan and orange. I've heard of chocolate chiffon cake, but never eaten before. Now this hazelnut chiffon cake, never heard, seen nor eaten! First time I read about it today. I think we can customize and create what we want to bake, and convert into chiffon cake.. You know what I'm thinking? Bacon & cheese vanilla chiffon cake !! Yeah, call me crazy.. Horlics hardened like stone? You are not alone.. My Milo and Nespray full cream milk powder also hardened like stone leh.. haha..

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    1. Hi Louiz! MamaFaMi left a comment saying we should keep Horlicks in the fridge so that it won't harden.But my fridge so full already, wor. If I remember correctly somebody baked a savoury chiffon cake and got bacon inside. But I think so weird lah. Maybe you will like it :)

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  3. Ya, I have the momentum to bake chiffon cake again... wanna go pinjam the large cake pan from my mom again.

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    1. Angeline, I think it is high time you bought a chiffon pan hee..hee...

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  4. I think once we mastered the chiffon cake skill, I think we can add in other ingredients and many other flavorful cake too...

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    1. Yah, yah, we can create many different flavours. But I still love pandan best :)

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  5. Ive baked a hazelnut chiffon before but going for the 3in1 hazelnut coffee flavour powder in it. With yours using the freshly toasted hazelnut meal, Im sure it taste absolutely full of aroma in it.

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    1. Mel, I wanted to try that too but somehow I never got to it. Next time I will try with ground roasted whole hazelnuts. Better aroma and taste and want to put more chocolate.

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  6. HI Phong Hong, very lovely chiffon here. This reminds me of Soke Hah's chestnut chiffon cake. Bookmarked to try.

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    1. Thanks, Kimmy! There are so many flavours to try and I will slowly do it.

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  7. I am sure it smells good out from the oven !!!

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  8. Hi Phong Hong,

    Clearing your pantry and buying more ingredients again?!! Can't blame you because baking and shopping can be vicious cycle. Tell me about it, I don't like to waste food by tossing away expired ingredients.

    Well at least that you are not wasting your hazelnuts by baking this cake :D

    Zoe

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    1. Hi Zoe! There's still a lot more ground hazelnuts leftover and I just bought a packet of Horlicks. Broke the rule hah..hah....

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  9. oh hazelnut chiffon cake!! lovely, i love hazelnut, and i can see two layers in the cake, those are the cocoa-hazelnut cream, something like Nutella right?? aiyoh nice lah, i mean with the cream in the cake, makes it even nicer to eat.. sometimes cake can be dry so with the cream it kind of balance up.. i want to try this, okaylah, i know i said this to your cake all the time, but then it's true what i really feel lah~~ haha!! :D

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    1. Mana ada cream, SK? hee..hee...that is just the cocoa powder in between the cake lah. This cake is moist and fragrant. Will be baking again but I want to put more chocolate!

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  10. Morning Phong Hong...

    I think I should try baking this chiffon cake la. Why? Because i think I could do with a bit of excercise. Running to and fro to the oven sounds nice! Hahahaha. I don't have ground hazelnut...but I have a packet of ground almonds and that ain't cheap either...hihihi...i should give it a go huh? What say you?

    About that Horlicks...next tine...keep it in the fridge and it won't kena sumpah jadi batu. Same goes to nescafe granules....milo dan yang sewaktu dengannya.

    Oki doki...gotta sambung jahit langsir. Catch yer later Phong Hong...have a nice day.. And oh...my day will be nicer if only I can get a piece of that chiffon!

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    1. Hi MaMaFaMi! The problem is after I dah lari-lari, I eat the chiffon cake. Back to square one hee..hee..hee...I think if you use ground almonds it should be OK. It will be Almond Chiffon Cake, I suggest to add cocoa powder to some of the batter and that way can get more chocolaty taste. Chocolate and almonds taste good.

      Thanks for the tip. But my fridge sudah penuh lah. Don't how I have so much things in there. That's why I have to clear them off.

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    2. Same here...my fridge comes under OBESS category sudah tau. Kecek dear hubby to get a new one because we've used the fridge for like 7 years already. Acceptable la kalau nak submit proposal beli baru. But then...i can't kautim his syarat. So i stick with this obes one la. His syarat is...if i can get the one that we are having, out of it's place...then can buy new one. Huhuhu

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    3. hah..hah,..fridge pun ada Obess? For me I want to buy a freezer because the one that comes with the fridge is too small. My proposal pun dah submit tapi belum dapat aprroval lagi hik..hik..hik...

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  11. yes, you will not much chocolate aroma because only a thin layer of cocoa powdes is iadded, at first I was thinking to make into chocolate batter but due to laziness, I simply sprinkle the cocoa powder, hahaha..Glad you like this chiffon cake. Thanks for your shout out.

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    1. Hi Sonia! I love this chiffon cake. Next time I will add cocoa powder to get more chocolaty taste.

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  12. I won't say no to any chiffon. This hazelnut chiffon of yours looks so light and airy. I can imagine the beautiful aroma wafting through your house as soon as this cake was out from the oven.

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    1. Hi Veronica! Oh yes, the aroma was great. Made me impatient to taste the cake!

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  13. This is new to me! Chiffon cakes with hazelnut seems appetizing and calling me! You want my address?

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    1. Hi TM! I don't think Pos Laju will deliver cakes hah..hah...Print recipe for your wife!

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  14. Phong Hong ! Wow! The 1st glance of your pics : Chiffon + Topo Map Love Cake ! You so creative. Simply love this Hazelnut Chiffon cake ^-^ ! I have to wait till I've infused the 'chiffon charismatics power' in my hands.

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    1. Hi Karen! I was just following what Sonia did hah..hah...I am waiting for some more chiffon cakes from you :)

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  15. Looks as good as Sonia's … I keep telling myself I bake too much but can't seem to stop! Everytime I see someone baking a flavour I want to try it too! Simply got to pin this as well.

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    1. Jeannie, chiffon cakes should be ok lah because not as fattening as butter cakes and chocolate cakes :D Good excuse hee..hee..

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  16. Beautiful chiffon cake..... til now I have never baked one before. Maybe it will be my 2015 resolution to do one.

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    1. Hi Yen! There is always a first time and I'll be on a look out for your maiden chiffon cake!

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  17. I love anything hazelnut! Chocolate, drinks, and even cakes!
    Must try this, if I have the mojo again, :p

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    1. Hayley, this flavour is good. Nutty but not enough chocolate hah..hah...

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  18. Hi Phong Hong! Thanks so much for dropping by my blog earlier, I'm so touched ! Been busy with baking and cooking but just got lazy on blogging haiz! Love this chiffon, I saw it on Sonia's post too! I can imagine the wonderful nutty smell! Yumm ;) Have a good day ahead and thanks so much for being so supportive as always (*^^*)

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    1. Hi Honey Bee Sweets! Yup, noticed you have been missing :) Take your time, I am sure the blogging mojo will come back and you will be posting regularly again!

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  19. Hi Phong Hong
    Lovely cake! If you could see the items in my fridge! Planning to clear them as soon as possible, the problem is, it is still in the "planning stage"!!!!
    And thought of going to BWY somemore! Aiyoh,.....must bring as little cash as possible, just enough to get what I need... :)

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    1. Hi Joyce! hah..hah..I have been wanting to go to Bake With Yen but I kept reminding myself that I ought to finish up some stuff first! When I go to BWY, I go crazy and want to buy everything hah..hah...

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  20. Good Morning Phong Hong, what a delicious chiffon cake. It looks pretty too. How many days did the two of you take to finish eating this cake? Or did you give some away?

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    1. Morning, Mun! Hmm....if left to our own devices my partner and I could probably finish it within the hour hah..hah..scary. But I gave some away :)

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  21. Good morning Phong Hong,
    I am here to get a piece of your lovely chiffon for breakfast, I love the aroma of hazelnut when it is baked.
    Running to the oven every now and then? I did that too if I bake chiffon or spongy cake... Haha
    mui

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    1. Hi mui mui! It is always very scary/exciting when baking chiffon cake. Will it rise? Will it sink? hee..hee..hee...

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  22. yummy...lovely pattern there. Have yet to attempt chiffon cake

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  23. Me too.. Have yet to attempt and might never end up doing too! hahaha...Your chiffon cakes look so good! I heard chiffon cakes are not easy to do.. what I did before were normal butter cakes only... those were the days my baking hands were itchy... Now no more itchiness.. now only want to be taster! :)

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    1. Claire, with a lot of practice it is actually easy. Butter cakes are of course easier, just mix, mix, mix - kautim!

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  24. Phong Hong, lovely nutty chiffon cake you have here, yummy!

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  25. Phong Hong, I am wondering if it is possible to bake chiffon cake in a rectangular/round pan. Last time I tried baking it in rectangular pan, the middle of the cake shrinks so bad. But I see other people like WendyinKK make it successfully (tried her recipe but my cake is so ugly still). Any trick to get it work? Please? (Y---Y)

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    1. Hi Cherish! It is possible but tricky. So far I am too scared too try hah..hah...You can also look up Cooking Pleasure because I remember Kimmy baked a pandan chiffon using a round pan.

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    2. Ok! Thanks, Phong Hong! Running to her blog now~ ;)

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  26. UFOs in the kitchen?? LOL, I don't know about UFOs but if they make my cakes so darn pretty, I am going to go catch myself a few UFOs too!

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    1. Hi Diana! I will be using up those UFOs in the next coming weeks. Really have to clear my stocks!

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