Monday 19 January 2015

Nutella Cake


Does any one of you talk to yourself? I have this nasty affliction and to the uninitiated, you may think that I am highly disturbed (which I am but that's besides the point). It helps me to focus especially when I am doing something intense. Like figuring out the balancing charge or balancing allowance arising from fixed asset disposals. And when I get it right you will hear a booming "Brilliant Madam! You are freakin' brilliant!" coming from my room. 

Anyway, the other day while rummaging through my pantry (for something to eat, what else) I found this. 




And then I took a look at the cover.



Yikes! Expiry date coming soon. Hence the excuse I was looking for to bake Nutella Cake again. It was back in 2013 when I first baked Nutella Cake and at the time, I was still relatively inexperienced. But luckily for me, the cake turned out alright and I didn't mess up the family dinner dessert.



So now, armed with another year's experience, I should do lots better right? Previously I used store bought ground hazelnuts. This time, I decided to make my own ground hazelnuts. It does take a bit of work - roasting, peeling and grinding the nuts. But I tell you, it is worth the effort because freshly ground roasted hazelnuts impart a wonderful, wonderful aroma that you would not get from store bought ones. So, please go the extra mile if you want a proper Nutella cake. I used a dry mill to grind the nuts.



This cake is a flourless cake and as with such cakes, it is lacking in structure. In the oven, you will see the cake rise beautifully only to see it deflate one cooled. But who cares. 



My cake came out of the oven with a crack in the center and smelling of heavenly hazelnuts and chocolate. I left it to cool for a few hours as I went about my chores.



As I was preparing the ganache to ice the cake, disaster struck. My chocolate seized. Aarrghh...!!!!!! That is why my cake topping is not smooth and glossy. Instead it is grainy and wrinkled. I have never had this problem before and upon googling, I found out that the seizing occurred because some water got into the chocolate. Apparently, to rescue the chocolate, all you need to do is add some water to it. That's sounds crazy because water made it seize in the first place, but apparently that's how it works. 



Seized or not, only the texture is affected, as the chocolate tasted fine to me. The only difference is that if I was sitting for the academy of patisserie exam, this is what will get me kicked out of school hah..hah...and if Gordon Ramsay was the examiner, I would get an earful of "What in the bloody hell is THAT?!" But in the safety of my home, my chocolate could be lumpy for all I care and nobody gives a hoot. Yeah!



Before I dug into a slice, I was worried if the cake would taste weird due to the murdered chocolate. But hey, there was no cause for worry at all. It was sooooooo good! The type of good that would have you close your eyes as if you were in rapture. Is that the correct word? I dare not use the "O" word as I am very prim and proper. Ahem!



See how moist that is? God, I want another slice! But no, my quota is one per day. And as I was enjoying the cake, I thought of the Rihanna Umbrella song. There should be one for Nutella...ella...ella... Of course that's not very original as other people have already thought about it long before I did. But seriously, the version I found on Youtube was rather ghastly. Whoever you are, apologies, I just can't resist. "What in the bloody hell was THAT?!"










Nutella Cake
Recipe source : Adapted from nigella.com

Ingredients :

For the cake :
- 5 large eggs (separated)
- 125 grams soft unsalted butter
- 375 grams Nutella (1 large jar)
- 1 tablespoon rum
- 100 grams ground hazelnuts
- 100 grams dark chocolate (melted)

Note : I roasted the hazelnuts without preheating the oven at 180C for 15 minutes and left them in the oven for another 15 minutes to continue roasting on residual heat. Once cooled, I remove the skin by rubbing the nuts between my fingers. Then I ground the nuts using a dry mill.

For the icing :
- I used ganache. Refer recipe here.

Method :

1. Preheat oven to 160C.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and Nutella together and then add rum, egg yolks and ground hazelnuts. Fold in the cooled melted chocolate.
3. In another mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks
4. Lighten the Nutella/chocolate mixture with a large dollop of egg white, which you can beat in as roughly as you want, before gently folding the rest of the egg whites, a third at a time.
5. Pour into a 23cm/9 inch round greased and lined springform tin and bake for 50 minutes or until the a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, then let cool on a rack. 
6. Unmould the cooled cake once cooled.
7. Ice the top with the ganache and decorate with extra roasted hazelnuts or better still, with  Ferrero Rocher!

Note for my own reference : I tented the cake after 40 minutes and continued baking for another 10 minutes. The centre of the cake was still raw and I left the cake in the oven to bake further on residual heat.



57 comments:

  1. Oooo la la, when I see Nutella cake, I was thinking, hmm, steamed chocolate cake again, but sapu Nutella all over or? But when I see your first picture, oh my !!! Speeceless jor.. Nutella cake, chocolate and Ferrero Rocher, heaven leh !! Nutella rum cake with Ferrero wor, wah, sweetie, you should be selling your cakes and charging people high price you know? Cannot just make and give to family/colleagues leh..

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    1. Louiz, thank you for the compliments. You have cheered me up! No lah, if I start selling it becomes a job. Once it becomes a job, it gets stressful. Better to keep it as a hobby. But who knows, when I retire I can do small baking business hee..hee...

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  2. Hi Phong Hong,

    Glad that you found out that this jar of Nutella is expiring soon!!! Then, you have this beautiful and delicious Nutella cake! This is what I called a great coincidence :D

    Btw, heard this recipe is really good and will also bake the same cake if I have a jar of Nutella expiring soon!!! :p

    Zoe

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    1. Hi Zoe! Don't wait for near expiry, just bake or go out and buy a jar of Nutella hah..hah...Yes, this is a good cake as it is moist and fudgey. You won't stop at one slice!

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  3. At a glance I thought this is a Ferrero Rocherr cake, looks good. Wow, must be very yummy and rich. Thank God you found this nutella just In time. I always throw away stuff from my pantry and fridge because I totally forgotten about them and by the time I saw them, they were way past their expiry date!

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    1. Hi Veronica! I am trying my best not to waste. I am just like you, I forget what I bought and sometimes even buy what I already have because I couldn't find the earlier one LOL! And then when I discover that my things have expired, wow I think of the money I wasted :(

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  4. errr I think it's not uncommon that we all talk to ourselves, haha!! I do actually and most of the time it just happens so naturally and probably we don't even realize we are actually talking to ourselves!! hehe~~ :p

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    1. Really? I do it a lot and loudly some more hah..hah...

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  5. World Nutella Day is right around the corner! I sure hope I have a jar of Nutella about to expire, I'd love to have a piece of this gorgeous cake right now!!! I am sooooooo pinning this!

    I would imagine making your own ground hazelnuts makes all the difference in the world. Kudos to you for the extra effort! Your cake looks scrumpticious!

    Thanks you so much for sharing...

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    1. Louise, don't wait for near expiry. Bake now! hah..hah...

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  6. anything to do with nutella, i loves, hehe...

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  7. aiyoyo!!! NUTELLA CAKE!!! have I told you how much I love Nutella, or anything hazelnut with chocolate?? this one surely to die for, even the one who baked it wanted a slice more (well you know, usually those who bake or cook don't really eat much).. and flourless!! less carbo haha, but I have not tried flourless cake before to be exact, now I know how it looks like.. what else?? you have Ferrero Roche for decorating?? wow, luxury!!!

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    1. SK, this cake is very soft and moist. The melt-in-your mouth kind. I used to be curious how can a cake be flourless? Now I know :D

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  8. What a sinful and delicious cake! I love this cake very much and cannot recall where I ate it... Hmmm.

    BTW my birthday is just round the corner. Hint* Hint*

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  9. Just wondering, who eats all the cakes you bake? You're baking all the time. Are you in the cake business or something?

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    1. Curious, eh Arthur? I give away the cakes to family and friends. My baking happens during weekends and it is part of my recreational therapy to keep stress and depression at bay. Can't be depressed with all that chocolate LOL!

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  10. I too talk to myself. I laugh at and sometimes I scold myself too. I hope we are okay people haha.
    Just to let you know your cake looks very good, must be very tasty because I love chocolates.

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    1. High 5, Nancy! I think we two are still sane LOL! This cake is heavenly if I may say so myself. It's a good recipe :)

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  11. Nice cake, PH. I was wondering what those familiar-looking choco balls were :D

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    1. Thanks, Kris! Well, since this is a chocolate hazelnut cake, it warrants using Ferrero Rocher as ornaments :)

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  12. it must be simply divine! It looks really tasty and soft!

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  13. Speechless!! Just wanna take a piece out and gulp it down... so yummylicious! hmmmm....

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    1. Claire, after I tasted one slice, I wanted to have another one. I think I shall bake another one. OK, a smaller one LOL!

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  14. I love Nigella's cake recipes especially flourless. Your Nutella cake looks good and delicious ~ yummm..

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    1. Thank you, Ann! I love this cake a lot. Will bake this again ;)

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  15. I love nutella (most long distance runners do) so am drooling horribly over this! Hahaha

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    1. Lina, it's a great source of energy, no? hee..hee...

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  16. Phong Hong! I can't stopped laughing and ... imagine the scene .... if GR yelling "What in the bloody hell is THAT?!" You'll sing ... Nutella... ella...ella... ! Ha ha !
    Anyway, your Nutella cake loaded with ground hazelnuts + chocolate must be yummy-licious!

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    1. Karen, hah..hah..hah... you made me laugh! You have a good imagination and a great sense of humour!

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  17. Tsk.. I have another 2/3 jar of Nutella...

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    1. hmm...not enough for a cake but enough for a small batch of cookies :)

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  18. I have conversation with myself too. Your nutella cake is super rich and delicious. I wish I could have a slice.

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    1. Mun, I enjoy talking to myself. That's the weird part hah..hah...

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    2. I guess everyone who talks to themselves do enjoy doing that else why would they continue to talk to themselves?

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  19. Yummy! With Nutella in its always good!

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  20. Yummy nutella cake! The cake looks good and there is nothing more that I would ask for than to have that one slice of cake from you! I am starting to see how big a Nutella fan you are heehee 😊

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    1. Janice, there should be a fan club for Nutella :) You must bake this cake!

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  21. very rich and yumm....

    wei...if SK decided to have Bloggers gathering...you coming..can bring a cake ka? LOL

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    1. Wokay...that depends lah if the venue is convenient. You can provide transport? hee..hee...

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  22. Omg, almost expired Nutella! That never happens! This cake looks amazing :)

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    1. Cathleen, it is unthinkable isn't it? I think this happened because that bottle was hidden away from my sight :)

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  23. Hi Phong Hong,
    You will never find an almost expired Nutella in my house! No, ma'am! Haha! The kids would beat me to it even before I decide to bake something with it.
    Your cake looks divine! Moist, chocolaty, nutty and delicious!

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    1. Hi Joyce! That Nutella was hidden in the pantry and that's why I didn't see it earlier. If not, no chance hah..hah...

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  24. Hi Phong Hong this cake is to die for, Look so moist and delightful, can send a huge slice over, please. LOL Thanks for sharing your recipe.

    Have a nice day, regards.

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    1. Amelia, sure I can send you one huge slice hah..hah...

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  25. Nutella itself is already delicious, so I bet this cake taste heavenly!!

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    1. Hayley, it did taste heavenly and sinful at the same time :D

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  26. hello phong hong! you are getting better at decorating cakes, it looks pretty and nice! about the ganache, altho i love eating them, i must admit i nvr good at making them too. btw, if gordon ramsay was the examiner, just blindfold him la..dont let him see the ganache, just taste! haha!

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    1. Thanks, Lena! It was just a simple decoration, itchy fingers lah...

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  27. gluten free nutella cake sounds too good to be true! indulge and be wheat free! yeah!! i love this cake...(omg.. i'm talking to myself.. too ;))

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    1. Hi Victoria! By all means, talk to yourself hee..hee.. This is a good cake. Am thinking of baking another one....

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  28. Hi Phong Hong,
    You have got all the goodies in this lovely cake. I just care about the taste and not the look ... LoL
    Mind send a big piece over with lots of hazel nuts?? :D
    mui

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