In the months of preparation before a marathon watching cakes in bakery windows is like watching National Geographic: beautiful places where I cannot go.
I saw a similar cake in the pastry shop near my house. My version is a gianduja and hazelnut cake composed of sponge cake discs with vanilla syrup, hazelnut Bavarian cream, hazelnut streusel and glazed with gianduja ganache.
Apart from the looks I was intrigued by the “streusel”. I didn’t know what it was so I had to google it.
Streusel is a mix of flour, butter, and a distinctive ingredient, in this case hazelnut. The streusel is baked in the oven then crumbled. I think it’s the streusel that gives this cake the extra kick.
A tip: the hazelnut paste has to be 100%, i.e. sugar-free.
I am not sure I got the ingredients and balance right for this Gianduja and Hazelnut Cake but my mum who doesn’t usually eat cakes/desserts asked for the second round and she congratulated with me.
A day to be remembered 😊
Gianduja and Hazelnut Cake
Ingredients
- 2 sponge cake discs of 20 cm / 8 in recipe here
For the hazelnut Bavarian cream:
- 250 g milk 8.8 oz
- 100 g egg yolk 3.5 oz
- 140 g sugar 4.9 oz
- 12 g gelatin sheets, roughly 2 sheets (0.4 oz)
- 60 g hazelnut paste, pure (2.1 oz)
- 500 g whipped cream 17.6 oz
For the hazelnut streusel:
- 130 g hazelnuts 4.6 oz
- 100 g flour 3.5 oz
- 100 g butter 3.5 oz
- 80 g brown sugar 2.8 oz
- 2 pinches of salt
For the gianduja ganache:
- 200 g gianduja chocolate 7 oz
- 180 g whipping cream 6.3 oz
For the vanilla syrup:
- 250 g water 8.8 oz
- 100 g sugar 3.5 oz
- powdered vanilla bourbon the tip of a tsp.
Instructions
For the hazelnut Bavarian cream:
- Soak the gelatin sheets in cold water for 10 minutes.
- Heat the milk in a small pot.
- Combine the sugar with the egg yolks, then add the boiling milk and stir until the yolks are dissolved.
- Put back in the pot and keep cooking while stirring constantly. When it reaches the temperature of 82° C (179° F), filter the custard cream through a colander into another bowl.
- Wring the gelatin sheets and add them to the cream together with the hazelnut paste. Whisk until well combined. Let it cool off.
- Whip the cream to a medium firm consistency. When the cream will have reached the 30° C (86° F)
- fold to whipped cream into the cream.
For the hazelnut streusel:
- Preheat the oven at 160° C (320° F).
- Chop the hazelnuts in a food processor. Transfer them in the bowl of a stand mixer together with the flour and the brown sugar. Work briefly with the paddle attachment.
- Add the butter at room temperature and let it work until the butter is absorbed.
- The crumble should be coarse.
- Place the crumble on an oven tray lined with baking paper, and bake for 15 min approx.
- Let the streusel cool completely.
For the vanilla syrup:
- In a small pot heat the water. Add the sugar and when it is melted, remove from heat and add the vanilla. Leave it there for 10-15 minutes.
Assembly:
- Place a 20 cm / 7 in pastry ring on top of a cake board covered with baking paper. Cover the inside with cake tape (or with a strip of baking paper).
- Place a sponge cake disc inside the ring.
- Moisten the top of the cake with the vanilla syrup.
- Pour part of the hazelnut cream (about 30%) on top of the sponge cake and distribute evenly.
- Scatter some of the streusel on top of the cream.
- Place the second sponge cake disc over it, pressing gently down. Moisten with the vanilla syrup like for the bottom layer.
- Pour the remaining hazelnut Bavarian cream and level with a long spatula.
- Place in the freezer for at least 3 hours.
Glazing:
- Heat the cream in a small pot. Meanwhile chop the gianduja chocolate with a kitchen knife or in a mixer.
- When the cream starts to boil add it to the chocolate and stir with a whisk to melt it completely.
- Take out the cake and remove it from the pastry ring by heating up the sides with a blow torch (or with the palm of your hands).
- Glaze the cake with the gianduja ganache and put it back in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
Notes
For photographic purposes the cake in the shots has been made with a 18 cm (7 in) pastry ring.