Best Gianduia Mousse Cake Recipes

GIANDUJA

Steps:

• Line an 8-in. square dish with foil. Place hazelnuts and oil in a food processor; cover and process until mixture forms a paste. , In a large saucepan, melt bittersweet chocolate. Stir in 2-1/4 cups hazelnut mixture. Pour half of mixture into prepared dish. Refrigerate until firm., Melt candy bars; stir in remaining hazelnut mixture. Pour over bittersweet layer. Refrigerate until firm., Reheat remaining bittersweet mixture if necessary; pour over candy bar layer. Refrigerate until firm. Cut into 1-in. squares. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

GIANDUJA MOUSSE

Steps:

• Place both chocolates in a heat-proof bowl; set over a pan of simmering water. Stir occasionally until completely melted. Remove from heat; set aside in a warm place.
• Place cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment; whip until soft peaks form. Transfer to a medium bowl. Cover; chill. Wash and dry mixer bowl.
• Place the egg yolks in the mixer bowl, and whip on medium speed until pale yellow, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Place sugar, corn syrup, and 1 tablespoon water in a small, shallow saucepan set over medium-high heat. Attach a candy thermometer to side of pan, and cook until sugar syrup reaches soft-ball stage (238 degrees).
• Increase mixer speed to high; pour sugar syrup down side of bowl; continue mixing on high 5 seconds. Reduce speed to medium; mix until bottom of bowl is warm to the touch. Quickly whisk egg mixture into chocolate. Whisk in one-third of chilled whipped cream; gently fold in remainder. Cover with plastic, and chill until set, about 2 hours.

TORTA ALLA GIANDUIA (CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT CAKE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350-degrees.
• Prepare a 9-inch springform pan: grease and line with parchment or wax paper.
• In a large bowl, whisk the eggs whites and salt until stiff but not dry (this means that they will hold their peaks, yet still appear glossy and smooth).
• In a separate bowl, beat the butter and Nutella together, then add Frangelico (or what you have chosen to use), egg yolks, and ground hazelnuts.
• Fold in the cooled, melted chocolate, then lighten the mixture with a dollop of egg white, which you can beat in as roughly as you want, before gently folding the rest of them in a third at a time.
• Pour into the prepared pan and cook for 40 minutes or until the cake's beginning to come away at the sides, then let cool on rack.
• Toast the hazelnuts in a dry frying pan until the aroma wafts upward and the nuts are golden brown in parts: keep shaking the pan so they don't burn on one side and stay too pallid on others.
• Transfer to a plate and let cool.
• This is imperative: if they go on the ganache while hot, it'll turn oily (believe me I speak from experience).
• In a heavy-bottomed sauce pan, add the cream, liquer or water, and chopped chocolate and heat gently.
• Once the chocolate's melted, take the pan off the heat and whisk until it reaches the right consistency to ice just the top of the cake.
• Unmold the cooled cake carefully, leaving it on the base as it will be too difficult to get such a damp cake off in one piece.
• Ice the top with the chocolate icing, and dot thickly with the whole, toasted hazelnuts.
• If you have used Frangelico, put shot glasses on the table and serve it with the cake.