CHOCOLATE BUTTER CAKE
2 c Cake flour
3/4 c Unsweetened alkalized; cocoa
-powder
1 1/4 ts Baking soda
1/2 ts Salt
12 tb Unsalted butter; softened
1 c Granulated sugar
3/4 c Packed light brown sugar
2 lg Eggs; at room temperature
1 tb Vanilla extract
1 1/3 c Strongly brewed coffee; at
-room temperature
***CARAMELIZED HAZELNUTS
-AND HAZELNUT PRALINE***
1/2 c Granulated sugar
1/4 c Water
12 Perfect hazelnuts; toasted
-FRAMBOISE SYRUP-
1/4 c Water
2 tb Granulated sugar
1 tb Framboise liqueur
1 ts Vanilla extract
———————–MASCARPONE CREAM FILLING———————–
2 c Mascarpone cheese; (italian,
-cream cheese)
3/4 c Granulated sugar
1/4 c Framboise liqueur
1 1/2 c Heavy cream
ASSEMBLY
5 c Fresh raspberries
-CHOCOLATE GLAZE-
8 oz Bittersweet chocolate;
-finely chopped
1 c Heavy cream
1 tb Light corn syrup
Note: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350F.
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: Position a rack in the center of the oven and
preheat to 375 F.
Line the bottom of a 17 1/2-by-11 1/2-inch jelly roll pan with
parchment or waxed paper. Lightly spray the bottom and sides of the
pan with nonstick cooking spray. 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. In a 4 1/2-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. 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: 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 3/4 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.
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. Transfer the praline to a bowl and set aside. Make the
framboise syrup: In a small saucepan, combine the water and sugar.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until
the sugar dissolves . Stop stirring; raise the heat to medium-high
and bring the syrup to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and stir
in the framboise liqueur and vanilla.
Make the mascarpone cream filling: In a 4 1/2-quart bowl of a
heavy-duty electric mixer using the wire whip attachment, beat
together the mascarpone cheese, sugar and framboise liqueur at medium
speed until combined, about 1 minute. While continuing to beat the
mixture, gradually add the heavy cream; increase the speed to
medium-high and beat the mascarpone mixture until soft peaks form and
the mixture is spreadable. Cover and refrigerate the cream
continued in part 2
Yields
8 servings