Dolce torino/torta gianduja

 
                        Dolce Torino/Torta Gianduja
 
 Recipe By     : Viviane Buzzi 
 Serving Size  : 8    Preparation Time :0:00
 Categories    : Cakes
 
   Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
 --------  ------------  --------------------------------
      1/3  cup           hazelnuts
      1/2  cup           sugar
    8      ounces        unsweetened chocolate
    6                    eggs
    3                    egg yolks
      1/2  tablespoon    honey
      1/4  pound         butter
    1      teaspoon      vanilla
      3/4  cup           flour plus 3/4 cup cake flour
                         or use 1 1/2 cups minus 1 1/2 T flour
    6      tablespoons   heavy cream
    1      tablespoon    apricot jam
    7      ounces        sweetened chocolate
    3      tablespoons   marachino liqueur
    2      tablespoons   brandy
 
    Toast the hazelnuts in the oven and remove the outer skins.  Melt 1
 Tbsp of the sugar in a small saucepan and add the toasted hazelnuts
 to it.  Process or pound this combination to a smooth hazelnut paste.
    Melt 3oz/85g of the unsweetened chocolate and set aside.  Whisk
 together the 6 eggs, 3 egg yolks, and all but 1 Tbsp of the remaining
 sugar until foamy and thick.  Do this with the bowl standing over a
 saucepan full of warm water; don't allow the water to get any more
 than body temperature, or the cake will be spoiled.  Add the honey,
 remove from the heat, and continue to beat until completely cool and
 thickened.
    Place the butter, melted chocolate, vanilla, and hazelnut paste in
 another bowl over a pan full of hot water or in the top of a double
 boiler and stir until smoothly mixed together.
    Sift the flour and cake flour into the egg, sugar and honey mixture
 and fold in very carefully and gently.  Then fold in the
 chocolate-hazelnut mixture.  Pour this into two buttered and floured
 9-inch/23cm cake pans and place in a preheated 190C/375F oven.  Bake
 for about 40 minutes.  When the cakes are done, lift out of the oven
 and turn out onto a clean cloth, where they can be left to cool.
 Put the remaining 5oz/140g unsweetened chocolate in a bowl over a
 pan of hot water or in the top of a double boiler, add the cream,
 and stir until smooth.
    As soon as it begins to boil, remove from the heat and pour into a
 bowl to cool, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin from forming on
 the top.
    Put the apricot jam in a small saucepan and add the remaining 1 Tbsp
 sugar.  Stir over low heat until melted, then set aside in a warm  place.
    Melt the sweetened chocolate and also set aside in a warm place.
    Whip the cream and chocolate mixture until stiff. Place the cooled
 cakes on a serving platter with a sheet of wax paper underneath.
    Slice off the hard crust.  Mix the liqueur with the brandy and paint
 half of it all over one of the cakes.  Spread three-quarters of the
 chocolate cream over the same cake, then put the other cake on top,
 so that the two form a single cake.  Paint the top of the cake with
 the remaining liqueur, then coat the cake completely with apricot
 jam. Spread with the sweetened chocolate and decorate with the
 remaining chocolate cream.  Remove the wax paper before serving.
    Do not put the cake in the refrigerator, but keep it in a cool place
 until ready to serve.
    This cake is traditionally baked in a round pan and has "Gianduja" or
 "Gianduia" written across it with melted chocolate.
 
 Viviane's Note:  If you cannot get unsweetened chocolate, substitute
 bittersweet chocolate and reduce the amount of sugar.  I would maybe
 use about 3/4 cup of sugar (half the suggested amount) but it
 depends on how sweet you like it to be.
 
 Source: "Regional Italian Cooking" by Valentina Harris
 
 
 
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