Nutella Cake with Chocolate Hazelnut Ganache

Here it is! This is so good I started making another one within the week. Serve this cake topped with whipped cream and spiced rum caramel sauce, sauce recipe included. Also this is not a high difficulty recipe and well worth your time.

Nutella Cake with Chocolate Hazelnut Ganache

Makes one 9-inch cake

Cake
6 large eggs, separated and at room temperature
pinch table salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 13-ounce container Nutellla
1 tablespoon Spiced Rum
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate

Ganache
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoon Spiced Rum
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
4 ounces hazelnut pieces



Preheat oven to 350 degrees; butter and line with parchment paper a 9-inch springform pan. In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites and salt until soft peaks than slowly add sugar while whisking until stiff peaks. In another bowl over simmering water add the butter and Nutella, Rum, egg yolks and chocolate. Whisk until smooth.

Add a 1/3 of beaten egg whites to the chocolate batter, and mix gently until well-combined. Fold in the remaining whites. Pour into springform and bake for 1 hour. Test for doneness by inserting toothpick, which should come out mostly clean; lightly pressing finger into top to check for a slight bouncing-back; and observing edges beginning to separate from pan. (test with toothpick at 45 minuets baking times can vary). Let cool completely in pan, on a rack.

For ganache and hazelnuts:
Toast the hazelnuts in a dry skillet, until they are lightly browned and then let cool completely.

Chop chocolate, and add to sauce pan with heavy cream and Rum over medium-low heat. Once chocolate is melted and components are combined, whisk until mixture is melted and smooth, then cool. Remove rim of cake pan and invert cake onto serving platter. Remove parchment paper. Pour cooled ganache over top and sides, spreading lightly to create a smooth, shiny surface, and apply hazelnuts all over.

serve at room temperature.

Rum Caramel Sauce

3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup hot water
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream
2 tablespoons dark rum
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons cold unsalted butter

Combine the sugar and hot water in a heavy saucepan, and cook over high heat until the sugar has dissolved, about 1 minute. Continue to cook, swirling the pan occasionally but never stirring the sugar mixture, until the mixture thickens and turns a deep amber color, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately add the heavy cream (be careful -- the mixture will splatter). Return the pan to the heat and reduce the heat to medium. Cook until the sauce is thick and creamy, stirring occasionally to help incorporate the cream, about 5 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the rum, vanilla, and butter. Serve warm.