Gianduia Mousse Cake

Ingredients

  • 9 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened)
  • 7 ounces fine-quality milk chocolate
  • 1 cup Nutella
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened hazelnut butter
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup superfine granulated sugar
  • 1 cup well-chilled heavy cream
  • Accompaniment: whipped cream

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F and butter a 10-inch springform pan. Wrap bottom and side of pan with a large piece of heavy-duty foil to waterproof.
  2. Chop chocolates into small pieces and melt in a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat and stir in Nutella and hazelnut butter until combined well.
  3. In a large bowl of a standing electric mixer or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer beat eggs until frothy, about 1 minute. Gradually add sugar, beating mixture at high speed until thick and pale and it holds a slowly dissolving ribbon when beaters are lifted, about 4 minutes if using a standing mixer and about 8 minutes if using a hand-held mixer. Pour chocolate mixture into egg mixture and stir until combined well. In a chilled bowl beat cream until it holds soft peaks and fold into batter gently but thoroughly.
  4. Pour batter into springform pan and put springform pan in a roasting pan. Add enough hot water to roasting pan to reach halfway up side of springform pan. Bake cake in middle of oven 1 hour and 10 minutes.
  5. Turn off oven and let cake stand in oven 40 minutes. Remove springform pan from water and cool cake in pan on a rack 30 minutes.
  6. Remove side of pan from cake.
  7. Let cake cool completely before serving.
  8. Serve cake with whipped cream.

Makes 12 to 14 servings.

Cake keeps, covered and chilled, 3 days.

Cake served at room temperature will have a texture reminiscent of mousse; chilled cake will be more fudge-like.

Source: Gourmet - February 1998