Chocolate Hazelnut Crunchy Meringue Cake

This cake was made for my husband and his birthday... Here, I am proudly presenting my super Choco-licious Chocolate Hazelnut Crunchy Meringue Cake...

For him, I've customised and changed the original version of this cake all accordingly to what he likes.

The original one has a chocolate soft meringue and I've made a crunchy version for him, and we were all very happy feasting this delicious cake!

 

Here's the recipe from Woolworth Good Taste magazine, Apr 2011 issue
(The all chocolate issue...) (with my modification in blue)

Chocolate hazelnut cake
125g butter, chopped
100g dark cooking chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 eggs, lightly whisked
100g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
75g (1/2 cup) self raising flour
55g (1/2 cup) hazelnut meal
2 tbsp cocoa powder, sifted

Hazelnut sauce
125ml (1/2 cup) thickened cream
100g (1/3 cup) chocolate hazelnut spread

Chocolate meringue (*my crunchy meringue)
3 egg whites (same)
155g (3/4 cup) caster sugar (same)
100g dark chocolate, melted (omit)

1. Preheat oven 160°C. Brush a 22cm springform pan with melted butter. Line the base and side with non-stick baking paper.

2. Place the butter and chocolate in a heat proof bowl over a saucepan with simmering water. Use metal spoon to stir until chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.

3. Whisk the eggs into the chocolate mixture. Add sugar, flour, hazelnut meal and cocoa powder and stir until well combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 35 min or until skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.

4. Meanwhile to make the chocolate meringue. Use an electric beater to beat egg whites until firm peaks form. Gradually add sugar, beating constantly until sugar dissolves and mixture is thick and glossy. Increase oven temperature to 200°C. Divide the meringue into half. Fold half the melted chocolate through half the meringue to create a swirled effect. Spoon on top of cake and bake 8-10 minor until meringue is firm. * I replace this step with my crunchy meringue preparation.

For my crunchy meringue. Beat egg whites until firm peaks form. Gradually add sugar, beating constantly until sugar dissolves and mixture is thick and glossy. Spread meringue with about 1 cm thickness on a silicon baking mat and bake at 120°C fan forced for 40-50 min. Stand on tray for 5 min. Remove from baking mat. Cool completely on wire rack and break them into pieces when they are ready to be piled on the cake.

5. For the sauce, stir cream and chocolate hazelnut spread over low heat for 2-3 min or until smooth. Set aside to cool and thicken slightly. Drizzle over cake (with meringue on the top).

Note: I've made a 14cm cake pan using half of the cake recipe and bake the cake at 150°C fan forced for 20 min. I have used 2/3 of the meringue recipe for my crunchy meringue as I wanted a tall meringue for this cake.

Happy Baking
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