A Simple Torte

My second torte in as many weeks.  What can I say, I love them!  I found this recipe online (compliments of the Australian Woman's Weekly) and it was much simpler (and half the ingredients) than my version (posted last week for World Nutella Day).  So tonight I had to give it a try.  There was no occasion, no guests, just me, my roomie and the torte.  A perfect evening if you ask me!

Ingredients

• 5 egg whites
• 1¼ cups (275g) caster sugar
• 1½ cups (150g) hazelnut meal 
• 1 cup (320g) Nutella
• 600ml thickened cream, whipped 
• cocoa powder, for serving

What to do

Preheat oven to 160 degrees. Line two large baking trays with baking paper. Using a pencil, mark two 25cm x 12cm rectangles on each tray. Turn over the baking paper so that the pencil marks are facing down.

Beat egg whites in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, beat until dissolved. Fold in hazelnut meal.

Spread one quarter of the mixture evenly over each outlined rectangle. Bake, swapping trays halfway through cooking, for about 40 minutes or until crisp. Cool on trays.

Place the Nutella in a small bowl. Microwave on HIGH for 20 seconds or until a soft, spreadable consistency. Spread three of the meringue rectangles evenly with the Nutella, reserving the remaining meringue rectangle for the top layer.

Place one of the Nutella-topped meringue rectangles on a serving plate. Spread with one third of the whipped cream. Continue layering with remaining Nutella-topped meringue rectangles and cream. Top with the remaining plain meringue rectangle. Serve dusted lightly with cocoa. 

Heavenly Nutella, Chocolate and Hazelnut Meringue Torte

It's only fitting to post a tribute to the most amazing creation of hazelnutty chocolatty goodness on this day, World Nutella Day!  So here is a recipe where I have combined my two favourite things: a torte and of course the spread of honour, Nutella.

I love the texture and the flavours of a good torte.  And then when you add Nutella... You get quite simply, heaven in your mouth!  It doesn't matter if your torte looks less than perfect, because I think that is half of the appeal of this tasty treat.  It's a messy compilation of chocolate Nutella goodness!  The original torte recipe is compliments of the Australian Woman's Weekly with a few changes and the filling thrown in by yours truly.


Ingredients

• 4 egg whites
• 1 cup of caster sugar
• 2 tablespoons of good quality cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon of cornflour
• 1 teaspoon of white vinegar
• 1/2 a cup of hazelnut meal
• chopped toasted hazelnuts and cocoa to serve
• 400g of milk chocolate, chopped
• 1/3 of a cup of thickened cream
• 2 teaspoons of coffee powder
• 1/2 of a cup of Nutella
• 300ml carton of pouring cream, whipped, to serve

What to do

Preheat the over to a very slow 120 degrees.  LIghtly grease and line 3 oven trays with baking paper and draw three 20cm circles on the baking paper.

In a clean bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.  

TIP:  It is important that your bowl and beaters are clean and dry, this will help you achieve optimum volume in your peaks.  It is also important to not over beat your whites before adding the sugar as this will cause the mixture to break down.

Gradually add the sugar, one tablespoon at a time, beating until the sugar dissolves.  Beat in the cocoa, cornflour and vinegar.  Fold in the hazelnut meal.

Divide the meringue between the three circles and spread evenly with a palate knife.  Bake for 25 minutes, until crisp.

Turn the oven off and all to cool in the oven with the door ajar, for at least 30 minutes.

Filling:  In a small saucepan, combine the chocolate, Nutella, cream and coffee.  Stir on low heat for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is melted and smooth.  Cool until spreadable.

Spread one meringue with 1/3 of the chocolate mixture then 1/3 of the whipped cream.  Repeat the layers, and finish with the cream.  Sprinkle with toasted hazelnuts and a dusting of cocoa.

TIP:  When whipping your cream, I find using a stainless steel bowl and mixers that have been chilled in the freezer guarantees you great peaks every time.

Remember that today is a day to celebrate, to get creative with, and most importantly, to eat Nutella.  So treat yourself.  After all, it'd be wrong to not pay your respects to the Nutella Gods today!

And a big thanks to the ladies at Ms Adventures in Italy and Bleeding Espresso for giving us an excuse to eat as much Nutella as our hearts desire today.

Chocolate Nutella Balls for a Nutella loving friend

Chocolate Nutella Balls

So, it's my friends birthday party tonight, and knowing that he is an avid lover of all things Nutella, I decided to make him some Chocolate Hazelnut Balls.  I took a basic chocolate ball recipe and modified it to pack a nutella and hazelnut punch.

Ingredients

• 200g dark chocolate (I love Cadbury), chopped
• 1/3 cup of thickened cream
• 1/2 a cup of crushed vanilla wafers (Italian are best or you could substitute for crushed ice-cream cones)
• 1/3 cup of Nutella
• 1/4 cup of flaked almonds, toasted and roughly chopped
• A handful of hazelnuts
• chocolate sprinkles/flakes to coat

What to do

In a small saucepan, combine the chocolate and cream.  Stir over low heat for 3-4 minutes until melted and smooth.

Mix in the wafers, Nutella and almonds.  Transfer mixture to a small bowl (stainless is best).  Chill for approximately 1 hour until firm.

Using the palm of your hands, roll heaped teaspoons of the chocolate mixture into smooth, round balls around a hazelnut.  And then coat the outside of the ball by rolling them in chocolate flakes.

Place the balls on a paper lined (grease proof of course) baking tray and chill for another hour or so.

TIP:  I find that if you keep your hands cold by rubbing an ice cube or holding them under cold water and then drying them off, the chocolate won't stick to your hands as much.

Once they are chilled and set, I packaged them in a sweet little japanese paper bag with heaps of ribbon.  Such a sweet gift!