German Carrot Hazelnut Cake Food

GERMAN HAZELNUT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Mix together the sugar, eggs and flavouring and set aside.
• In another bowl, cream the butter and gradually add it to the sugar mixture.
• Mix the flour, baking powder and ground nuts together.
• Add it to the sugar and butter mixture a spoonful at a time.
• Fold in the chocolate.
• Grease a 26 cm (10 1/2 ") ring baking tin and fill with the batter.
• Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 65 minutes.
• Test cake for doneness by piercing the middle with a wodden toothpick; if it's clean it's done.
• Remove from oven and allow to stand for 5 to 10 minutes, loosen from sides of tin with knife then turn out onto a cake wire so that it can dry off.
• Dust the cooled cake with icing sugar.

NORWEGIAN HAZELNUT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Lightly grease bottom only of a 10-inch springform pan.
• Reserve 8 whole hazelnuts for garnish.
• With a blender or food processor, grind hazelnuts to a coarse meal (makes about 1 1/3 cups).
• Reserve 1 Tablespoon ground hazelnuts for garnish.
• Melt butter; set aside to cool.
• In a large bowl, beat eggs, sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla until thick and lemon colored, about 2-3 minutes.
• Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off.
• Add flour, baking powder, and ground hazelnuts; mix well.
• Continue beating, adding cooled, melted butter gradually until well blended.
• (Mixture will be quite thick).
• Spread batter in prepared pan.
• Bake for 35-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool 15 minutes; remove sides of pan.
• Run long knife under cake to loosen from pan bottom; invert onto serving plate.
• Allow to cool about 30 minutes, covered with light cloth towel.
• To prepare glaze, bring half-and-half and salt just to a boil; remove from heat.
• Stir in chocolate chips and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla until melted and smooth.
• Spread glaze over top of cake, allowing some to drizzle down the sides.
• Sprinkle reserved ground hazelnuts around the top edge of the cake.
• Halve reserved whole hazelnuts; arrange around top edge of cake over nut garnish.
• Store in a tightly closed cake container as this cake will dry out.
• I have also frozen it successfully.

GERMAN CARROT-HAZELNUT CAKE

Steps:

• In a bowl, beat the egg whites and salt using an electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form; gradually add 1/3 cup sugar, beating until stiff.
• In a bowl, beat egg yolks and 1/4 cup hot water at medium-high speed until foamy.
• Gradually add remaining 2/3 cup sugar; beat 3 minutes or until thick and pale.
• Stir the carrots and next 7 ingredients into the yolk mixture; fold in egg white mixture.
• Pour batter into a lightly greased 10-inch springform pan.
• Bake in a 325° oven for 50 minutes or until a pick comes out clean.
• Cool in pan 10 minutes; remove sides of pan, and cool completely on a wire rack.
• To make Chocolate Glaze: combine sugar and cocoa; stir in water until spreading consistency.
• Spread top and sides of cake with Chocolate Glaze.