Chocolate Cake with Butterscotch Cream and Toffee Hazelnuts

You can wait for a special day to make this celebration cake, or you can make this cake on a "normal" day and just celebrate the fact that you made it. It's your call.


Chocolate Cake with Butterscotch Cream and Toffee Hazelnuts
adapted from here

For the Toffee Hazelnuts:
110g (1/2 cup) caster suagr
40ml (3 tablespoons) liquid glucose
12 hazelnuts, skins removed

For the Cake:
1 tablespoon redcurrant jelly
125ml (1/2 cup) buttermilk
180g (1 1/4 cups) self raising flour
50g (1/2 cup) cocoa powder
110g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
125g (1/2 cup firmly packed) light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
125g unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs, lightly beaten

For the Ganache:
100g dark chocolate, chopped
50g unsalted butter
150ml thickened cream
1 tablespoon liquid glucose

For the Butterscotch Cream:
300ml thickened cream
1 1/2 tablespoons golden syrup
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Make the Toffee Hazelnuts:
Place the sugar, glucose and 1/4 water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Swirl the pan occasionally until the sugar dissolves then cook for 6 - 8 minutes until you have an amber caramel. Set aside to cool until slightly thickened.

Carefully pierce each hazelnut with a long wooden skewer. bend the end of the skewer so that when the caramel drips, it doesn't drip down the skewer. Line a baking tray with baking paper, put an orange into the bottom of a tall jug and put the jug on the baking paper (bear with me). Dip each hazelnut into the caramel, then poke the other end of the skewer into the orange and let the caramel drip over the edge of the jug onto the baking paper. The caramel will drip down to form a trail. Cool then remove the nuts from the skewers.

Make the Cake:
Preheat the oven to 160 C. Grease and line a 20cm round springform cake pan.

Mix the redcurrant jelly with 1 tablespoon of the buttermilk until smooth. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combined the flour, cocoa powder, caster sugar, brown sugar and salt until fully mixed. Add the butter, vanilla, eggs, redcurrant jelly mixture and remaining buttermilk and stir until just combined. Spoon into the prepared pan and bake for 40 - 50 minutes until s skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the Ganache:
Place the chocolate and butter in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water (don't let the bowl touch the water). When melted and smooth, remove from the heat.

Place the cream and glucose in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to simmering point. Pour it over the chocolate mixture and stir until combined. Chill for 30 minutes or until thick.

Make the Butterscotch Cream:
Place all the ingredient into a bowl and whisk until stiff peaks form. Chill until ready to use.

Assemble the Cake:
Use a serrated knife to cut the cake in half horizontally. Place the bottom half of the cake onto a cake plate and spread it with the Butterscotch Cream. Place the top half of the cake on top and spread it with the Ganache. Top with the Toffee Hazelnuts.