Chocolate Hazelnut Mascarpone Torte With Raspberries Pt 1

Directions

1. DIFFICULTY:*** PREPARATION: 3 1/2 hrs plus baking and chilling times.
2. Recipe
3. Note: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 F. Spread the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast for 12 to 15 min, or possibly till golden brown beneath the skins. Wrap the nuts in a clean towel and cold completely. Transfer the cooled hazelnuts to a large sieve and rub them back and forth to remove the loose skins.
4. Make the chocolate butter cake:1.Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 F. Line the bottom of a 17 1/2-by-11 1/2-inch jelly roll pan with parchment or possibly waxed paper. Lightly spray the bottom and sides of the pan with nonstick cooking spray.
5. 2.In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa pwdr, baking soda and salt. Sift the flour mix onto a piece of waxed paper and set aside.
6. 3.In a 4 1/2-qt bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the butter at medium-high speed for 1 minute, till creamy. While continuing to beat the butter, gradually add in the granulated and brown sugars, stopping the machine and scraping down the side of the bowl as necessary. Beat the butter/sugar mix at medium-high speed for 2 min, till smooth. Beat in the Large eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla.
7. Reduce the speed to low and alternately add in one-third of the reserved dry ingredients and one-third of the coffee. In two more batches, alternately add in the remaining dry ingredients and coffee, scraping down the bowl as necessary.
8. 4.Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and, using a metal cake spatula, smooth the batter proportionately into the pan. Bake the cake for 25 to 28 min, till the sides just begin to pull away from the pan and the surface springs back when lightly touched. Cold the cake in the pan set on a wire rack for 10 min. Invert the cake onto a wire rack; carefully peel off the parchment paper and allow the cake to cold completely.
9. Make the caramelized hazelnuts and hazelnut praline:
10. 1.Lightly spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, till the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to medium-high and continue to cook without stirring for 4 to 6 min till the syrup caramelizes. Immediately remove the pan from the heat. Add in the 12 perfect hazelnuts to the caramel and toss to coat. With an oiled fork, remove each hazelnut, letting the excess caramel drip back into the pan, and place them at one end of the prepared baking sheet. Quickly stir the 3/4 c. of hazelnuts into the remaining warm caramel. Pour the hazelnut praline onto the other end of the baking sheet. Cold the praline for 30 min till hard. Reserve the individual caramelized hazelnuts for decorating the cake.
11. 2.Coarsely chop the praline. In a food processor fitted with the metal chopping blade, process the praline for 35 to 45 seconds till finely grnd.
12. continued in part 2