Chocolate Hazelnut Cake Rolls

In order to make these Chocolate Hazelnut Cake Rolls you need to make the hazelnut paste first. You need 3 cups of skinned hazelnuts and 2 tablespoons of safflower oil or any other neutral tasting vegetable oil. If you are using a powerful blender, such as a Blendtec or Vitamix omit the oil unless you feel you need it. For most blenders or food processors, pour in the 2 tablespoons of oil.

Preheat your oven to 350F and spread the skinned hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake 20-22 minutes until they are dark and almost smoking. Add the warm hazelnuts to the blender to make a smooth paste. Occasionally scrape down the sides to keep the nuts moving toward the blade. Add more oil if needed. Continue until you get a smooth paste.

PS: if you need to take the skins off the hazelnuts, Toast them in a 325F oven for 15-20 minutes, then rub the skins off with a towel.

You’ll need a Vitamix or comparable blender and a KitchenAid stand mixer or any mixer with a whisk attachment.

Ingredients:

Filling:
9 oz semisweet chocolate 72% cacao
1 cup hazelnut paste
1 cup powdered sugar

Cake:
3 large eggs
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons honey (clover or orange blossom)
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon cake flour, sifted

Coating:
16 oz semisweet chocolate 72% cacao
3 tablespoons safflower or other neutral tasting vegetable oil
6 oz of white chocolate
1/2 cup finely chopped raw pistachios

Directions:

Filing:
Melt the chocolate in a metal bowl set over but not touching simmering water in a saucepan.

Stir until smooth then remove the bowl from the heat to cool until it’s neither warm nor cool to the touch. Stir in the hazelnut paste until evenly combined. Sift the powdered sugar, mixing it in until you can’t see it any longer. Let stand, uncovered, until thick and spreadable like a nut paste.

Cake:
Preheat the oven to 350F with the rack in the center of the oven. Line a 11”x17” rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, butter and flower the parchment paper.

Beat the eggs, sugar and honey in your stand mixer with the whisk attachment for 15 minutes, begin at medium speed and increase to high when it’s blended. Sift the flour over the bowl 1/3rd at a time, gently folding after each addition with a large spatula to completely incorporate the flour without deflating the eggs more than necessary.

Use a small offset spatula to spread the batter in an even layer over the prepared pan. Bake until lightly golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Lift out of the parchment paper and transfer it to a flat surface with the width side (longest) facing you. Trim away the crusty edges, then cut into sections, usually 4” wide. Turn the cake pieces bottom side up.

Always roll while the cake is warm, so check your filling. If it’s thin stir briefly over a bowl of ice until thick and spreadable. Spread filling evenly over each piece. Then roll up from the width side. Transfer the rolls to a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or freeze 5-8 minutes to firm the filling. Trim the ends and cut into three equal segments. Return to the lined baking sheet, seam side down,

Coating:
Melt the chocolate with 2 tablespoons oil like you did before. Turn off the heat but keep over the hot water to maintain the right consistency for dipping. Place a rack over a bowl and put the rolls on the rack. Pour the chocolate over the rolls, using a small offset spatula to even out the chocolate. Return the chocolate covered rolls to the lined baking sheet and refrigerate to set at least 30 minutes.

Melt the white chocolate with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil (same way). Put the pistachios in a bowl. Dip the ends of the rolls in the white chocolate then the pistachios, transfer the rolls to a newly lined baking sheet. Refrigerate to set, 15-30 minutes. Yum Yum

Your small offset spatula looks like this: