This vintage retro dessert recipe for chocolate hazelnut torte draws inspiration from the Australian Women’s Weekly ‘100 Favourite CAKES’ cookbook published in 1972.
Their vintage chocolate hazelnut torte is listed in the section titled ‘Dessert cakes’, described as ‘rich, luscious, the perfect ending to a happy meal.’
My take on this vintage retro dessert consists of layers of hazelnut meringue, sandwiched with chocolate ganache and hazelnut French buttercream.
This is only one of a range of vintage retro dessert recipes on my website – many based on Women’s Weekly vintage cake recipes. Check out the full range of recipes here!
Ingredients
Meringue
113g (1/2 cup + 1 tbsp) ground hazelnuts, toasted
12g (1 1/2 tbsp) cornflour
113g (1/2 cup + 1 tbsp) caster sugar
85g (3/4 cup) pure icing sugar
120g (4 large) egg whites
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
Hazelnut praline buttercream
78g (5 large) egg yolks
73g caster sugar
15g (1 tbsp) rum or coffee
4g (3/4 tsp) vanilla extract
1g (1/4 tsp) flaky salt
227g unsalted butter, softened to 18°C
3 tbsp Hazelnut praline spread
Ganache
100g cream fraiche
1 tsp honey
100g dark chocolate callets
Toasted hazelnuts to garnish
Method
- For the meringue, preheat oven to 120°C. Line three baking trays with baking paper. Draw a 7 inch (18cm) circle template on baking paper. In a food processor pulse the ground nuts, cornflour, half the caster sugar, and all the icing sugar a few times to thoroughly combine. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl beat the whites until frothy, add the cream of tartar, and beat at medium speed while gradually adding 1 tablespoon caster sugar. When soft peaks form, gradually add the remaining caster sugar and beat at medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in nut mixture in two parts. Do not overmix. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large (1.5cm) plain tip. Using the template as a guide, pipe in a circular pattern, beginning in the centre and finishing 1/2 inch from the border.
- Bake for 1 hour or until dry and firm to the touch, but not coloured. Test the meringues using the tip of a sharp knife. It is done if the meringue is only slightly sticky on the blade. Leave to cool in the oven with the door ajar, for around 60 minutes.
- For the praline buttercream, fill a pot (that will sit a large bowl above the water line) with 5-10cm of water. Heat water until steaming-hot, then adjust temperature to maintain a gentle simmer. Combine egg yolks, sugar, rum, vanilla, and salt in the bowl. Place bowl over steaming water, stirring and scraping constantly with a flexible spatula, until egg yolk syrup reaches 68°C (about 5 minutes). Transfer to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and whip at high speed until mixture is fluffy, stiff, and beginning to ball up around the whisk (about 8 minutes).
- With mixer still running, add butter 1 or 2 tablespoons at a time, waiting only a second or two between additions. In the end, the buttercream should be thick, creamy, and soft but not runny, around 22°C. Add the praline paste to buttercream. Whip on medium high until fully incorporated. Cover and place aside at room temperature until needed.
- For the ganache, bring cream and honey to a simmer on the stove top or in the microwave, stirring occasionally. At first signs of simmering point, remove from heat and poor over chocolate, ensuring all chocolate is covered. Cover and let sit undisturbed for 5 minutes. Remove cover and gently whisk, starting in the centre and working outward until smooth and velvety. If there are lumps, gently heat for a further 5-10 seconds to dissolve. Let it sit uncovered at room temperature for about 15 minutes until homogenised and thick.
- To assemble, place the first meringue disc on the presentation plate and secure with a small dollop of ganache. Top the disc with two thirds of the chocolate ganache. Top with the next disc and half the praline buttercream. Finish with the final disc. Cover the exterior of the torte with remaining buttercream, reserving a portion for piped decorations. Pipe the remaining buttercream and ganache to decorate. Finish with toasted hazelnuts.
