| 1 |
FOR MOUSEE: Whisk egg yolks and sugar in heavy medium saucepan to blend. Whisk in hazelnut liqueur. Add butter. Whisk gently over medium heat until mixture is thick, about 4 minutes (do not boil). Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until melted. Gently stir in Nutella. Transfer mixture to large bowl; cool to room temperature. Beat cream in medium bowl until cream holds peaks; fold into chocolate mixture in 2 additions. Cover mousse and chill up to 1 day. |
| 2 |
FOR MERINGUE: Preheat oven to 300 F. Remove sides from 10-inch spring form pan; cover pan bottom with parchment paper round (do not attach pan sides). Finely grind nuts with powdered sugar and flour in processor. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add 3 tablespoons sugar, beating until stiff but not dry. Fold in ground-nut mixture. Spoon meringue into pastry bag fitted with 3/8-inch plain round tip. Starting in center of parchment round, pipe continuous spiral of meringue to cover. Place pan with meringue on baking sheet. Bake meringue 20 minutes. Reduce heat to meringue 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 275 F. Bake meringue until golden but still slightly soft to touch, about 20 minutes longer. Cut around meringue edge to loosen. Transfer meringue on parchment to rack and cool completely. (meringue will crisp as it cools). |
| 3 |
FOR CAKE: Preheat oven to 300 F. Attach sides of same 10-inch springform pan to bottom and line bottom with parchment. Blend hazelnuts and flour in processor until nuts are very finely ground. Stir chocolate and butter in heavy small saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth; cool to lukewarm. |
| 4 |
Using electric mixer, beat egg yolks, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt in large bowl until thick ribbon falls when beaters are lifted, about 4 minutes; fold in chocolate mixture. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/2 cup sugar, beating until stiff but not dry; fold whites into chocolate mixture. Fold in nut mixture in 3 additions. |
| 5 |
Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out with moist clumps still attached, about 40 minutes. Cool completely in pan on rack (center will sink). Press edges of cake to same level as center. Cut around cake; remove pan sides. Invert cake onto work surface and peel off paper. |
| 6 |
Return meringue to same pan bottom. Spread 1 cup mousse evenly over meringue. Place cake atop mousse; attach pan sides. Spoon remaining mousse over cake in pan; smooth top. Cover pan and freeze cake overnight. |
| 7 |
FOR GANACHE: Bring cream to simmer in medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. Cool until ganache thickens enough to coat spoon thickly, stirring occasionally, about 2 hours. |
| 8 |
Place large sheet of foil on work surface; place cake rack in center. Remove pan sides from cake; place cake, still on pan bottom, on rack. Pour ganache over cake, smoothing top and sides with long spatula. Arrange hazelnuts around top edge of cake. Refrigerate until ganache sets, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day. |
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