The Birthday Party

Last weekend I held a birthday party for Sami who turned 3 and Lucy who turned 6, both birthdays are June 20th. What a blast we had.

My friend Camille was here for the weekend and this is the video she put together of the event. Enjoy and thanks Camille for the video!!

Sami and Lucy's Birthday Party from Camille Barkley on Vimeo.

Nutella Cake with Chocolate Hazelnut Ganache

I came across this recipe on a cooking blog, http://www.bunkycooks.com/. It appears she is local to the Atlanta area, too, so I figure it was probably a good recipe. And boy did I nail that one! It is a to die for recipe!! I've made this twice and plan to make another tonight to take to a friend in Birmingham tomorrow. I mean, to die for! It's easy and quick as well! Try it, you will see.

For Cake:

6 large eggs, separated and at room temperature
pinch table salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 13-ounce container Nutellla
1 tablespoon Frangelico
1/2 cup finely ground hazelnuts
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled (I used Ghiardelli)

For Ganache:

1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon Frangelico
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate (Ghiardelli)
2 ounces whole hazelnuts, toasted and cut in half (I used pre-chopped hazelnuts from the nut section in the grocery store)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees; butter a 9-inch springform pan. In a large bowl (preferably metal), whisk the egg whites and salt until stiff. In another bowl, cream the butter and Nutella, then add the Frangelico, egg yolks, and ground hazelnuts. Fold in melted chocolate.

Add a large tablespoon of beaten egg whites to the chocolate batter, and mix gently until well-combined. Fold in the remaining whites, one-third at a time, very gently but thoroughly. Pour into springform and bake for 35-40 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting tester, which should come out mostly clean; lightly pressing finger into top to check for a slight bouncing-back; and observing edges beginning to separate from pan. (My cake was done in 35 minutes). Let cool completely, in pan, on a rack.

Toast the hazelnuts in a dry skillet, or toaster oven shaking them around frequently. Do it for about 4 minutes, or until they are lightly browned, then let cool completely. If hazelnuts came with skins on, put them in a towel after toasting and rub around; this will remove most of the skins. Cut in half. (again, I use the pre-chopped hazelnuts from the nut aisle and I didn't toast them - still scrumptious)

Chop chocolate, and add to sauce pan with heavy cream and Frangelico over medium-low heat. Once chocolate is melted and components are combined, whisk until mixture reaches desired thickness, then cool. Remove rim of cake pan and pour cooled ganache over, spreading lightly to create a smooth, shiny surface, and apply hazelnuts all over.

This cake is at its best when served at room temperature.