Chocolate Hazelnut Filling

Ingredients:

500 ml (2 cups) whipping cream
500 g semi-sweet chocolate
100 g hazelnuts
220 (1 cup) g sugar
2 Tbsp hazelnut liqueur

Directions:

Heat the whipping cream over medium heat, remove from heat, add the chocolate and stir until completely mixed and glossy.

If the chocolate is not melted, place the bowl back on the stovetop on medium-low heat. Stir continuously for 4-5 minutes or until the chocolate is melted. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Add the hazelnut liqueur and set aside to cool. Then refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.

To make the caramelized hazelnuts, roast them in the oven for 6 minutes. Allow them to cool and then rub them until the skins come off.

Melt the sugar in a heavy-bottom saucepan over low-medium heat. Stir constantly with a spoon until sugar reaches a golden-brown colour. Remove from heat, stir the hazelnuts in and coat them with sugar. Take the nuts out with a fork and place them on parchment paper.

When they have cooled off, use a meat tenderizer mallet to “chop” the nuts.

Whip the chilled chocolate mixture until light and fluffy. If it’s too thick you can mix in a few tablespoons of whipped cream. Mix in the chopped hazelnuts in 2/3 of the mixture. You will use the remaining to crumb coat the cake.