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Chocolate Mousse Hazelnut Cake (P, KLP)
Source: Patricia Connell in Bon Appetit Magazine, April, 1985
Serves: 12

Cake:
Matzo cake meal (for pan)
3 ounces hazelnuts, toasted and ground, 1 cup
1/2 cup matzo cake meal
2 tablespoons potato starch
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
8 egg yolks, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla, optional
4 egg whites, room temperature
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup sugar

Mousse:
8 ounces semisweet chocolate
1/4 cup strong freshly brewed coffee
4 eggs, separated, room temperature
1 tablespoon Passover brandy or rum
2 tablespoons sugar
shaved semisweet chocolate

Make Cake:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease bottom of 10" springform pan. Dust with cake meal, shaking off excess.

Combine hazelnuts, 1/2 cup cake meal, potato starch and cinnamon in small bowl.

Using electric mixer, beat yolks and 1/2 cup sugar until slowly dissolving ribbon forms when beaters are lifted. Blend in vanilla if desired.

Using clean, dry beaters, beat whites and salt in another bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/3 cup sugar and beat until stiff but not dry.

Gently fold 1/3 of whites into yolk mixture to lighten. Fold mixture back into whites. Sprinkle with hazelnut mixture and fold gently.

Turn batter into prepared pan, spreading evenly. Bake until top is brown and tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool cake completely in pan; cake will deflate.

Make Mousse:
Melt chocolate with coffee in double boiler over gently simmering water; stir until smooth. Let cool.

Beat yolks into chocolate mixture 1 at a time. Blend in brandy. Beat whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar and heat until stiff but not dry. Gently fold whites into chocolate mixture.

Spread mousse onto cake. Cover and refrigerate until mousse is firm, several hours or overnight.

Just before serving, remove springform from cake. Sprinkle top with chocolate.

Posted by Carole Walberg

Nutritional Info Per Serving: 247 Calories; 13g Fat (43.5% calories from fat); 6g Protein; 30g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 204mg Cholesterol; 66mg Sodium.
Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 2 Fat; 2 Other Carbohydrates.