Chocolate Hazelnut Cake – Keke Hānati Tiakarete
As you can see, this keke (cake) is inspired by Forerro Rocher with flavours of tiakarete (chocolate) and hānati (hazelnut). This keke (cake) is always going to be a hit your whānau (family) and friends of all ages. It starts with a simple ranunga tiakarete (chocolate mixture) and then we mix through ground hazelnuts. As an option, the hānati (hazelnuts) can be swapped for the same amount of peru oneone (ground almonds) in the cake mixture. Once baked, we spread it with a simple pani reka tiakarete (chocolate frosting) and fill the middle with a good quality pata hānati tiakarete (chocolate hazelnut spread) and canned poihanapere (boysenberries). To finish it off, we top it with Forerro Rocher and a sprinkle of hānati (hazelnuts). Pure deliciousness made with your own hands, what could be better?!
Are you gluten-free so can’t have this keke (cake)? Kāore he raru – no worries, I have you covered. Check out my Gluten-free Chocolate Hazelnut Cake, made with you in mind.
Chocolate Hazelnut Cake – Keke Hānati Tiakarete
A delicious chocolate and hazelnut cake with a chocolate buttercream, hazelnut spread filling and canned boysenberries layered together. Topped with Forerro Rocher for extra indulgence.
Servings 12 servings (1 x 20 cm layer cake)
Ingredients
Chocolate Hazelnut Cake – Keke Hānati Tiakarete
- ¾ C (185 ml) miraka (milk)
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) winika (vinegar) or wai rēmana (lemon juice)
- 1 C (100 g) kōkō (cocoa, dutch is best)
- ⅓ C (75 g) huka hāura (brown sugar)
- ½ tsp tote (salt, fine)
- ½ tbsp paura kawhe (coffee powder, instant)
- 1 C (250 ml) wai wera (hot water, boiled)
- 3 hēki (eggs, size 6)
- 1 C (220 g) huka one (caster sugar)
- ½ tbsp wanira (vanilla)
- ½ C (125 ml) noni (oil, neutral oil, I use olive oil but use what you have)
- 1 C (150 g) hānati (hazelnuts, whole and raw)
- 1 C (150 g) puehu parāoa noa (plain flour)
- 1 ½ tsp pēkana paura (baking powder)
- 1 tsp pēkana houra (baking soda)
Chocolate Buttercream – Pani Reka Tiakarete
- 150 g tiakarete parauri (dark chocolate, 50%)
- 3 tbsp kirīmi, miraka rānei (cream or milk)
- 180 g pata kūteretere (softened butter)
- ⅔ C (110 g) puehu huka (icing sugar)
- 2 tsp wanira
- ¼ C (25 g) kōkō (cocoa, dutch is best)
The Decorations – Ngā Whakarākei
- ⅔ C (190 g) pata hānati tiakarete (chocolate hazelnut spread). I used a good quality one but use what you prefer.
- 425 g kēna poihanapere (can of boysenberries, in syrup)
- 12 Forerro Rocher chocolates
Instructions
Chocolate Hazelnut Cake – Keke Tiakarete me te Hānati
- Note: If you want a more pronounced hānati (hazelnut) flavour in this keke (cake), toast the hānati (hazelnuts) before making the batter. Add the whole nuts in to a dry frying pan and over medium heat, toast the nuts until fragrant. Once they are toasted, add them to a tea towel and rub off the skins. Allow them to cool as you make the cake batter.
- Preheat the oven to 150 °C. Grease and line 2 x 19 cm or 20 cm cake tins with baking paper on the base and sides.
- Combine the miraka (milk) and winika (vinegar) in a glass. Stir to create a simple buttermilk. Leave to the side.
- To a jug or medium bowl, add the kōkō (cocoa), huka hāura (brown sugar), tote (salt) and paura kawhe (coffee powder). Mix it up.
- Boil the jug and pour the wai wera (hot water) in to the cocoa mix. Stir it. Once the ranunga kōkō (cocoa mixture) is smooth and free of lumps, pour in the miraka pata (buttermilk) and stir it in. Leave to the side.
- In to a large bowl, add the hēki (eggs), huka one (caster sugar) and wanira (vanilla). Using a whisk, whip for a minute or so until smooth.
- Slowly drizzle in the noni (oil) as you whisk it in to a smooth batter. Continue whisking as you pour in the cocoa mixture.
- Add the hānati (hazelnuts) in to a blender and turn them in to a crumb, be careful not to take them too far as they will start to turn in to hazelnut butter. Just pulse until a crumb forms. Reference the video for a visual cue.
- Add the kongakonga hānati (hazelnut crumb) in to the main mixture along with puehu parāoa (flour), pēkana paura (baking powder) and pēkana houra (baking soda).Whisk it all together for a minute or so until the batter is smooth.
- Divide it evenly between the two prepared cake tins.
- Bake for 35 minutes or until they spring back in the centre when pressed.
- Remove the cakes from the oven. Flip them straight on to a cooling rack as this helps them stay flat so you don't have to trim the cakes. Leave the baking paper on the cakes until you are ready to decorate them.Allow them to completely cool before decorating.
Chocolate Buttercream – Pani Reka Tiakarete
- Chop the tiakarete parauri (dark chocolate) roughly in to chunks. Add the tiakarete parauri (dark chocolate) and kirīmi (cream) or miraka (milk) to a bowl.
- Gently melt it in the microwave in 20 second bursts, stirring well between each time. This should take a minute or just over. You can also melt it gently in a heat-proof bowl that is sitting over a pot of barely simmering water (around 3cm deep). Make sure the bowl is not touching the water. Stir it occasionally until it is melted.
- Once smooth and melted, leave the tiakarete (chocolate) to cool for 5 minutes.
- Add the pata kūteretere (softened butter), puehu huka (icing sugar) and wanira (vanilla) to a large bowl. Whip until light and fluffy for around 4-5 minutes.
- Add the kōkō (cocoa) and whip it for 30 seconds. Add the warm chocolate mixture, a few tablespoons at a time to the butter mixture as you whip continuously.
- Once it is all incorporated, refrigerate for 5 to 10 minutes to thicken slightly and then it is ready to use.
The Decorations – Ngā Whakarākei
- Add around ⅓ C of the pani reka (buttercream and spread it over the top of the keke (cake). Once smooth, pipe a border around the edge. If you don't have a piping bag, just add small blobs of buttercream around the edge of the cake and use a spoon to create a border. This helps keep the filling in.
- Add the pata hānati tiakarete (chocolate hazelnut spread) and spread it out to the edges of the border.
- Drain the juice off the poihanapere (boysenberries) and add the berries on to the pata hānati tiakarete (chocolate hazelnut spread). I use around ¾ C of berries.
- Add the second keke (cake) on top and press it down gently. Continue to spread the pani reka (buttercream) on top of the keke (cake) and down the sides. Make sure to take the time to smooth it out. Reserve ¼ C of the buttercream to pipe on top as anchors for the Forerro Rocher.
- Place 8 whole Forerro Rocher around the edge of the cake on top of the piped buttercream. Cut the rest in half and add them in between the whole ones.
- As an option, sprinkle with a handful of extra kongakonga hānati (hazelnut crumb). Kua rite te keke – the cake is ready.
- This will keep in a well sealed container in a cool place for a few days. I don't like to keep my keke (cakes) in the pouaka mātao (refrigerator) but if you do, make sure you remove the cake from the fridge an hour before serving to give it time to come back to room temperature.
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