Warm Chocolate Hazelnut Cakes

Ingredients

Directions

Make Hazelnut Custard Sauce::

1. Combine the 1/3 cup sugar and the cornstarch in small bowl; beat in 2 egg yolks. Slowly beat in 1/2 cup of the hot cream. Pour yolk mixture and remaining cream into small saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring constantly over low heat; boil 30 seconds. Remove from heat and stir in hazelnut liqueur. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours. Makes 1-3/4 cups.

2. Heat oven to 350 degree F. Place hazelnuts on jelly-roll pan and toast 13 to 15 minutes or until fragrant. Immediately transfer nuts to clean kitchen towel and rub with towel to remove any loose skin; cool completely. Transfer nuts to food processor with 2 tablespoons sugar and process until finely ground.

3. Meanwhile, increase oven temperature to 400 degree F. Butter and flour 4-inch fluted individual tube pans or 6-ounce custard cups; set aside.

4. Beat butter and remaining 1/2 cup sugar in large bowl on medium speed of electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add remaining egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Stir in melted chocolate, then nuts and flour. Beat egg whites in clean bowl with clean beaters at medium speed until frothy. Add salt and continue beating to soft peaks. Fold one quarter of the egg whites into chocolate mixture. Gently fold in remaining egg whites. Spoon mixture into prepared cups. (If using custard cups, place on cookie sheet.) Bake 10 to 14 minutes for tube pans (18 to 20 minutes for custard cups) or until edges of tops are set. (Centers should still be runny.) Remove from oven and let stand in cups 5 minutes. Invert cakes onto wire rack.

5. Transfer one cake to each of 6 dessert plates. Spoon custard sauce around each cake. Spoon 5 dollops (about 1/8 teaspoon each) seedless raspberry jam each onto custard on each plate. Run tip of small knife through center of each dollop to form 5 hearts. Makes 6 servings.