Hazelnut Chocolate Entremet (Flourless)

It's always a challenge to bake birthday cake for my elder sister. She likes chocolate and hazelnuts. She likes flourless cakes. Put them together and you'll get Chocolate Flourless Cake? Yes, done that and that. I had to hunt high and low to try to find a suitable recipe. In the end, it was a combination of recipes that I put together. I'm glad the cake turns out well and she appreciated it and loved it!

Recipe for Hazelnut Chocolate Entremet
Makes a 8"x8" cake

Ingredients:
Hazelnut Dacquoise, adapted from Daily Delicious
Makes two 8"x8" pans

140g Egg whites
35g Sugar
120g Ground hazelnut (I grind my own toasted hazelnut)
90g Icing sugar

Method:

1. Sift the icing sugar and mix together with the ground hazelnuts.
2. Whisk the egg whites with the sugar until stiff.
3. Fold the hazelnut mixture gently into the meringue.
4. Pour into the two prepared pans equally.
5. Bake for 15mins in a preheat oven of 180C.
6. Remove from the pan and let it cool completely.

Chocolate Meringue, adapted from Cadbury.
Makes a 8"x8" pan

2 Egg whites

75g Caster sugar

1 heaped tbsp Dutch processed Cocoa powder 

1/2 tsp White vinegar

Method:

1. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Continue beating, adding the sugar a little at a time until dissolved.
2. Sprinkle sifted cocoa powder and vinegar and gently fold in.
3. Pour in a lined pan.
4. Bake at 150C for 45mins. Turn off the oven heat and leave the door ajar to cool the meringue.

Chocolate Mousse

200g Whipping Cream

3000g Dark chocolates, chopped, at least 55%

200g Whipping cream, whipped

Method:

1. Heat the first 150g whipping cream.
2. Pour it into a large mixing bowl with the dark chocolates.
3. Stir until completely mixed and smooth.
4. Scoop up three big cooking spoon of the ganache. Put aside.
5. Whipped up the remaining 200g of cream till soft peak.
6. Fold in the bigger portion of the ganache into the whipped cream. Mix well. Set aside.

Toasted hazelnuts, crushed and wholes

To assemble:

1. Place the chocolate meringue as the base.
2. Spread with chocolate ganache (from the 3 big spoons bowl.)
3. Sprinkle crushed hazelnuts.
4. Topped with chocolate mousse evenly.
5. Place a layer of hazelnut dacquoise on top of the mousse.
6. Spread with chocolate ganache.
7. Sprinkle crushed hazelnuts.
8. Topped with chocolate mousse.
9. Place another layer of hazelnut dacquoise on top.
10. Frost all the sides with chocolate mousse, and the remaining on top of the dacquoise.
11. Chill the cake for at least an hour to harden the chocolate mousse.
12. With the remaining chocolate ganache, spread it evenly on top of the chocolate mousse. If the chocolate ganache has harden, heat in the microwave for 20 secs, or over a pot of boilling water.
13. Decorate with remaining whole hazelnuts and edible gold, or whichever way you like.
14. Chill well before serving.