Zuccotto Toscano – Florentine Chocolate Hazelnut Dome

I decided to make this Italian zuccotto for Christmas Eve.  I hadn’t made this fabulo cake in eight years and always knew I’d revisit it.  So, here goes.

For the Pan di Spagna Sponge Cake:

4 eggs – separated

3.4 cup granulated sugar

Pinch of salt

½ cup all purpose flour

½ cup cornstarch

For the filling and garnish:

½ cup hazelnuts

10 ounces semisweet chocolate finely chopped

2 cups heavy cream

¼ cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons rum, plus more for brushing

2 teaspoons confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder

Make the sponge cake:  Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter a 10 x 2 inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, lightly beat the egg yolks. Beat in 6 tablespoons of the sugar in a stream. Beat the mixture at high speed until it has tripled in volume and forms a thick ribbon when the beaters are lifted.

In a medium  bowl, beat the egg whites with the salt until very light soft peaks form.  Beat in remaining 6 tablespoons sugar in a stream and beat on HIGH speed until firm peaks form. Using a spatula fold the beaten whites into the egg yolk mixture.  SIFT the flour and cornstarch together  into a bowl and fold into egg mixture in 3 or 4 additions. Fold the flour gently until blended.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 30 minutes or less, until sponge cake has risen well and is firm in the center. Test with wooden toothpick size stick.

Explanation:  I like making the sponge cake a day in advance so everything does not have to be done on the same day. I do that a lot with layer cakes. I like baking the layers and finishing the cake with frosting or buttercream  the day of the event or the day I want to serve it.  You can tightly wrap the finished sponge cake in Saran Wrap and it will work out fine for you.  I like using my two separate Kitchen Aid mixers.  So, I’ve got one bowl for the batter and the other bowl for the egg whites.  Since this is a common method for baking a scratch cake I prefer to do it this way instead of fooling around and washing beaters and then getting back to the mixtures.   I like the sound of two mixers going at one time.  It’s like music to my ears.

 

Make the filling:  Spread the hazel nuts on a baking sheet and toast in a preheated 350F oven for 15 minutes or so or until the skins blister. Careful you don’t want to burn them.  Transfer the hazelnuts to a kitchen towel and let cool slightly and then rub them together with the towel to loosen the skins.  Coarsely chop the nuts and place in a bowl to cool. Coarsely chop the semi sweet chocolate.  You need two ounces for the nuts and eight ounces for the filling.  I used Baker semi sweet chocolate that comes in one ounce wrapped squares. You can use their measurement here.  So, MIX two ounces chocolate with the nuts and use the rest for the filling.

In a heavy medium saucepan, bring 1 ¼ cups of the heavy cream to a light boil over medium heat.  Remove from the burner and add the remaining 8 ounces of chopped chocolate . Let it stand for 5 minutes, then whisk until smooth.  Pour the mixture into a medium bowl and let cool to room temperature. Then refrigerate until cold and set.

In a bowl, combine the remaining  ¾ cup heavy cream with the granulated sugar and beat until stiff.  Cover and refrigerate.

Butter a 1 ½ – 2 qt glass or stainless steel bowl (NOT PLASTIC) and line with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap smoothly against the inside of the bowl.  

Now, take the reserved sponge cake and carefully slide a ¼ inch slice off the top. You want to end up with a 10” wide round disc that’s in the shape of a pizza.  Set to the side.  It should be moist so put it on saran or plastic wrap.  I used a long serrated knife to do this.  That’s also how I slice two layers if making a layer cake to end up with four layers.  OK, take the remaining sponge cake and cut ten even vertical slices – see picture.  Position these ten long vertical slices evenly inside the plastic wrap lined bowl.  .

Sprinkle or brush the vertical slices with 2 tablespoons of rum.  Don’t drench the cake, take it easy.  Remove the chilled chocolate whip cream from the fridge and beat the mixture until light and smooth. Watch it, it might splatter.  Spread the filling over the sponge cake in the bowl in an even layer.

Remove the white whipped cream from fridge and re-whip until firm then beat in remaining 1 tablespoon rum.  FOLD in the chopped hazelnuts and chocolate mixture into the white whipped cream.  Spoon the mixture onto the chocolate cream and even it using a spatula.

Butter a 1 ½ – 2 qt glass or stainless steel bowl (NOT PLASTIC) and line with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap smoothly against the inside of the bowl.

Now, take the reserved sponge cake and carefully slide a ¼ inch slice off the top. You want to end up with a 10” wide round disc that’s in the shape of a pizza.  Set to the side.  It should be moist so put it on saran or plastic wrap.  I used a long serrated knife to do this.  That’s also how I slice two layers if making a layer cake to end up with four layers.  OK, take the remaining sponge cake and cut ten even vertical slices – see picture.  Position these ten long vertical slices evenly inside the plastic wrap lined bowl.

Sprinkle or brush the vertical slices with 2 tablespoons of rum.  Don’t drench the cake, take it easy.  Remove the chilled chocolate whip cream from the fridge and beat the mixture until light and smooth. Watch it, it might splatter.  Spread the filling over the sponge cake in the bowl in an even layer.

Remove the white shipped cream from fridge and re-whip until firm then beat in remaining 1 tablespoon rum.  FOLD in the chopped hazelnuts and chocolate mixture into the white whipped cream.  Spoon the mixture onto the chocolate cream and even it using a spatula.

Place the pizza shaped sponge cake disc on top of it all.  Your dome is upside down at this point. Pull the plastic wrap over the cake and add more plastic if you need it. Wrap it snuggly and freeze the zuccotto for 4 or 5 hours in the freezer.  Then remove and place in fridge until serving time.

To unmold invert the bowl onto a platter and lift the bowl off the dome. It should lift off easily if not use a hot cloth from water and wring it out.  Wipe the outside of the bowl and it should come off. Peel off the plastic wrap.  If the outside of the zuccotto is dry you can brush a little more rum on it.  That’s what I did.  I then dusted the top using a tea strainer with confectioners’ sugar and then a little cocoa powder.

To serve cut into wedges with a sharp long knife.  I like using chef knives.

For Fabulo Imported Italian Olive Oil and Balsamic vinegar:

www.saporedellavita.com