Haigh’s Chocolate Hazelnut, Raspberry Torte

Hazelnut meringue cakes

• 6 extra large egg whites
• Pinch salt
• 1 1/3 cups (295g) caster sugar
• 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 cups (180g) hazelnut meal
• 100g Haigh’s Dark Chocolate Pastilles, roughly chopped

Chocolate & Frangelico buttercream

• 1/2 cup (125ml) thickened cream
• 1 tablespoon Frangelico liqueur
• 200g Haigh’s Ideal Blend Block, roughly chopped
• 150g unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup (170g) icing sugar

Crushed raspberry cream

• 300ml thickened cream
• 2 tablespoons icing sugar
• 1/2 punnet raspberries, crushed
• 2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses

To serve

• 1/2 punnet raspberries, to garnish
• 50g Haigh’s Milk Roasted Hazelnuts, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup hazelnuts, roasted and roughly chopped

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced) and lightly grease 3 x 20cm sandwich tins and line the bases with baking paper.
2. For the meringue cakes, use a stand mixer with a balloon whisk attachment and beat egg whites with a pinch salt until soft peaks form. Slowly add sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, to allow sugar to dissolve. Add vinegar, baking powder, hazelnut meal and chocolate, gently folding until combined.
3. Evenly divide mixture between the 3 prepared sandwich tins and bake in preheated oven, on the middle shelf for 30 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from oven and allow to cool in tins for 15 minutes, before carefully turning out and removing baking paper. Allow to cool completely on wire racks.
4. For the buttercream, combine cream and Frangelico together in a small saucepan over a medium heat, until just below boiling point. Place chocolate in a medium bowl and pour over hot cream mixture. Leave to stand for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until chocolate has melted and mixture is smooth. Allow to cool completely.
5. Just before assembling torte, finish buttercream using a stand mixer with a balloon whisk attachment, beat butter and icing sugar together until light and creamy. Slowly add cooled chocolate mixture, beating until light and fluffy. Set aside until required.
6. For the crushed raspberry cream, beat the cream and sugar together with a balloon whisk until soft peaks form. In a small mixing bowl, combine crushed raspberries and pomegranate molasses together, stirring until combined. Add to the whipped cream and gently fold to create ripples, making sure you don’t overwork the cream.
7. To assemble the torte, place one hazelnut meringue disk on a serving plate and spread 1/3 of the chocolate buttercream over the top, followed by 1/3 of the raspberry cream. Repeat the process with the remaining meringue disks. To garnish, scatter remaining raspberries, Haigh’s Milk Roasted Hazelnuts and roasted hazelnuts over the top. Place in refrigerator for 30 minutes to help set the buttercream a little.