1.30.2012

Hazelnut Sponge Cake


Finally, I've finished reading cover to cover the first of my Christmas cookbooks. My kids gave me lots of them and it's going to take me a while to get through them all. I began with A Platter of Figs by David Tanis, published in 2008. Tanis has worked with Alice Waters of Chez Panisse in several capacities over the last 25 years. Right now, he spends half the year in Paris, where he writes and hosts a private dining club, and half the year in San Francisco, where he continues chef duties at Chez Panisse in collaboration with long-time colleague Jean-Pierre Moullé.


There are 24 menus in A Platter of Figs, six for each season. How best to explain David's attitude towards cooking? "Simple cooking meant to illuminate nature’s perfect simplicity" was a quote I read someplace. There are no long lists of ingredients, just simple recipes and fabulous flavors. 


This hazelnut sponge cake was lovely. The hazelnuts are not ground finely, so there is a flavor-filled chewiness with each bite. I served it with a coffee-flavored sweetened whipped cream, but kept thinking I'd have loved some caramelized fruit with it. Maybe pears. But I contained myself and kept it simple.


Hazelnut Sponge Cake

From A Platter of Figs by David Tanis


Ingredients: 
1 pound shelled hazelnuts
8 large eggs, separated, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons cake flour, matzo meal or dry bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon salt

Method:
Preheat oven to 400. Roast the hazelnuts on a baking sheet for 10 minutes until the skins blister and hazelnuts are toasted. Place them in a tea towel and rub them together to remove skins. When they are cool, coarsely chop them in a food processor.
Line a 10 inch spring form pan with a circle of parchment or butter and flour the pan. Set aside. Lower oven heat to 350.

Beat the egg yolks and sugar until creamy. Add the zest, lemon juice, flour, salt and hazelnuts and mix well.


Beat the whites until stiff. Add 1/3 of them to the batter to lighten, then fold in the remaining whites.
Bake the cake in the 350 oven for 15 minutes, lower the temperature to 325 and bake an additional 25 to 30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
Cool completely on a rack before unmolding.
Serve with fresh fruit and slightly sweetened whipped cream or just some lightly sweetened coffee flavored whipped cream, which is what I did.

41 comments:

  1. A beautiful book and a beautiful cake! I think David's attitude toward cooking is certainly evident in what Chez Panisse offers. We've had a few lovely meals there.

    Best,
    Bonnie

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  2. Such elegance in simplicity, Barbara. Containing yourself was a good thing but I can certainly "feel" a little something on the side too.

    Thank you so much for sharing...Enjoy you Christmas cookbooks:)

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  3. For the first time I can remember, I did not get any cookbooks for Christmas! I do however, have this one from last year and think it's a wonderful book. I'm really liking the simple ingredients here Barbara. Looks great.

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  4. This sponge cake looks so fluffy! I bet it tastes divine. I'd love to cover it with some chocolate frosting... ;-P

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  5. The eggs give that cake quite a lift! I love hazelnut tortes and cakes, but I'm not a huge fan of shelling the hazelnuts. I keep hoping someone will come up with a gadget to make that easier!

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  6. A pile of Christmas cookbooks to look through - what a lovely position to be in.

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  7. I love everything about this, down to that amazing sounding coffee whipped cream. I can't believe there are only a couple of tablespoons of flour in this. The cookbook seems right up my alley, thanks for the review.

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  8. It's a beautiful book, so is his other one, very enjoyable to read and use. The cake looks divine, especially with that nice dollop of whipped cream.

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  9. Anything with whipped cream makes me happy.

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  10. He's running a column in the NYTs and I love it. His attitude is splendid. I think this looks like a winner... since I do love hazelnuts and sponge cake... even though Doc is not a dessert eater... when I bake it's for company or when I want to eat cake for a week!!!

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  11. Sounds like you made out like a bandit!

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  12. I've been curious about this book for awhile. I really like the cover, fore one thing. But it's also supposed to be fantastic. The cake looks nice but the coffee-flavored whipped cream is what sounds really good to me! :)

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  13. OMG this sounds so good Barbara. Hazelnut anything for that matter.
    First of all I think your kids really rock if they think to gift with such cookbooks.
    How's your winter going? I hope as well as mine is going. It has been a very nice winter here in Idaho this year.
    sending hugs...

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  14. That is a great cookbook and this sponge cake recipe sounds wonderful! I love hazelnuts too.

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  15. Sounds like a great cookbook - I find myself really appreciating recipes that have minimal ingredients and are done primarily to bring out the original taste of the food being used vs something that feels overly processed. I'll have to check that book out - I have one of Alice Waters and I love it. :)

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  16. A notable male chef that is good looking, wonderful :)

    The hazelnut cake looks simple and delicious. Perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner... ha ha.

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  17. The cover alone makes me want to have this book. :-) What a beautifully simple and homey cake. :-)

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  18. Hi Barbara,

    Aren't cook books great to get for gifts, and always lovely to read and enjoy the new recipes.
    the hazelnut sponge cake looks wonderful and thanks for sharing the recipe.

    Have a happy week
    Hugs
    Carolyn

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  19. This reminds me of a cake my grandmother used to make for us when we visit. It was nice and moist and so wonderful!

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  20. Sounds like yet again another book I have to have. Sigh. Love the idea of simplicity and that cake looks divine Barbara.
    Sam

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  21. Have you ever used wheat pastry flour?

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  22. That sounds like one fabulous cookbook! I have his heart of hte artichoke and it is much more complicated...hence why I've never cooked from it! This cake sounds so lovely...hazelnuts are a favorite in baked goods.

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  23. wow great cake must try this one

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  24. wow great cake must try this one

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  25. Next to pistachios, I love hazelnuts most of all--this looks beautiful!

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  26. What a wonderful book to own! His recipes really let the ingredients sing in a simple, rustic way that is both appealing and delicious.

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  27. Hi Barbara! I just got back from vacation and am catching up on my blog reading! Thanks for sharing this book with us, it looks wonderful and I love David's approach to food. The cake is truly stunning!

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  28. The cake looks so spongy and light!

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  29. Amazing, only 2 T of flour? It looks so fluffy and light! Love that golden color too.

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  30. What a lovely title for this book BARBARA! Figs and their shape, like pears, are not only a delicious fruit, but a wonderful object to behold. I could see myself sitting here on my settee with a fine cup of tea and perusing this book! NOW FOR THIS RECIPE. HAZELNUT ANYTHING is up my ally and it has got be good, no? THANK YOU for your kind words dearest! I am DONE WITH THE REPORT CARDS but there are other end-of-the-semester duties to finish. I am GOING TO TRY to start a draft of my post for Friday, and I sure have missed writing. But your kindness to come to visit me is so much appreciate!

    ENJOY A SLICE OF THIS CAKE FOR ME!!! Anita

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  31. this looks so rich in flavor, delicious!

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  32. I love cakes with nuts ground up into them. Gives them such a unique yet moist texture. And David Tanis can do no wrong! ;)

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  33. i love the look of the texture in this cake! what a treat. good for you for keeping it simple. :)

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  34. Well done on finishing the book! Can't wait to hear more about all the other books you're still reading. The cake sounds delicious, I love hazelnuts, and coffee is such a good flavour pairing for it.

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  35. This cake would go perfectly with a mug of hot chocolate and just to make it even more decadent I would cover it with a layer of melted chocolate, perfect just perfect!

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  36. I am going to try to get a copy of the book. It sounds like a real treasure. That cake certainly is a treasure and we have no shortage of hazelnuts around here. I'll have to give the recipe a try. I hope you have a great day. Blessings...Mary

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  37. This cake looks great, and I think it would be great served with pears or any kind of fruit. How lucky you were to get all those cookbooks!

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  38. This sounds like a great recipe. I love the flavor of hazelnuts, and this recipe concentrates on that component of it. I can't wait to try this one!

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  39. never heard of this guy in paris ! anyway this sponge ckae is scrumptious !!CHeers from freeeeezing paris
    pierre

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  40. Thanks for introducing us to this cook..Seems he does wonderful work. I will check Parisian bookstores.

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  41. I don't know, this recipe is simple in that it has only a few ingredients, but it sounds quite complex in terms of its preparation. Separating eggs, folding in the whites, etc. I do badly with these skills. Maybe I'll just go to Chez Panisse instead?

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