Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse Cake

Attention Nutella lovers! This chocolate hazelnut mousse cake has all the flavor of your favorite chocolatey spread in the form of a ganache-covered fluffy mousse cake. It’s absolutely irresistible!

Chocolate hazelnut mousse cake may not be a cake in the truest sense of the word, but take one bite and you won’t care. It starts with a chocolate-hazelnut shortbread crust, a simple Nutella mousse, and finally some chocolate ganache. There really aren’t adequate words for how much I adore this cake!

Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse Cake Recipe

• Easier than it looks. There is some work involved in making three different components for the cake, but nothing about it is difficult. 
• Make ahead options. You can make everything but the ganache the night before, and keep the cake in the refrigerator. The ganache is quick to make to finish the cake.
• Incredibly delicious. The shortbread crust is rich and buttery; the chocolate mousse component is decadent and creamy. The Nutella adds just enough of a twist to the chocolate to give it a little extra interest. And the ganache is just rich enough to perfectly complement the rest of the cake.

What You’ll Need

Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.

Crust:

• Hazelnuts – Like any nut, hazelnuts can go rancid. If you’ve had them in your pantry for a while, make sure they smell and taste fine before using them in this recipe.
• Granulated sugar
• All-purpose flour – Here’s how to measure flour for baking.
• Unsalted butter – Unless a recipe states otherwise, always use unsalted butter in your baking. Here’s the difference between salted and unsalted butter.
• Unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder – Dutch-process cocoa powder has a richer flavor than natural cocoa powder.
• Salt

Mousse:

• Cold water
• Unflavored gelatin – This helps the mousse hold its shape as a cake.
• Chocolate-hazelnut spread – Like Nutella.
• Mascarpone – For a rich mousse layer. Cream cheese is the closest substitute to mascarpone, but mascarpone is worth the splurge.
• Heavy cream – Chill the cream and keep it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it.
• Unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• Granulated sugar

Ganache:

• Heavy cream
• Good-quality bittersweet chocolate – Learn more: Types of Chocolate: A Home Baker’s Guide

How Do You Toast and Peel Hazelnuts?

To toast hazelnuts, spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they’re lightly browned and fragrant.

After toasting, wrap the nuts in a clean kitchen towel and let them sit for a minute to steam, which helps loosen the skins. Then, rub them with the towel to remove as much of the skins as possible.

How to Make Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse Cake

Make the Crust:

• Prepare. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a springform pan with parchment paper.
• Make the crust. Finely chop the hazelnuts with the sugar in a food processor. Pulse in the remaining crust ingredients.
• Bake. Press the dough into the bottom of the pan and poke holes over the surface with a fork. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until dry to the touch.
• Cool. Let the crust cool completely, then remove the sides of the pan and slide the parchment paper from underneath. Reattach the sides.

Add the Mousse Layer:

• Bloom the gelatin. Place the water in a sauce pan and sprinkle the gelatin on top. Let stand about 5 minutes, or until softened.
• Warm. Set the pot over low heat and stir constantly until the gelatin dissolves. Whisk in the Nutella and remove from heat.
• Start the mousse. In a large bowl, whisk the mascarpone and the Nutella mixture. In a separate bowl, beat the cream, cocoa powder, and sugar with an electric mixer on low speed just until combined. Increase mixer speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form.
• Finish the mousse. Whisk 1/3 of the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture. Fold in the remaining whipped cream. 
• Chill. Spread the filling evenly over the crust. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Top With Ganache:

• Make the ganache. Bring the cream to a simmer in a small heavy saucepan. Remove from heat, add the chocolate, and let stand for 1 minute.
• Cool. Whisk until the chocolate melts into the cream. Transfer to a small bowl and cool, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened but pourable.
• Finish. Run a warm knife between the cake and pan, then remove the sides. Transfer the cake to a serving plate and pour the ganache over the top. Spread the ganache, allowing the excess to run over the sides.

Serving Suggestions

A dollop of whipped cream would pair perfectly with this decadent chocolate hazelnut mousse cake. You can also top it with some chopped hazelnuts for extra crunch and nutty flavor. Fresh berries add an elegant touch, too—just make sure they’re completely dry after you wash them!

How to Store

The unglazed cake can be covered and chilled for up to 2 days. The hazelnut mousse cake can be glazed 6 hours ahead of time and chilled, uncovered.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Can I Freeze This Recipe?

I don’t recommend freezing this recipe, as the texture may suffer upon freezing and thawing.

More Chocolate Cake Recipes

• Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake
• Flourless Chocolate Cakes for Two
• Chocolate Pound Cake with Vanilla Glaze
• 6-Inch Chocolate Cake with Marshmallow Frosting
• Chocolate Sheet Cake

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