Desserts or treats like truffles are always  special on holidays like Christmas, New years and Valentines.They are so adorable and decadent.These hazelnut cake truffles are a heavenly bite-size chocolate treats with a lightly crunchy and creamy soft cake inside.

Ingredients:

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

½ can condensed milk

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 cups flour

Directions for cake :

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Using mixer beat together eggs and sugar until pale in color.

Add baking soda to buttermilk and mix it well.

Add buttermilk,cocoa and condensed milk  to egg mixture and mix on medium speed until well combined.

Add the flour and mix on low. Transfer the batter to a 9×13 greased baking pan and bake approximately 30-35 minutes depending on your oven.

Let cake cool completely.

Cream:

1 can dulce de leche (cooked condensed milk)

2 sticks butter at room temperature

2 tbsp cocoa powder

1/2 cup hazelnuts

1-2 tablespoons cognac or brandy (optional)

3 tbsp. nutella (optional)

Coating:

crushed Chocolate Waffles

melted chocolate or truffles

melted white chocolate

Cream directions:

Whip butter until pale and fluffy.

Add in dulce de leche and cocoa.

Whip all the ingredients until well combined.

 

Break/tear cake in to small pieces and place it in the mixing bowl.

Using a blender,crush hazelnuts.

Add cream and hazelnuts to the broken cake.

Mix/beat until all ingredients are well incorporated and creamed.

Form the cake mixture in to a 1 inch balls.

Cover the balls with your choice of coating.I used chocolate waffles from Trader Joes.

 

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:60]

If you’re a poppy seed lover like me,then this cake is for you.The cake is very scrumptious and consists of lots and lots of poppy seeds and walnuts.Dulce de leche frosting enhances the cake and makes it divine.I tried making this cake using different flours,and my best pick  considering the taste and health wise is spelt and almond flour( or spelt by itself).You can use regular white flour or whole wheat pastry flour also.

To make the process quicker,I like to bake meringue layer a day before Im baking the cake.

Ingredients:

6 eggs

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoon baking soda + 1 tablespoon vinegar combined

1 3/4 cups poppy seeds

1 cup walnuts

1 cup pastry whole wheat flour*

* you can substitute for all-purpose white flour or spelt flour

 

1  can dulce de leche

12 ozs. cream cheese (1 1/2 package cream cheese)

1 stick butter room temperature.

1 cup heavy whipping cream or 8 ozs cool whip ( I prefer heavy cream )

1 teaspoon vanilla

Syrup:

1/2 cup boiling water

2 tablespoons sugar

(mix together,let it cool)

Meringue:

3 egg whites

1 cup sugar

a pinch cream of tartar

Frosting:

 

Direction:

Meringue-

Prepare a lined 10 inch springform pan.

Heat oven to 200 degrees.

Beat egg whites with sugar and cream of tartar on high speed until the peeks are stiff and glossy.

Transfer to the cake pan. Spread meringue evenly. Bake for 3 1/2 -4 hours. leave it to cool and continue drying overnight in the oven ( best results)

 

Pre heat oven to 325 degrees.

In a mini blender,pulse and chop walnuts together with poppy seeds.

Beat eggs with sugar until fluffy and pale in color.

Sift flour and combine poppy seeds and baking soda with vinegar.

Gently mix in flour poppyseed walnut mix.

Line the bottom of the 10 inch pan with parchment paper.

Grease or spray the sides and bottom of the pan.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick comes out dry and clean.Let cool.

Dulce de Leche frosting:

Beat cream cheese with butter.

Add dulce de leche and beat until well combined.

Gradually Pour in heavy whipping and vanilla, beat until cream thickens.**

**Or replace with cool whip

Assembling:

Slice the cake in half.

Moist (a little) the cake layer with syrup using spoon or spray.

Spread dulce de leche frosting.

Place the meringue layer on top. Add more cream and spread.

Moist ( a little) and place third layer on top of the meringue layer.

Spread frosting on sides and top of the cake.

Decorate as desired.

 

You can use this flour,regular white flour ,or spelt and almond flour.

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:41]