Chocolate hazelnut kisses and "Foxcatcher"

Last week I was finally able to watch the movie I’d been talking about for almost a year and I’ve come to the conclusion that it was directed by the wrong person: Bennett Miller played it too safe, directing in a very bureaucratic way, almost automatic, while such a dark and surprising story with fantastic acting deserved someone much more dedicated to the project.

As I watched the movie I kept thinking of how wonderful it would have been in the hands of Scorsese or Fincher, or even Cuarón.

Steve Carell, Mark Ruffalo and Channing Tatum are quite something in this movie and I was especially stunned by the latter: he portrays this character with such urge, with such passion and dedication that it turned out completely different from everything he’d done before, and even though I find Mark Ruffalo a terrific actor all the supporting actor nominations should have gone to Tatum.

Carell is equally wonderful, a whole new person thanks not only to the meticulous make up work but also for making the viewer forget completely who he is – I adore him in just about anything and he really shines when given a dramatic role (it is impossible to forget how sublime he was in Little Miss Sunshine). I’ll be rooting for him on February, 22, even though I know that Eddie Redmayne has taken the world by storm.

Foxcatcher is a good movie but not a great one, and I consider that a waste of a good story and great acting. I don’t like waste, not in movies and especially not in my kitchen, that is why I made these adorable mini cakes to use up the hazelnut meal that was about to go rancid in my freezer – they turned out super cute and oh, so delicious.

Chocolate hazelnut kisses
slightly adapted from here

Cakes:
120g dark chocolate, finely chopped – I used one with 53% cocoa solids
100g granulated sugar
95g unsalted butter, softened
3 eggs, separated
100g hazelnut meal
1 teaspoon strong coffee
1 teaspoon rum
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Ganache:
100g dark chocolate
50g unsalted butter
24 hazelnuts, roasted and shelled, to decorate

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Butter a 24-hole mini muffin pan.

Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, then leave to cool. Beat the sugar and butter until light and fluffy, then add the egg yolks, beating well after each addition. Add the melted chocolate and mix well, then fold in the hazelnut meal, coffee, rum and vanilla.

Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Fold a third into the chocolate mixture to loosen it, then fold in the rest. Spoon the mixture into the muffin pan and bake for 10-15 minutes or until risen and a skewer inserted in the center of one mini cake comes out a little moist. Cool for a few minutes in the pan, then carefully unmold onto a cooling rack. Cool completely.

For the ganache, melt the chocolate and butter over a saucepan of simmering water. Remove from the heat and cool for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Pour a little ganache over each cake and decorate with a roasted hazelnut.

The cakes can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature.

Makes 24

Hazelnut, cinnamon and coconut cake, a great mini-series and a truly deserved Golden Globe

I like watching award shows basically for two reasons: it is great to see my favorite actors and directors get awarded – which, unfortunately, doesn’t happen as often as I would like – and I also love seeing the dresses and hairdos worn by the stars (to later comment on the hits and misses). :D

There is, however, another really good reason: TV shows or movies I haven’t heard of, interesting things to look up and maybe add to my already long “to watch” list.
It was because of Elisabeth Moss’ win at this year’s Golden Globe that I learned of Top of the Lake, and what a great mini-series it is: a dark story created and director by Jane Campion – a badass director whose work I admire –, it is set in beautiful locations in New Zealand, with great writing and acting. I already liked Elisabeth Moss as Peggy Olson – probably the best thing in Mad Men – and here she’s even more fantastic. She truly deserves the GG she took home, and I don’t know how the Globes ignored Peter Mullan, absolutely amazing as the terrifying Matt.

As does The Fall, Top of the Lake discusses violence against women and its consequences – not an easy subject to watch but completely necessary to be portrayed (and here it is done in a very realistic way).

I got addicted to Top of the Lake after minutes only and watched the seven episodes in a matter of days (unfortunately there won’t be additional seasons); every time I saw the characters walking near that cold water I felt like having a cup of tea – and a slice of cake wouldn’t hurt, either. :D

This is a recipe I made because I found the combination of hazelnut, cinnamon and coconut an unusual one, and it turned out to be a delicious one (and the yogurt makes the cake moist and tender to boot).

Hazelnut, cinnamon and coconut cake
slightly adapted from the always wonderful Delicious UK

Cake:
4 medium eggs*
2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
230g all purpose flour
50g corn starch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
185ml canola oil
420g plain yogurt
1 cup (100g) sweetened flaked coconut
100g hazelnuts, lightly toasted, cooled and finely chopped

For dusting the cake:
50g icing sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Generously butter a 12-cup nonstick capacity Bundt pan – if using a regular pan without nonstick coating, butter and flour it (I was stubborn and used a 10-cup capacity pan, so I had to bake the excess batter in a 1-cup mini pan).
Using an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, whisk the eggs and sugar together until thick and pale. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, corn starch, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in the oil, yogurt, coconut and hazelnuts until combined. Stir in the egg mixture.
Pour into prepared pan and bake for 1 hour/1 hour 20 minutes or until golden and risen and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan over a wire rack for 15 minutes, then carefully unmold onto the rack. Cool completely.
In a small bowl, combine the icing sugar and cinnamon, then sift the mixture over the cake.

* I only buy large eggs, so I chose the smallest 4 in the package to use in this recipe

Serves 10-12