Chocolate Cake with Mousse Filling (Italian Ivrean Torta Novecento)

The decadent, chocolate-laden Torta Novecento (cake nine hundred), was created by a renowned Canavese master pastry chef Ottavio Bertinotti to celebrate the turn of the 20th century - hence the name. This seemingly simple cake, consisting of a mousse-like chocolate filling sandwiched between two layers of cocoa-flavoured sponge cake, eventually became so popular that Bertinotti, tired of countless knockoffs being passed off as the real thing, finally patented the secret recipe for Novecento in 1964. In 1972, he sold the recipe rights to Umberto Balla, founder and owner of Pasticceria Balla. His family-run pastry shop has been making the famous Torta 900 ever since, thus establishing itself as a culinary landmark of Ivrea. I like to make the sponge cake layers a day ahead of assembly and then make filling and assemble and let sit several hours or preferably overnight.

Sponge Cake (Pane di Spagna):
8 egg yolks
8 egg whites
2 tsp. pure almond extract
1 ⅓ cup all-purpose flour, unbleached
1 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1¼ cup sugar
1½ Tbsp. water
¼ tsp. sea salt

Filling:
8 oz Mascarpone cheese
1 cup whipped/heavy Cream
1 dash sea salt
3 Tbsp. sugar
½ cup Nutella
2 Tbsp. Frangelico liqueur (hazelnut)

Topping:
¾ cup Frangelico, for brushing
½ cup hazelnuts, toasted, coarsely chopped
¼ cup confectioners' sugar
½ Tbsp. cocoa powder

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C/170°C fan, Gas Mark 5). Grease and flour 3 (9") cake pans.

For the Sponge Cake:
Sift the flour, cocoa, and salt 3 times into a bowl.

In mixer – mix egg yolks, sugar, water, and extract until light colored.

Add flour mixture to the yolk mixture gradually making a batter.

Beat egg whites until stiff and then fold them into the batter with a spatula. Add a little of the whites at first and beat them in with a spatula to lighten the batter. Then fold the rest in.

Pour into prepared pans and bake for about 40 minutes.

Remove from the oven and turn out of pans to cool completely.

Refrigerate the layers overnight and fill the next day.

For the Filling:
Mix the Frangelico and Nutella together until smooth.

Beat the Nutella mixture together with the mascarpone until blended.

Whip the cream with the sugar and salt.

Add a little of the whipped cream to the Nutella and Mascarpone mixture and mix in to lighten. Then fold in the rest of the whipped cream.

Assembly:
Brush the tops of all sponge cake layers generously with Frangelico liqueur. It requires about ¾ cup of liqueur for this.

Spread ½ of the filling over the first layer.

Top with the second layer - press down a little on it - and spread with the remaining filling.

Top with the third layer. Press down again to firmly plant the layers and filling together.

Sprinkle the toasted hazelnuts on the top layer.

Mix the powdered sugar and cocoa together and sift over the top of the cake.

Refrigerate several hours or overnight.

Slice and serve with Frangelico, espresso or coffee. A dollop of whipped cream on the side of each slice is also customary.

Makes one 3 layer cake.