When a moist and chocolaty cake marries with crunchy meringue and hazelnuts, that is a match that was just meant to be. I absolutely love hazelnuts and always have a stash in my freezer, so it's a flavor that I like to use in many of my other sweet treats. Fan club members of Nutella know something about that creamy, chocolaty hazelnut spread - it's absolutely divine. I'm not alone with my love for chocolate and hazelnuts. Caramel, or dulce de leche is another flavor that is just perfect with this whole combination.
The great thing about this dessert is that you can either serve is as a cake or make it into pastries, like I did. As with most desserts, it can be made in advance.
Ingredients:
Meringue:
4 egg whites, room temperature
¾ cup granulated sugar
Chocolate Cake: Recipe from My Baking Addiction
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
¾ cups unsweetened regular cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup strong coffee, cooled
½ cup oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
Frosting:
1 (8 0z) package cream cheese, softened
1 stick (8 Tablespoons) butter, softened
1 (14 oz) can dulce de leche (cooked condensed milk)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
Garnishes:
1 ½ cups toasted chopped hazelnuts
1 - 1 ½ cups Nutella
melted chocolate, to drizzle on top of the pastries, optional
Instructions:
Meringue:
I usually start with the meringue, since it takes the longest to bake. You can make it a day or two in advance.
Line a half sheet (18 x 13 inches) rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
Whisk the egg whites in a standing mixer with a whisk attachment, starting on medium speed and gradually increasing to medium high, until frothy. Gradually add the sugar. Whisk the egg whites for 15 minutes until stiff peaks form.
Spread out evenly in the prepared baking sheet. 
Bake at 250 degrees for 2 hours.
When the meringue is completely cool, carefully peel off the parchment paper or aluminum foil and cut the meringue in half.
You can make the meringue a day or two ahead of time. Store the completely cool meringue at room temperature, in an air tight container or tightly sealed.
Chocolate Cake:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Line a half sheet rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Grease the parchment or aluminum foil with oil.
Start by brewing a nice, strong cup of coffee and set it aside to cool.
Combine all the dry ingredients (sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt) in a large bowl and mix to combine. 
I like to sift in the cocoa powder, since it tends to be very lumpy. Mix them all together.
Mix all the liquid ingredients (eggs, buttermilk, coffee, oil and vanilla) in a large measuring cup.
Pour in the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix to combine. The batter will be quite thin.
Spread the cake batter evenly in the prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 20-25 minutes in the preheated oven.
Cool. When the cake layer is cool, cut it in half.
Frosting:
Mix the softened cream cheese and softened butter in a standing mixer with the paddle attachment or using a hand mixer until smooth. 
Add the dulce de leche(cooked condensed milk), vanilla and salt and mix again until smooth.
Assembling the Pastries:
Place the first half of the chocolate cake layer on a large tray or serving platter. Since I was going to be serving this dessert as pastries, I assembled it on top of a large cutting board.
Spread half of the frosting over the cake layer and sprinkle with some of the hazelnuts, as much or as little as you like. 
Spread ¼-1/3 cup Nutella on the bottom of one of the meringue layers and place it Nutella side down on top of the nuts. I don't like desserts to be too sweet, so I used only ¼ cup, but you can use more, ⅓ or even ½ cup. 
Spread more Nutella on top of the meringue, ⅓ - ½ cup, depending on how sweet you like it. This layer should have a bit more Nutella. Sprinkle with more nuts. 
Top with another meringue layer, spread ¼-1/3 cup Nutella, sprinkle with more nuts, top with other chocolate layer. 
Spread remaining frosting on top, sprinkle with more nuts and drizzle with melted chocolate. 
Cut into pastries or cover the sides with more frosting and serve as a cake.
Chocolate, Meringue and Hazelnut Pastries
Ingredients
Meringue:
- 4 egg whites room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
Chocolate Cake:
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
- ¾ cups unsweetened regular cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup strong coffee cooled
- ½ cup oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
Frosting:
- 1 8 0z package cream cheese, softened
- 1 stick 8 Tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 14 oz can dulce de leche (cooked condensed milk)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Garnishes:
- 1 ½ cups toasted chopped hazelnuts
- 1 - 1 ½ cups Nutella
- melted chocolate to drizzle on top of the pastries, optional
Instructions
Meringue: I usually start with the meringue, since it takes the longest to bake. You can make it a day or two in advance.
- Line a half sheet (18 x 13 inches) rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Whisk the egg whites in a standing mixer with a whisk attachment, starting on medium speed and gradually increasing to medium high, until frothy. Gradually add the sugar. Whisk the egg whites for 15 minutes until stiff peaks form.
- Spread out evenly in the prepared baking sheet. Bake at 250 degrees for 2 hours.
- When the meringue is completely cool, carefully peel off the parchment paper or aluminum foil and cut the meringue in half.
- You can make the meringue a day or two ahead of time. Store the completely cool meringue at room temperature, in an air tight container or tightly sealed.
Chocolate Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Line a half sheet rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Grease the parchment or aluminum foil with oil.
- Start by brewing a nice, strong cup of coffee and set it aside to cool.
- Combine all the dry ingredients (sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt) in a large bowl and mix to combine. I like to sift in the cocoa powder, since it tends to be very lumpy. Mix them all together.
- Mix all the liquid ingredients (eggs, buttermilk, coffee, oil and vanilla) in a large measuring cup.
- Pour in the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix to combine.
- Spread the cake batter evenly in the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes in the preheated oven.
- Cool. When the cake layer is cool, cut it in half.
Frosting:
- Mix the softened cream cheese and softened butter in a standing mixer with the paddle attachment or using a hand mixer until smooth.
- Add the dulce de leche(cooked condensed milk), vanilla and salt and mix again until smooth.
Assembling the Pastries:
- Place the first half of the chocolate cake layer on a large tray or serving platter. Spread half of the frosting over the cake layer and sprinkle with some of the hazelnuts, as much or as little as you like.
- Spread ¼-1/3 cup Nutella on the bottom of one of the meringue layers and place it Nutella side down on top of the nuts. I don't like desserts to be too sweet, so I used only ¼ cup, but you can use more, ⅓ or even ½ cup.
- Spread more Nutella on top of the meringue, ⅓ - ½ cup, depending on how sweet you like it. This layer should have a bit more Nutella. Sprinkle with more nuts.
- Top with another meringue layer, spread ¼-1/3 cup Nutella, sprinkle with more nuts, top with other chocolate layer.
- Spread remaining frosting on top, sprinkle with more nuts and drizzle with melted chocolate.
- Cut into pastries or cover the sides with more frosting and serve as a cake.
I'm planning on making this and was wondering where you purchased your half sheet rimmed baking sheet? Looks much easier baking it in that than seperating the batter into two pans.
Thanks!
I bought it online, Luda. Actually, I buy most kitchen things online:). Here's the same one that I have: Rimmed Baking Sheet
Olga, important question. Can i put this cake in the fridge if i made this 2 days ahead? im half way done, and just realized it, the nutella will harden but if i dont put in the fridge im worried about the cream?
Yes, keep it refrigerated, Olga. Just take it out of the refrigerator about half an hour - 45 minutes before serving so it softens a bit.
Thank you so much for the quick response. You are the best!!!
Loved this cake.!!! Made it yesterday. It turned out really YUMMY!!!. My family LOVED IT!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING WOTH US!!!
I'm so happy to hear that, Natalie. Thanks for taking the time to let me know.
This looks absolutely amazing, will be making very soon, I already have all the ingredients. My family isn't big on chocolate cake, I was hoping to make it vanilla with the coffee. Would I substitute the cocoa for the same amount of flour, or what would you recommend?
I would not recommend it. The chocolate cake recipe is developed specifically for a chocolate cake. I think the texture of the cake may not turn out properly. You would need to use different ingredients and a different method too.
If you don't want to use the chocolate cake layer, I would recommend using this recipe instead - https://www.olgasflavorfactory.com/olgastips/hazelnut-cake-roll-and-our-engagement-story/ and use the cake roll in the same way that you would use the chocolate cake recipe for these pastries.
I made the meringue but it came out hollow inside do you know why? Did as recipe told
I really don't know, Kristina. I've never had that happen to me before.
There are many things that can go wrong with meringue. First of all, is your oven the correct temperature? Use an oven thermometer to check, because it might be off a few degrees from what it says it is. You might need to increase the temperature slightly, or bake the meringue a little bit longer.
There are many other things that could have happened. It's hard for me to say, since I wasn't with you in the kitchen to see.
Check out this link; it gives some suggestions: http://lowfatcooking.about.com/od/dessert/a/meringuemistake.htm
This cake looks mouthwatering Olga! Love every ingredient in this cake. Would love to have some right now! 🙂
Not gonna lie, I've always been intimidated by baking. You, however, made this delicious cake recipe sound so easy to make!!! I'll definitely try it sometime in the near future! Btw, I made your beed goulash yesterdday (had to substitute beef for pork though since that's what I had in the fridge), it was supper yummy!!! Thank you as always! xoxo
To be honest, I don't enjoy baking:). My trick for something like this is to make it in stages, so I bake the cake layers and the frosting, but assemble it on another day. That way it doesn't take too much of my time in one day.
This cake really is very simple. Both the cake layers are really easy to prepare and it's minimal effort for assembly too.
great dessert will make for the nurses that delivered my miracle baby boy Julian. I am so excited for you guys and next week when you get to meet your little boy. I too had many of difficulties medically. My husband and i have a baby in heaven waiting for us too. I can't wait for you and i too hear the first time our child would say mommy. I loved my foster kids but there is something about your own child saying mommy and daddy and finally keeping that child yours how ever long God allows it. May you have a blessed c-section and a blessed delivery. I know you guys will cherish it as much as we did. Recovery is hard but its all worth it when your holding your child even if its three am.
How sweet of you, Jules, to make something homemade for the nurses.
Praise God for blessing you with your baby. Thank you so much for your thoughtful words of encouragement.
I am from Seattle, found your site and love it. Great recipes and photos.
Welcome, Vera. I'm so glad you stopped by. I hope you will find many recipes to enjoy.
That looks amazing and I must try!! You say you freeze hazlenuts? Without the shells?
I actually freeze all nuts, Olga. Nuts have a very high oil content, so they go rancid very quickly. Storing them in the freezer is a great solution. Nuts aren’t cheap, so I save so much money simply because I never have to throw them out and they’re cheaper when bought in bulk. I store them in airtight bags or containers, whole, without the shells, just the way I buy them at the store. You don't have to thaw them either, before using them in recipes.
It's also nice to have a good variety of nuts on hand all the time.
WOW Olga, this looks amazing!!! I need to try this soon.
Thank you, Alesya:). I'd love to hear what you think once you make it.
Oh, and Ghiradelli is my go-to chocolate as well. It's the best!
To die for. I pinned to my "dessert" board. Great flavor combinations!
Thanks for the "Pin":). I appreciate it.
Wow- what a phenomenal dessert! I cannot wait to try it, which will happen very very soon 🙂 Thank you for this slice of delectable goodness!
You're welcome! It seems the combination of chocolate, meringue and hazelnuts is a favorite with many, not just me:).
This is amazing! *jaw dropping*