Milk Chocolate Gianduja Gelato Torte with Roasted Cherries

Chocolate Layer Cake

1. Combine the sugars, flours, baking powder, soda and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer with whisk attachment. Blend on low speed for 1 minute. 
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together egg replacer and 2 tablespooons water. Let stand 10 minutes, then whisk in oil; set aside. 
3. Sift cocoa powder into a separate bowl and whisk in yogurt. 
4. Measure out boiling water and add espresso powder; immediately pour into cocoa mixture, whisking until smooth. 
5. Add oil mixture to the mixer, followed by cocoa mixture, on low speed, mixing until the batter is smooth. 
6. Divide batterer evenly between two parchment-lined 8” round cake pans. 
7. Bake in convection oven at 325F until toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs, about 20 minutes. 
8. Cool completely, then freeze firm for torte assembly.

Chocolate Wafers

1. Combine dry ingredients in food processor fitted with metal blade. Pulse a few times to combine. 
2. Add coconut oil and process until the pieces of fat are coated but not clumping together. 
3. Add oat milk and vanilla and process until a dough forms. 
4. Place dough in between parchment paper sheets and roll to 1/8” thickness. 
5. Chill until firm and then peel off top layer of parchment. 
6. Bake at 325F for about 12 minutes, until dough springs back when touched. Cool completely, then grind into crumbs in food processor.

Crumb Crust

1. Add the ground hazelnuts and brown sugar to your crumbs in food processor with metal blade. 
2. Melt chocolate over a double boiler and whisk in 20 grams of oil. Add to processor and pulse to form moist crumbs. If mixture is still too dry and won’t clump at all, drizzle a little more oil as needed until you can just barely compress the crumbs into a clump in the palm of your hand. 
3. Pat crumbs into parchment-lined 8” springform pan. Press very firmly so it is flat and even. Freeze firm.

Gianduja Gelato

1. Place sugar in clean dry heavy bottomed saucepan in an even layer. Cook over medium heat until it begins to melt. As the sugar begins to caramelize, swirl the pan to help it color evenly; do not stir. When golden brown but not smoking, add the water carefully to stop the cooking.
2. Sift cocoa powder with dextrose to break up any lumps; add to pot along with all remaining ingredients except the two chocolates. Cook the mixture over high heat, whisking constantly, until thermometer reaches 180F. Turn off heat. 
3. Add chocolates and let stand 3 minutes. Whisk smooth and reheat to 180F. Immediately pour the mixture into a container on ice, and whisk until cool. 
4. Refrigerate overnight, then turn in ice cream maker according to manufacturers’ instructions. 
5. When the gelato is ready to extract from the machine, carefully spread half of it onto the frozen crumb crust. Top with one cake layer and freeze firm. 
6. Spread the remaining gelato over the other layer cake, still in the pan. 
7. Freeze just until firm, then unmold into the springform with the other layers, so that the cake layer is on the very top. 
8. Press the layers firmly together. Cut 10 slices and serve with roasted cherries and candied hazelnuts.

Roasted Cherries

1. Pit cherries and cut into halves. Place in an 8 x8” baking dish. 
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients and pour over cherries. Toss to coat. 
3. Place dish, uncovered, in a 225F convection for about 21⁄2-3 hours. Stir every hour until cherries looked slightly shriveled, and liquid has reduced to a syrup. 
4. Refrigerate cherries in their liquid until ready to serve, 4-5 cherries per serving.

Assemble and Serve

1. Cut 10 slices gelato torte and serve with Roasted Cherries and candied hazelnuts.