Name: My Kind of Chocolate Birthday Cake
Yield: Makes 10 to 12 servings
Ingredients: 4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped; 1/3 cup (packed) dark brown sugar; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel; 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt; 2 large eggs; 2 tablespoons sugar; 1 tablespoon all purpose flour; 1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted, husked, chopped; 5 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped; 3 ounces high-quality milk chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), chopped; 1 1/2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream, divided; 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature; 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream; 1 tablespoon light corn syrup; 4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate; chopped 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature; Large chocolate shards or curls (from 1- to 2-inch-thick 8-ounce piece bittersweet or semisweet chocolate); Additional toasted husked hazelnuts; Candied orange peel strips

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My Kind of Chocolate Birthday CakeMark Thomas

"All my favorite things are about chocolate," says Elizabeth Falkner. Thin layers of flourless chocolate cake and an intensely chocolaty mousse are paired with crunchy hazelnuts and hints of orange in this truly decadent dessert. Try it with a scoop of coffee-chocolate chip ice cream alongside.

For best results, use a premium bittersweet chocolate with a high cocoa bean content (variously labeled "cocoa solids," "cocoa," or "cacao"), such as Scharffen Berger 70 percent or Callebaut.

Test-kitchen tip:

To get a neat slice each time, dip a large knife into a glass of hot water, then wipe it dry before cutting the next.