Hazelnut and Chocolate Maple Cake

For the maple syrup cake

• 750 g all-purpose flour
• 20 g baking powder
• 5 g bicarbonate of soda
• pinch of salt
• 190 ml vegetable oil
• 375 ml pure Canadian maple syrup
• 3 eggs
• 5 ml vanilla extract

For the maple and hazelnut praline

• 250 g blanched hazelnuts
• 250 ml pure Canadian maple syrup
• 30 g cocoa powder
• pinch of salt
• 250 ml unsalted butter, at room temperature

For the buttery maple cream

• 375 ml pure Canadian maple syrup
• 4 egg whites
• pinch of salt
• pinch of cream of tartar
• 375 ml unsalted butter, at room temperature

For the chocolate fir trees

• 115 g dark chocolate, chopped
• 115 g milk chocolate, chopped
• 115 g white chocolate, chopped

Maple syrup cake

1. Preheat oven to 180°C and place rack in the centre.
2. Butter three 20-cm (8″) diameter tins and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
3. In a bowl, sift flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and salt.
4. Mix oil and maple syrup together. Add eggs and vanilla, mixing well.
5. Add sifted dry ingredients, stir to combine, and pour into tins.
6. Bake for 25–30 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes, then release cakes from tins and cool completely on a wire rack.

Maple and hazelnut praline

1. In a skillet, combine hazelnuts and maple syrup and cook over high heat for 3–4 minutes until golden.
2. Add cocoa and salt, mix well, and remove from heat. Spread on parchment paper to cool.
3. Break praline into pieces, put into a food processor, add butter, and pulse until granular.
4. Spread this praline filling between the cake layers.

Buttery maple cream

1. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring maple syrup to a boil (115°C). Do not stir.
2. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites with salt and cream of tartar until soft peaks form.
3. Drizzle hot syrup into the egg whites while beating constantly.
4. Continue beating until slightly warm and stiff.
5. Add butter gradually (1–2 teaspoons at a time) until smooth and creamy, scraping the bowl as needed.
6. Ice the cake immediately.

Chocolate fir trees

1. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Using a pencil, draw three fir tree templates of different sizes.
2. Melt one type of chocolate, place it in a piping bag, and draw several trees using the templates.
3. Repeat with the other chocolates to create mixed-colour trees.
4. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes until solidified, then use to decorate the cake.