[ Prep Time: 30 Minutes | Start to Finish: 2 Hours 10 Minutes | 10 servings ]
Heat oven to 350°F. Place hazelnuts in single layer in shallow baking pan. Toast hazelnuts 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown and aromatic. Transfer hot nuts to several thicknesses of paper towels. Rub hazelnuts together to remove skins. Let cool. In food processor or blender, grind half of the hazelnuts finely. Chop remaining hazelnuts; set aside.
Generously grease bottom only of 8- or 9-inch round pan. (Lower oven temperature to 325°F if using dark or nonstick pan.)
In large bowl, beat ground hazelnuts, cake mix, water, butter and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into pan. Bake 43 to 48 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; run knife around inside edge of pan; remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely.
In small saucepan, heat sweetened condensed milk and white chocolate over medium heat until chocolate melts. Cook and stir over medium-low heat about 7 to 10 minutes longer or just until thickened. Remove from heat; cool 10 minutes. Stir in vanilla.
Cut cooled cake in half horizontally. Place bottom layer, cut side up, on serving plate; spread half the white chocolate mixture over cake; sprinkle with half the chopped hazelnuts. Top with remaining cake half, cut side down. Spread remaining white chocolate mixture over top (some may drip down side). Sprinkle with remaining hazelnuts. Store covered in refrigerator.
1 Serving: Calories 490; Total Fat 23g (Saturated Fat 11g; Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 105mg; Sodium 380mg; Total Carbohydrate 63g (Dietary Fiber 2g); Protein 7g Exchanges: 1 Starch, 3 Other Carbohydrate, ½ High-Fat Meat, 4 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 4
Not only does toasting the hazelnuts bring out their nutty flavor, but it also makes removing the somewhat-bitter skins easier.
If you prefer dark chocolate, use bittersweet chocolate instead of the white chocolate.