Chocolate-Almond Cake with Hazelnut Cream

A few years ago, this cake was a regular feature on the dessert buffet prepared by my students. In addition to being much requested, it often aroused the curiosity of our guests, many of whom are very interested in cooking and know quite a bit about it. The puzzle was this: How is it possible to make a clean, precise cut through the whole hazelnuts in the middle of the soft cream filling? This type of little trick or mystery is an excellent way to get and keep the attention of your customer