Flourless Hazelnut Chocolate Cake
A Delicious Recipe from 'Crave: A Passion for Chocolate'
Nov 3, 2009
This Flourless Chocolate Cake straddles that notional territory between cake and dessert, which makes it an ideal go-anywhere do-anything chocolate lovers' treat.
Hazelnut and chocolate is such a superb flavour combination that the Italians have given it its own name – gianduia. The two flavours marry to make the perfect union in this rich yet surprisingly light flourless chocolate hazelnut cake that is perfect for any occasion.
This recipe for Flourless Hazelnut Chocolate Cake comes from the book Crave: A Passion For Chocolate by Maureen McKeon (read my review). It has been reprinted here with the permission of the publisher.
Serves 12
Flourless Hazelnut Chocolate Cake Ingredients:
- 300 g (101/2 oz/2 cups) chopped dark chocolate
- 100 g (31/2 oz) unsalted butter
- 7 large eggs, separated
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 115 g (4 oz/1/2 cup) caster (superfine) sugar
- 80 g (23/4 oz/3/4 cup) ground hazelnuts
Chocolate Glaze Ingredients:
- 200 g (7 oz/11/3 cups) chopped dark chocolate
- 125 g (41/2 oz/1/2 cup) unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons chopped toasted hazelnuts, to decorate
Flourless Hazelnut Chocolate Cake Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 160ºC (315ºF/Gas 2–3). Butter a 23 cm (9 inch) springform tin or deep round cake tin and line it with baking paper (parchment paper).
- Melt the chocolate and butter gently in a heatproof bowl over hot water, ensuring that the base of the bowl does not touch the water. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks for 1–2 minutes, or until pale and thick and ribbons form when the beaters are lifted out of the mixture.
- Using clean beaters, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the sugar, then continue beating until the mixture is stiff but not dry.
- Combine the egg yolks and melted chocolate mixture and beat gently. Using a rubber spatula, fold half the meringue into the chocolate mixture, then return this combined mixture to the remaining meringue. Add the ground hazelnuts and fold in gently until combined.
- Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 50–55 minutes, or until the cake comes away slightly from the side of the tin. Allow to cool completely in the tin before turning out.
Chocolate Glaze Directions:
- Combine the chocolate, butter and 2 tablespoons water in a heatproof bowl over hot water. Stir until smooth.
- Allow to cool, then spread over the top and side of the cake.
How to Decorate the Cake:
- Decorate side edge of the cake by pressing the chopped toasted hazelnuts into the glaze.
Variation:
- Combine 2 tablespoons coffee liqueur and 2 tablespoons espresso or freshly brewed, cooled strong coffee. Add to the recipe along with the ground hazelnuts.
The copyright of the article Flourless Hazelnut Chocolate Cake in Baking & Desserts is owned by Karin Engelbrecht. Permission to republish Flourless Hazelnut Chocolate Cake in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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