Chocolate and Hazelnut Ice Cream Cake

The chocolate and hazelnut ice cream cake is a rich and indulgent dessert, perfect for special occasions or for treating oneself to a little luxury. Here’s how to prepare it:

Ingredients

• 250 g of dark chocolate
• 150 g of toasted and peeled hazelnuts
• 100 g of sugar
• 3 eggs
• 250 ml of fresh cream for whipping
• 50 g of butter
• A pinch of salt

Preparation

1. Start by toasting the hazelnuts further in the oven or in a pan to intensify their flavor, then coarsely chop them.
2. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler along with the butter until smooth and homogeneous.
3. Separate the yolks from the whites of the eggs. Beat the yolks with half of the sugar until a frothy and light mixture is obtained.
4. In another bowl, whisk the whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form, then gradually add the remaining sugar until a glossy and firm meringue is achieved.
5. Gently fold the melted chocolate into the yolk mixture, then incorporate the chopped hazelnuts.
6. Gradually fold in the meringue, mixing gently from bottom to top so as not to deflate it.
7. In another container, whip the fresh cream and then fold it into the previous mixture, always with gentle movements.
8. Pour the mixture into a springform pan lined with parchment paper and level it well.
9. Cover with cling film and place in the freezer for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
10. Before serving, unmold the cake and let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes to facilitate slicing.

To serve, you can decorate the cake with dollops of whipped cream, chopped hazelnuts, or chocolate shavings.

Curiosity

Hazelnuts are a beloved ingredient in Italy, especially in Piedmont where the “Tonda Gentile” variety is famous for its quality. Often, in this region, sweets are prepared where the combination of chocolate and hazelnuts reaches the pinnacle of deliciousness, as is the case with the famous gianduiotto.