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Creamy Chocolate and Hazelnut Cake

17/11/2023

The creamy chocolate and hazelnut cake is a decadent dessert that pairs the sweetness of hazelnuts with the rich and deep flavor of chocolate. Here is an Italian version of this delicious cake:

Ingredients

  • 200 g of good quality dark chocolate
  • 150 g of toasted and finely chopped hazelnuts
  • 100 g of butter
  • 100 g of granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs, separate the yolks from the whites
  • 50 g of powdered sugar (for the egg whites)
  • A pinch of salt
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or a bit of vanilla powder

Optional:

  • A pinch of cinnamon or chili powder for a spicy touch
  • Whole or halved hazelnuts for decoration

Preparation

  1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
  2. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler with the butter, stirring until smooth. Remove from the heat and let it cool down slightly.
  3. In a bowl, whip the yolks with the granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and combine this mixture with the melted chocolate.
  4. Incorporate the chopped hazelnuts into the chocolate mixture.
  5. In another bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form. When they start to get foamy, gradually add the powdered sugar and continue to beat until you get a glossy and firm meringue.
  6. Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the chocolate and hazelnut mixture, being careful not to deflate them.
  7. Pour the mixture into a buttered and floured pan or lined with parchment paper. Gently level with a spatula.
  8. Bake in the oven for about 25-30 minutes or until the center of the cake looks set but still slightly moist and soft to the touch.
  9. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan before unmolding.
  10. If desired, decorate with whole or halved hazelnuts and dust with powdered sugar before serving.

The cake keeps very well for several days if stored in the refrigerator and can be served at room temperature or slightly warmed to enhance its creaminess.

Curiosities

Hazelnuts are intensely linked to Piedmontese cuisine, especially to the city of Alba, and their combination with chocolate is famous worldwide thanks to specialties like gianduia. This cake, therefore, represents a wonderful meeting of simple ingredients and rich, full flavors.