Torta Nocciotella

The Nocciotella Cake is a tempting dessert that combines the flavor of hazelnuts with that of chocolate, similar to a famous spreadable cream. Here is the recipe to make a Nocciotella Cake:

Ingredients

• 150 g of toasted and peeled hazelnuts
• 200 g of sugar
• 200 g of soft butter
• 4 eggs
• 200 g of type 00 flour
• 1 packet of baking powder
• 150 g of dark chocolate
• 200 g of hazelnut cream (such as Nutella)
• A pinch of salt

Preparation

1. Begin by pre-heating the oven to 180 °C and preparing a cake tin (about 24 cm in diameter) by buttering and flouring it or by lining it with parchment paper.
2. Finely chop the toasted and peeled hazelnuts in a mixer with 50 g of sugar until you get a hazelnut flour.
3. In a bowl, work the soft butter with the remaining 150 g of sugar until you have a frothy mixture. Add the eggs one at a time, always stirring.
4. Incorporate the hazelnut flour into the mixture, then add the sifted type 00 flour with the baking powder and a pinch of salt. Mix well to obtain a homogeneous mixture.
5. Melt the dark chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave, let it cool slightly, and add it to the mixture.
6. Pour half of the mixture into the prepared tin, spread the hazelnut cream on top, and cover with the rest of the mixture.
7. Bake the cake for about 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
8. Let the cake cool before unmolding and serving.

Curiosity

The Nocciotella Cake is a classic example of how the combination of hazelnuts and chocolate is appreciated in many desserts, but it is also a great way to use hazelnut spread in a more “homemade” version of a dessert. In Italy, hazelnuts are widely used in pastry, especially those from the Piedmont regions, which are renowned for their superior quality.