Description
A rich and indulgent flourless cake combining dark chocolate and roasted hazelnuts, inspired by Italian gianduia, topped with chocolate hazelnut spread and extra hazelnuts for crunch.
Ingredients
250g whole blanched hazelnuts
200g butter, cubed, plus extra for greasing
200g dark chocolate, broken into squares
6 medium eggs, separated
200g caster sugar, preferably golden
3 tbsp hazelnut liqueur, amaretto liqueur, or fresh orange juice
150g chocolate hazelnut spread (for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Place hazelnuts on a baking tray and roast for about 10 minutes, shaking halfway, until golden brown. Cool slightly.
- Reduce oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Grease and line a 23cm springform tin with baking parchment.
- Grind 200g of the roasted hazelnuts in a food processor until fine with a few coarse bits. Reserve remaining 50g for decoration.
- Melt butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl over simmering water, removing from heat before fully melted. Stir until smooth.
- Stir ground hazelnuts into chocolate mixture and cool for 5 minutes.
- Whisk egg yolks with sugar until pale and creamy, then mix into chocolate mixture.
- In a clean bowl, whisk egg whites until stiff peaks form. Stir liqueur or orange juice into chocolate mixture, add a spoonful of egg whites and mix well, then gently fold in the rest.
- Pour batter into prepared tin and bake for 35–40 minutes until risen and firm.
- Cool in tin for 30 minutes, then remove and cool completely.
- Once cold, spread with chocolate hazelnut spread and top with reserved hazelnuts, whole or chopped.
Notes
- Swap dark chocolate for milk chocolate for a sweeter cake.
- Add a pinch of cinnamon to ground hazelnuts for warmth.
- Use a mix of hazelnuts and almonds for variation.
- For extra decadence, drizzle melted chocolate over the topping.
- Freezes well for up to 2 months without topping — thaw before decorating.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/10 of cake
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 40mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 105mg
