Rich chocolate and hazelnut torte

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4. Grease a round cake tin and line it with baking parchment.

2. To make the torte, melt the butter very slowly in a saucepan set over a low heat. Remove from the heat and add the chopped chocolate, stirring constantly so that it melts in the hot butter. Set aside to cool.

3. Whisk the egg whites in a large bowl until soft peaks form, then set aside until needed.

4. In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until thick and pale. Add the chocolate mixture and mix well. Sprinkle in the flour and ground hazelnuts and mix gently. Fold the egg whites in carefully to retain as much air as possible.

5. Pour the cake mixture into the prepared baking tin and bake for 25 minutes. The cake should be set, but slightly wobbly in the centre. Leave it to cool in the tin.

6. To prepare the ganache, heat the cream in a saucepan until it is just under boiling point. Immediately remove from the heat and add the chopped chocolate. Stir until all is amalgamated, then set aside to cool.

7. To make the hazelnut topping, place the sugar and 100ml water in a saucepan and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Place over a high heat and simmer the syrup until it has lightly caramelised. Meanwhile, get ready a sheet of lightly oiled baking parchment. Remove the caramel from the heat and add the whole roasted hazelnuts, stirring briefly to coat. Using tongs and working quickly, remove the sticky nuts in clusters and place on the oiled paper to cool.

8. Remove the cake from the tin. Pour the cooled ganache over it and allow it to set. Just before serving, top the cake with the cooled hazelnut clusters.

Comments                        add a comment

Be the first to add a comment...

Ingredients

For the torte

150g Butter, plus extra for greasing
200g dark chocolate, 70% cocoa solids, chopped
6 large Eggs, separated
150g soft brown sugar
2 tbsp plain flour
100g ground hazelnuts

For the ganache

150ml double cream
200g dark chocolate, 70% cocoa solids, chopped

For the topping

150g caster sugar
vegetable oil, for greasing
200g shelled Hazelnuts, roasted and peeled

Top Sponsored Searches

You may also like

Like this recipe? Print Print this recipe Save Save this recipe to My Recipe Book Share Email to a friend

Offers & Promotions

Competitions: great prizes up for grabs
Real Italian food for real food lovers
Afternoon tea, curry cookery courses and more!