Flourless Hazelnut, Chocolate and Espresso Cake

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 150 gr unsalted butter

• 160 gr  70 % dark chocolate

• 45 gr  dutch cocoa powder 

• Illy 50 ml espresso coffee

• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

• 200 gr  of firmly packed brown sugar

• 4 eggs

• 120 gr  of hazelnut meal

• Pinch of salt

• Serve with mascarpone and berries

Click on the video below to watch the full recipe

Method

1. Heat your oven to 160 C 

2. Melt the butter with the chocolate in a double boiler

3. Pour the hot coffee into a bowl with the cocoa powder and whisk until there are no lumps. Add the vanilla and mix. Add the cocoa mixture  to the buttery melted chocolate and stir to combine.

4. In a separate bowl, cream the yolks with the sugar with a whisk or an electric beater until fluffy then pour in the chocolate mixture. Add the hazelnut meal and stir to combine.

5. In a clean, dry bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until soft peaks form. This will take about 1 minute if using a hand-held electric beater.  A fair bit more if doing by hand…Gently fold the egg whites through the chocolate mixture using a large metal spoon. Pour the batter into a 20 cm round cake tin, lined with baking paper. Bake for 40/45 minutes or until the edges are firm and the surface it slightly cracked and feels soft in the middle.

6. As it cools down, it will sink in a little creating the perfect opportunity to be topped with, berries , and mascarpone or both! You may dust it with icing sugar, cocoa powder or, if you feel exceedingly indulgent, coat it with molten dark chocolate