Decadent Hazelnut Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

Hazelnut Chocolate Cake
  • 150 g dark baking chocolate, broken into pieces
  • 120 g butter
  • 4 eggs, separated
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 cup ground roasted hazelnuts, crushed
Chocolate Ganache
  • 250 g dark baking chocolate broken into pieces
  • 1 cup cream
Hazelnut Praline
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup roasted hazelnuts

Method

Hazelnut Chocolate Cake
  1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees
  2. Line a 20 cm round tin
  3. Melt the chocolate and butter in a microwave 1-2 minutes, stir to mix
  4. In a separate bowl beat the egg whites with 2 tablespoons of sugar until thick
  5. In another bowl beat the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until pale and fluffy
  6. Fold the chocolate mix and the hazelnuts into the egg yolk mixture
  7. Fold in the beaten egg whites
  8. Tip the mixture into the pre-prepared cake tine and bake for 20 minutes or until the centre springs back when touched
Chocolate Ganache 
  1. Place the chocolate in a bowl
  2. Heat the cream in a saucepan until simmering
  3. Pour hot cream over chocolate and leave for five minutes
  4. Stir with a knife until silky smooth
  5. Allow to cool. When ganache has thickened, pour over cake
Hazelnut Praline
  1. Heat the sugar in a heavy based frypan until golden
  2. Add the hazelnuts and stir to coat
  3. Pour onto the baking tray to cool
  4. Break into pieces and decorate cake