Torta alla Gianduia (Nutella Cake)

In fact, a cake called ‘Nutella Cake’ hardly needs any advertising ;). The cake is compact and moist, though not heavy. It smells of Nutella, although it tastes like a deeply chocolatey cake. It looks beautiful and tempting, even though it is so simple to make! It will certainly brighten anyone’s day and is well worth the indulgence!

Ingredients for Torta alla Gianduia:

• 6 large eggs, whites and yolks separated
• a pinch of salt
• 125 g butter
• 400 g Nutella (1 jar)
• 1 tablespoon Frangelico liqueur, rum or water
• 100 g ground hazelnuts
• 100 g dark chocolate, melted over a bain-marie and slightly cooled

All ingredients should be at room temperature.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and Nutella together until smooth. Add the Frangelico liqueur (or rum/water), egg yolks and ground hazelnuts, then mix thoroughly with the mixer. Add the cooled chocolate and mix again. In a separate bowl, whisk the 6 egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mixture, mixing only until combined so that the foam deflates as little as possible.

Pour the batter into a 23 cm springform tin lined with baking parchment.

Bake for approximately 40 minutes at 180ºC. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

Ingredients for the chocolate glaze:

• 125 ml double cream
• 1 tablespoon Frangelico liqueur, rum or water
• 125 g dark chocolate, chopped

Heat the double cream and Frangelico liqueur in a saucepan until almost boiling, then remove from the heat. Add the chopped chocolate and leave for 2 minutes. After this time, stir until a smooth chocolate sauce forms.

In addition:

• 100 g hazelnuts, skinned

Toast the hazelnuts in a dry frying pan, stirring frequently so they do not burn. Leave to cool.

Pour the thickening glaze over the cooled cake and decorate with the hazelnuts.

Enjoy!

Recipe source: How to Be a Domestic Goddess by Nigella Lawson.