This 2024 update on my hazelnut and chocolate cake takes it up a notch with chocolate and zesty orange. I’ve used a combination but you can choose whichever type(s) you prefer and what’s available. Buy whole nuts and blitz them yourself if you can’t find them already ground. Whichever combination you choose make sure to keep the total amount to 200g.

Method

• Preheat oven to 180°C fan/ 350°F and line a 20 – 22 cm round springform tin with baking parchment.
• Mix the ground nuts, set aside a tablespoon for decoration, then mix the rest with the sugar, orange zest and salt.
• Reserve a handful of the chopped chocolate for decoration, and add the rest to the sugar and nuts, together with the vanilla extract.
• In a separate, clean bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric hand mixer (or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment) until they form stiff peaks. Gradually add the sugar, nuts and chocolate mixture to the egg whites, continuing to mix on low speed until you have a thick and homogenous mixture.
• Pour the mixture into the lined baking tin, sprinkle the chocolate and nuts you set aside together with the flaked almonds evenly on top and bake for about 30-35 minutes, or until a skewer or cake tester inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. If it comes out wet, put the cake back in the oven and bake for another 5 minutes, then check again.
• Remove the cake from the oven and leave it to cool for 30 minutes in the tin on a cooling rack, then carefully remove it from the tin.
• Serve warm or at room temperature. The cake will keep for up to 2 days at room temperature, or 3–4 days in the fridge.

Silvia_Nacamulli