Chocolate and Hazelnut Torte Recipe

Chocolate and Hazelnut Torte
A favourite of mine. Chocolate and hazelnut is such a perfect combination.

• Prep time: About 45 mins
• Cooking time: 1 hour
• Serves 10

Ingredients

•     200g chocolate (about 70% cocoa) chopped
•     3 large eggs
•     110g butter diced
•     150g caster sugar
•     90g ground hazelnuts
•     60g self-raising flour
•     3 tbsp orange or chocolate liqueur
•     pinch salt
•     whipped cream and/or raspberries to serve

Ganache Topping

•     100g chocolate (70% cocoa) chopped
•     100 ml double cream
•     10-12 whole toasted hazelnuts to decorate

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190C/170C Fan/Gas mark 5. Line the base of a 23cm/9in springform cake tin with baking paper and grease the sides with melted butter.
2. Put the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, ensuring the bowl doesn't touch the water. Stir gently until melted then take off the heat. Stir in the butter until completely mixed.
3. Separate the eggs: whites in one bowl (preferably metal), yolks in another. Add the sugar to the egg yolks and whisk with a handheld electric  mixer until thick, pale and fluffy - this may take 5 minutes or more. Gently fold in the chocolate, ground hazelnuts and the flour followed by the orange or chocolate liqueur.
4. Using an electric mixer, whisk the egg whites with the salt until they form stiff peaks. Stir a spoonful of the egg white into the chocolate batter to loosen it, then fold the remaining egg whites into the batter with a metal spoon,
5. Pour the mixture into the lined and greased tin and bake for 40-50 minutes, until firm to the touch. Stand for 10 minutes to cool then turn out and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
6. To make the topping, place the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl. Put the cream into a pan on a medium heat and heat till bubbles form around the edge. Tip the cream over the chopped chocolate, leave for a moment and then stir till smooth. Leave to cool to let it thicken a little (about 30 minutes)
7. Spread the topping over the cake and down the sides, using a palette knife then decorate the cake with the whole hazelnuts. Pipe a few swirls of the topping if you’re feeling fancy.
8. Scoff with cream, raspberries or just as it is.