Flourless Chocolate and Hazelnut Cake

Hello.

Yay for my first recipe post! Basically, if I were a knight, this cake would be my trusty steed. It's a knockout every time! I love the fact that it eliminates the flour - this creates a moist, decadent texture on the inside, and a crunchy crust on the outside. It's so yummy! I serve it with cinnamon cream, but you could serve it with good icecream or even just whipped cream if you like.

So. My first recipe came with my first 'food photography shoot'. I was a bit hesitant because I had never done it before, and I don't have an overly fancy camera - just a little digital. But I think it turned out ok, especially with my little rabbit friends to help me out!

My cat is chocolate too! So of course she wanted to assist me.

Note: You will need a springform pan for this cake.

Flourless Chocolate and Hazelnut Cake:

(Serves about 10 - if you don't scoff it all down as soon as it's cool enough to eat!)

Ingredients:

200g chopped dark chocolate (good quality)

125g unsalted butter

225g (1 cup) brown sugar, firmly packed

100g hazelnut meal (almond meal is fine too)

5 eggs, separated.

{For the Cinnamon Cream}

250ml (1 cup) thickened cream

1 tbsp icing (confectioners') sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

Method:

- Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

- Grease and line a 20cm springform cake pan.

- Melt chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over boiling water in a small saucepan (make sure the water doesn't touch the bowl!).

- Remove from the heat to cool slightly.

- In a large bowl, mix sugar and meal, and then the melted chocolate mixture, and stir until there are no lumps. Add egg yolks one at a time, stirring well after each one.

- Whisk the egg whites in a separate bowl until firm peaks form. Gently fold the whites into the pan.

- Bake for 45-50 minutes, until, when tested with a skewer, it comes out pretty damn clean.

- Cool completly in the pan before "springing" open and placing on a pretty little plate that perhaps your nan gave you. Or, you know, just a white plate.

To make the cinnamon cream:

- Whip the cream using a hand mixer.

- Mix in the icing sugar and cinnamon until well combined.

- Dollop on top of your slices of cake to serve.

Yay! Now it can be your trusty steed/ favourite cake/ reliable friend too! Enjoy :)