Torta Gianduia; a dance of chocolate and hazelnut delight, with a flourless mousse-like chocolate hazelnut cake and rich ganache.
Some foodstuffs are just sexy.
I promise that isn’t just the quarantine feelings talking.
It’s something about the combination of filth and soft comfort in one mouthful. Brutishly bold but gentle enough to keep you taking bite after bite. It could be in a melting grilled cheese sandwich, a bowl of spicy noodles, a meaty pizza, whatever. In this instance, it’s in a cake.
This Torta Gianduia will bless each of your senses, and have you coming back for more.
This cake, like many flourless chocolate cakes, has this exquisite talent of being deeply rich and feather-light at the same time. You’ll revel in its strength and marvel at its delicacy.
Psst! Have you tried this Kinder Bueno Cake yet?
Torta Gianduia, an effortlessly mousse-like chocolate hazelnut cake topped with an addictively smooth and rich chocolate hazelnut ganache.
But what does its name mean? Torta Gianduia is an Italian name, describing a cake made with chocolate hazelnut paste. Which it is. However, simply calling this dark beauty “a chocolate hazelnut cake” did not seem sufficient. Plus, its taste is so aligned with the unmistakable flavour of Nutella or other Ferrero treats that an Italian name is perfect.
Instead of flour, this Torta Gianduia uses toasted ground hazelnuts, this is what gives it such a bold nutty flavour. It melts together butter and dark chocolate, giving it the richness of a brownie. It incorporates whipped eggs and sugar, providing that dazzling lightness.
I was inspired by a recipe from this book!
Admittedly, it is not a simple cake in the way that a Victoria Sponge is. However, using a few more bowls and taking slightly more time is a small sacrifice for the pleasure this Torta Gianduia provides. You don’t need skills, just a bit of patience.
You will need a food processor or blender for this recipe. You may need an electric whisk, unless you want to flex those biceps. You will also ideally need a loose-bottomed cake tin or a springform cake tin.
All of these products are worthwhile investments for any kitchen. Especially now that many of us are baking more due to social distancing and self-isolation!
On that note, I hope this Torta Gianduia can bring you pleasure and comfort where it may be needed. If anything, it might just help in tearing you away from Netflix for half an hour, which is definitely needed for most of us.
My best wishes to you all, I hope you are all staying safe, staying healthy, and saying indoors.
Want to save this Torta Gianduia recipe for later? Pin the image below!
To make this gorgeous Torta Gianduia, simply follow the recipe below!
Torta Gianduia
Notes
BE A MAVERICK: you can easily double this recipe for a 23cm (9in) cake instead.
This Torta Gianduia will keep well in an airtight container or on a covered cake stand for up to 3 days. No need to refrigerate, unless you prefer it cold of course!
Ingredients
For the torta gianduia:
- 100g (scant 1 cup) whole hazelnuts
- 100g (3 oz) dark chocolate (at least 50% cocoa solids)
- 100g (6 ½ tbsp) salted butter
- 3 large eggs, separated into yolks and whites
- 100g (½ cup) caster sugar
- 2 tbsp Frangelico, Amaretto, or your favourite liqueur
For the hazelnut ganache:
- 150ml (½ cup) double cream
- 100g (½ cup) Nutella
- 80g (2 ¾ oz) dark chocolate (at least 50% cocoa solids)
- 20g (1 ½ tbsp) salted butter
- Hazelnuts or chocolate pieces, to decorate (optional)
Instructions
For the torta gianduia:
- Preheat your oven – 180 C / 160 C fan / 350 F / gas mark 4.
- Grease and line a 15cm (6in) round cake tin, ideally with a loose bottom or spring-clip side.
- Tip your hazelnuts into a small baking tray in a flat layer and roast in the oven for 10 minutes.
- Once roasted and producing a delicious (not burnt!) smell, set them aside to allow the nuts to cool slightly. If the nuts still have their dark brown skins, you can use kitchen roll to scrub these off now, naked nuts are the goal!
- In a food processor or blender, blitz the naked roasted nuts into the consistency of breadcrumbs. A few slightly chunkier pieces are no problem, they add texture.
- In a heatproof bowl, either in the microwave in 30-second blasts or over a pan of simmering water, melt the chocolate and butter together until smooth.
- Stir your hazelnut crumbs into the melted mixture and set aside.
- In a large bowl, use a whisk to beat your egg yolks and caster sugar until pale and airy. This should take 3-5 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, whip your egg whites until fluffy and holding stiff peaks. This, again, should take 3-5 minutes.
- Slowly pour your chocolate mixture along with your liqueur into your egg yolk/sugar mixture, mixing constantly, until smooth.
- Spoon your fluffy egg whites into the mixture, a third at a time, and gently fold through until just combined into an airy chocolate batter. This is best done with a metal spoon, if you have one!
- Pour the cake batter into your prepared cake tin.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes, or until the cake has just the slightest wobble in the middle when shaken. The cake pictured took 40 minutes.
- Allow the cake to cool completely in the tin. Slight sinking in the centre is normal! Meanwhile, make your hazelnut ganache.
For the hazelnut ganache:
- Using either a heatproof bowl in the microwave or a small saucepan on the hob, gently heat the cream until steaming and hot to the touch.
- Remove from the heat and add the remaining ganache ingredients. Allow to sit for 1 minute.
- Stir gently until everything has melted together into a smooth chocolatey liquid.
- Allow the ganache to cool until it has reached a fairly stiff, soft-whipped cream consistency. You can speed up this process by refrigerating it!
- Once thickened, pipe or spread the hazelnut ganache onto your cooled cake however you like. Top with hazelnuts, chocolate chips or whatever you fancy.
- Enjoy!
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