Or, as Nigella more elegantly calls it in How to be a Domestic Goddess, Torta alla Gianduia. And it is, in fact, quite an elegant cake, its glossy top studded with pale hazelnuts. It’s dark and dense, but not super-heavy, I suspect as a result of the ground nuts in lieu of flour (does this mean it’s low-carb?).
Cake:
- 6 large eggs, separated
- pinch salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 13-ounce container Nutellla
- 1 tablespoon rum
- 1/2 cup finely ground hazelnuts
- 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled
Ganache:
- 4 ounces whole hazelnuts
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon rum
- 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
Preheat oven to 350 degrees; butter a 9-inch springform pan.
In a large bowl (preferably metal), whisk the egg whites and salt until stiff. In another bowl, cream the butter and Nutella, then add the rum, egg yolks, and ground hazelnuts. Fold in melted chocolate.
Add a blob of beaten egg whites to the chocolate batter, and mix gently until well-combined. Fold in the remaining whites, one-third at a time, very gently but thorougly. Pour into springform and bake for 40 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting tester, which should come out mostly clean; lightly pressing finger into top to check for a slight bouncing-back; and observing edges beginning to separate from pan. Let cool completely, in pan, on a rack.
Toast the hazelnuts in a dry skillet, shaking them around frequently. Do it for about 5 minutes, or until they are lightly browned, then let cool completely. If hazelnuts came with skins on, put them in a towel after toasting and rub around; this will remove most of the skins, if you are diligent. I got a little lazy; hence the partially-dark hazelnuts crowning my cake above.
Chop chocolate, and add to sauce pan with cream and rum over medium-low heat. Once chocolate is melted and components are combined, whisk until mixture reaches desired thickness, then cool. Remove rim of cake pan and pour cooled ganache over, spreading lightly to create a smooth, shiny surface, and apply hazelnuts all over. I like to let the ganache settle and meld with the top of the cake (resting at least an hour), then enjoy a big wedge with coffee.
Comments 28
Oh, yummmmmm…. I’ll have to bookmark this for my Nutella-obsessed sister’s birthday cake.
Posted 13 Aug 2007 at 6:14 pm ¶You *ARE* evil!!
Posted 13 Aug 2007 at 8:38 pm ¶What an awesome looking cake. I will have to make this when I get the chance. I can’t imagine what chocolatey hazelnutty bliss must be in each bit. Thanks for the inspiration!
Posted 20 Aug 2007 at 5:15 pm ¶Ooooo, that torte looks the very definition of decadence. I don’t *want* to know the caloric nature of this beauty.
Posted 21 Aug 2007 at 9:18 am ¶oh this looks so so yummy
Posted 31 Aug 2007 at 2:01 am ¶Stunning! And it looks so rich!
Posted 04 Sep 2007 at 1:30 am ¶the nutella cake looks perfect! I wish I could have a piece now.:)
Posted 04 Sep 2007 at 9:10 am ¶and gluten free! yay! great for the boyfriend.
Posted 04 Sep 2007 at 9:18 pm ¶Gnutella’s shareware recipe for chocolate pacman cake, yum!
Posted 05 Sep 2007 at 11:22 pm ¶what kind of knife made such cuts in the cake?
Posted 07 Sep 2007 at 12:01 pm ¶Yes! I couldn’t resist it!!
Posted 09 Sep 2007 at 10:17 pm ¶It is delicious!!!
Omg you’ve just joined the ranks of the evil nutella lady…Giada De Laurentiis (who got me hooked on the stuff). I Simply love nutella. I’ll have to try this.
Posted 10 Sep 2007 at 11:22 pm ¶Looks fab!
Posted 11 Sep 2007 at 8:38 am ¶Can I make it without rum, or use just rum extract in an equal measure?
i wonder if one could use almond meal instead of ground hazelnuts? (just happen to have some in my pantry)
Posted 11 Sep 2007 at 1:39 pm ¶You could certainly substitute rum extract for the real thing, or leave it out altogether. I like it with rum because it adds another dimension of flavor that really compliments the hazelnut component, but it would be delicious without it as well.
I would venture to say that you could substitute any kind of ground nut for the hazelnuts; Nigella has a similar cake made with ground pistachios. Walnuts could also be good.
Posted 11 Sep 2007 at 3:37 pm ¶I just made it! I love it!
Posted 20 Sep 2007 at 5:05 pm ¶thanks
mrd
Oh God! Oh God! Oh God!
Posted 19 Oct 2007 at 8:15 pm ¶Oh geez….I have to make that.
Posted 25 Oct 2007 at 11:52 pm ¶Per Serving: 3265 Calories; 387g Fat (62.7% calories from fat); 90g Protein; 429g Carbohydrate; 14g Dietary Fiber; 1683mg Cholesterol; 787mg Sodium.
Posted 26 Oct 2007 at 1:48 pm ¶This looks amazing. I’m a huge fan of Nutella, and I’m always looking for another reason to use it. I will be making this cake soon
Posted 29 Nov 2007 at 6:04 pm ¶This nutella cake is fantastic!! Great!!
Posted 12 Apr 2008 at 9:51 pm ¶I LOVE THIS CAKE ME AND MY MOM JUST MADE IT ITS SO EASY AND YUMMY
Posted 03 Jul 2008 at 9:31 pm ¶Thanks for the lovely recipie! I was slightly disappointed as it did not have an overwhelming nutella flavour despite throwing a whole bottle in. However, it made a lovely dark, rich and sinful torte which was slightly sweet and a dream to have with whipped cream.
thanks again! And yes, mine did come out like the picture! yumz
Posted 23 Jul 2008 at 8:43 am ¶My brother-in-law just celebrated BaconFest-2008 as his birthday has come to be known. He is a bacon lover and his wife is anti-pork so the poor lad consumes bacon at any possible chance. For his birthday I made Bacon-Peanut Butter Chocolate Truffles and Bacon-Stuffed Mushroom Caps.
I have imposed a 30-day moratorium on the topic of Bacon, but my birthday is coming in August and now I know what I am requesting as Birthday cake!!
Posted 28 Jul 2008 at 10:21 am ¶A Nutella Cake!? This sounds so terrific and with no added sugar I can keep the guilt to a minimum!!
Posted 17 Oct 2008 at 11:27 pm ¶OH. My. Goodness. Nutella and cake together? With hazelnuts on top?
WOW.
Posted 18 Oct 2008 at 5:57 pm ¶this cake is so terribly delicious. oh my god is it good. I’m in love, I’m making it for my roomies birthday [shes OBSESSED with nutella]
Posted 21 Nov 2008 at 12:24 am ¶What a beautiful cake, a chocoholic’s dream, yum!
Posted 22 Nov 2008 at 3:24 pm ¶Trackbacks & Pingbacks 4
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