Chocolate, Hazelnut and Meringue - what's not to love? I found this recipe on the Martha Stewart website and immediately itched to try and make this cake.
For the cake:
10 tbsp unsalted butter
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
6 large whole eggs, separated
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate melted and cooled (I used Callebaut)
1 1/2 tbsp espresso or vanilla
1 1/2 tbsp rum (optional)
1/4 tsp salt
For the meringue
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped
1 cup hazelnuts, toasted and skinned,roughly chopped
1 tbsp cornstarch
4 large egg whites
3/4 cup sugar
Use a good chocolate as you can taste it in the cake - use about 55-60% cocoa bittersweet chocolate, that should be perfect. I used a 70% cocoa chocolate and it was too heavy and dense. The cake keeps well in the fridge for a couple of days - don't worry it so yummy, it won't last long!
Directions
Preheat
oven to 350F. Butter a 9-by-3-inch springform pan. Line bottom
with parchment. Butter parchment, and sprinkle with flour; tap out
excess. Set aside.
Spread hazelnuts
in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast until fragrant and
skins start to crack, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven; rub vigorously
with a clean kitchen towel to take off skins. Let cool; roughly chop.
Set aside.
Make
cake batter: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle
attachment, cream butter and brown sugar until pale and smooth. Add egg
yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition, until mixture is
light and fluffy. Add melted chocolate, vanilla, and rum, if using; beat until combined. Set aside.
In a
clean mixer bowl, combine 6 egg whites and salt; using the whisk
attachment, beat on high speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes.
Stir one-third of the egg whites into chocolate mixture. Fold in
remaining beaten egg whites just until combined. Pour batter into
prepared pan, and bake 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, make meringue: Combine hazelnuts,
chopped chocolate, and cornstarch in a small bowl, and set aside. Place
remaining 4 egg whites and cream of tartar in a clean mixer bowl; using
a clean whisk attachment, beat on high speed until frothy. With mixer
running, slowly add superfine sugar; continue beating until stiff peaks
form, about 8 minutes. Fold in hazelnut mixture.
Remove
cake from oven. Using an offset spatula, spread meringue mixture on top
of cake, and return to oven. Bake until meringue is lightly browned and
crisp, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack; let stand 10
minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen, and release
sides of pan. Let cool, about 30 minutes, before slicing and serving.