Hazelnut Chocolate Cake

Ok, well, I didn't make it. My mom did! For my birthday! Isn't that nice?

This is pretty much one of my favorite cakes out there. It's like nutella, but better, and in a cake. More hazelnutty too.

I love this cake because it is quite light and airy for a nut cake, and the flavor combination is delicious. Make sure you use good hazelnuts though, rancidity is just not very tasty...

This is a french recipe from Elle magazine, so it is in grams. Just get yourself a balance and be happy I translated the instruction for you.

Hazelnut Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

• 200g shelled hazelnuts
• 3 eggs
• 150g sugar
• 20g flour
• 60g melted butter
• 50g chocolate chips

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C (350F.)
2. Butter a 9in diameter round cake pan.
3. Using a food processor, grind the hazelnuts to a coarse sand-like texture.
4. Separate the whites from the yolks and beat them into stiff peaks.
5. In a medium-large bowl combine the sugar with the egg yolks and beat until pale and mousse like. (about 3 minutes with an electric mixer)
6. Slowly, still mixing, add in the flour.
7. Add the melted butter, mix it in, then add the hazelnuts.
8. Gently fold in the beaten egg whites.
9. Fold in the chocolate chips.
10. Pour the batter in the buttered pan and bake for about 35-40 minutes, or until golden.
11. Let it rest 10 minutes out of the oven before un-molding
12. Enjoy! You can decorate with a thin dusting of confectioner's sugar if you like.