Nutella Cake

GOOD MORNING, READERS!! 🙂 I’m sorry for not having a post yesterday, I’ve been having trouble with my unreliable internet service. Cooking with Kids will be coming tomorrow though, so please check back then. In the meantime, I hope that you will enjoy this recipe for a wonderful, moist, light, DELICIOUS chocolate cake. Oh yeah, did I mention that it is GLUTEN FREE?? YEP! 🙂

This cake was SO good! I have a slight obsession with Nutella spread, and so this recipe caught my eye. As soon as I saw it, I had to print it out and put it on my “recipes to try” pile. I also have a Nutella ice cream that is calling my name, maybe one day soon. 😉

This cake is naturally gluten-free, so no need for any special flours for this one. It is rich, moist, and down right delicious! It actually reminded us of a moist brownie. Very, very good. Surprisingly, the hazelnut was not a strong flavour in this cake, it just tasted like an awesome chocolate cake. I made it the day before eating it & kept it in the fridge until we ate it, and it kept very well. Definitely a keeper! A great spin on a flourless chocolate cake.

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Ingredients:

Cake

• 6 large eggs, separated
• pinch salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 13-ounce container Nutella
• 1 Tbsp 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 Tbsp rum
• 4 ounces semi sweet chocolate

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F; 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.

2. Add a blob of beaten egg whites to the chocolate batter, and mix gently until well-combined. Fold in the remaining egg whites, one-third at a time, very gently but thoroughly. Pour into springform and bake for 40 minutes. (NOTE: I had to bake more like 50-55 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 a pan, on a rack.

3. 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.

4. 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.

Source: From Nigella Lawson as found on Novaclutch

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