Torta alla Gianduia

As I've mentioned in my earlier post, April is a month of birthdays and that includes yours truly here. :) This year I have specifically instructed my nearest & dearests NOT to buy a birthday cake for me as I wanted to bake my own. You see, there are just so many recipes - too many! in my to-try list (which gets longer & longer everyday), I doubt I'll ever finish trying all in my lifetime!

After all that mousse (here) and cheese (here), I wanted something simple. For my cake, I've chosen Torta alla Gianduia or plainly known as Nutella Cake from none other than the domestic goddess herself, Nigella Lawson. Mind you, though simple & easy to whip up, this flourless cake was nothing short of decadent! A WHOLE jar of nutella is required, imagine that!  It was dense yet soft, gooey-ly rich, nutty and moist with a texture of a cross between pudding and fudgy brownie. Mamamia!



U only live once -INDULGE!



Though a year older, I still feel as young as when I was 18 years old! Now, if you're wondering how old I am - well I'm sorry, I'm not going to divulge my age. I had no problem a few years back but now it has become a little sensitive for me, more so with each passing year! I hate to think I'm growing old, so let me be forever 18! Hahaha! Here's a quote I like very much which I think is very appropriate to share with u all - Growing old is compulsory but growing up is optional! :)

Cheers!


Torta alla Gianduia @ Nutella Cake
(adapted from Nigella Lawson's "How to be a Domestic Goddess" Cookbook)

Note: Recipe is halved to fit a 7 inch round cake tin. Please keep tab on the baking time for this size, u may need less than the baking time called for. Mine needed exactly 40 minutes.

For the cake
3 large eggs -- separated
small pinch of salt
60g soft butter
1/2  jar of Nutella (200 g)
1/2  tablespoon water (use Frangelico or rum, if u have)
50g finely ground hazelnuts
50g dark chocolate, melted

For the icing
70 ml double cream
60g dark chocolate

Method:

Preheat oven to 175 degrees C.

Prepare a 7-inch springform pan or a loose base pan: grease and line with parchment or wax paper.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs whites and salt until stiff but not dry. In a separate bowl, beat the butter and Nutella together, then add water (or what you're using), egg yolks, and ground hazelnuts. Fold in the cooled, melted chocolate, then lighten the mixture with a dollop of egg white, which you can beat in as roughly as you want, before gently folding the rest of them in a third at a time. Pour into the prepared pan and cook for  40 minutes or until the cake's beginning to come away at the sides (or when skewer comes out clean), then let cool on rack with cake still in mold.

In a heavy-bottomed sauce pan, add the cream and chopped chocolate and heat gently. Once the chocolate's melted, take the pan off the heat and whisk until it reaches the right consistency to ice just the top of the cake. Unmold the cooled cake carefully. Ice the top with the chocolate icing, and decorate with  hazelnuts if u wish. Serve with a whipped cream or ice cream.