Flourless Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

So who's up for some hot chocolate on chocolate action?

Sometimes you just want it. And sometimes you got to have it. Bad. When one of those dirty moods hit, think chocolate. Because nothing else has the cahonas big enough to satisfy these primal cravings of the sweet tooth!

It was past midnight and one of these aforementioned moods reared its inconvenient head and everything including sleep and study had to be put on hold. Getting studious with Cicero is raunchy and all but he's not what I needed at 12:41am. And despite what Russell Crowe would have us believe, Ancient Rome just isn't as sexy as streaks of melting chocolate between my fingers and licking the bowl of batter. By the way, I still stand by the notion that spontaneous baking moods are a valid excuse for late assignments. Despite what the Professor might think.

Anyhow, here in this boudoir, hot gooey chocolate, hazelnut meal and wicked brown sugar comes together for a dense, fudgy cake that isn't too dissimiliar to a brownie. Freshly baked for your pleasure, it's warm and comforting and ready for you to get your fork on (or hands - whatever your fetish). And because we're feeling hedonistic, don't forget a good lashing of chocolate ganache. No need to get pretty, just pour and watch it cascade sensually. Satisfaction is always guaranteed with chocolate.

Too bad my thighs are coming off second best.

Flourless Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

Ingredients

200g dark chocolate - roughly chopped
150g unsalted butter - roughly chopped
35g (abt 1/3 C) cocoa powder
80ml (abt 1/3 C) hot water
250g brown sugar
150 g hazelnut meal
4 eggs separated

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C and grease and line with baking paper a 20-22cm round cake pan.

In a small pot (or double boiler) over low heat, melt butter and chocolate together and mix until combined.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cocoa and hot water and stir until smooth. Add the chocolate/butter mixture, sugar, hazelnut meal and egg yolks and stir untill combined.

In a separate clean and dry bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks. Fold into the chocolate mixture in two batches.

Pour batter into cake pan and bake for about 40-50 minutes until top is firm and the skewer comes out mostly clean with a few crumbs (you still want it to be fudgey in the centre). The cake will rise while baking but it'll sink as it cools so don't panic.

Stand cake for 15 minutes before turning out on the wire rack (top side up) to cool.

Ganache

100g dark chocolate - roughly chopped
1/4 cup thickened cream
1 tablespoon Frangelico or Kahlua, optional

Place chocolate in a bowl and set aside. Bring the cream (and liqueur if using) to a gentle boil then pour over the chocolate and sit for a minute. Beat until chocolate has completely melted and is all combined. Now pour. And eat.