Today’s recipe is a scaled down version of Jill Silverman's Flourless Chocolate Hazelnut Cake from the January issue of Bon Appetit. I originally made it in two mini springform pans -- the kind typically used for cheesecake. I think I'm going to try it again very soon in a six inch cake pan. Thanks to the Instant Pot, this pan size is becoming more popular. I'll post an update when I get around to making the six inch pan version.
Flourless Chocolate Hazelnut Cake for Two
4 ounces 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate, chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks
2 large egg
⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
1 ½ tablespoons Frangelico or other hazelnut liqueur, divided
⅓ cup finely ground hazelnuts (ground in processor;) (1 ⅔ oz) – I toasted mine
pinch of regular salt or Morton Kosher. If using Diamond, use a bigger pinch
⅓ cup chilled heavy whipping cream
Chopped toasted hazelnuts for garnish
Preheat to 350°F. Butter two mini (3 ½ inch) springform pans and line bottom of pans with parchment paper rounds. Wrap outside of pans tightly with 3 layers of heavy-duty foil.
Combine chocolate and butter in medium metal bowl; set bowl over saucepan of simmering water. Whisk until mixture is melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over water. Alternatively, you may do this in a microwave-safe bowl – heating on high, stirring every 30 seconds.
Whisk eggs, brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon Frangelico in a medium size mixing bowl to blend. Add chocolate mixture and whisk until smooth. Stir in ground hazelnuts and kosher salt. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Place both mini pans side by side in a larger pan (9 inch). Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of springform pans. Place in oven and tent loosely with foil (I didn’t tent). Bake until cake is set in center and top is dry to touch, about 38 minutes. Remove cakes from water; remove foil from top and outside of pan. Cool cake in pan on rack. Chill cake until cold, about 3 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.
Using electric mixer, beat whipping cream and remaining ½ tablespoon Frangelico in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Run knife around pan sides to loosen cake. Release pan sides. Cut cake into wedges. Transfer to plates. Top with whipped cream; sprinkle with chopped toasted hazelnuts.
Makes two cakes, serves 4
Anna says
Sarah, those cookies WERE good. I hope you made them with natural cocoa.
Deb, it's hard to say. If you are doing a pound cake, you might as well make it now and freeze it. Sometimes heavy cakes taste even better after they're frozen. I'd bake the coffee cakes day-of or day before. Wouldn't do this one for a bake sale.
Kathy, I'm not sure, but I would check at 40 minutes.
Amanda, the Cooking Light Triple Hazelnut is packed with chocolate and has a deep hazelnut flavor taste. It doesn't have a ton of Frangelica, but it has Nutella and chopped hazelnuts which give you plenty of hazelnut flavor.
Amanda says
anna- you know waht's funny? I've made a chocolate cheesecake with frangelico but I had two issues with ut. One, it wasn't chocolatey enough. It wasn't as rich as I had hoped, but then again I am a chocoholic. And two, while the crust was falvored w/ Frangelico, the cake itself didn't taste of the hazelnut liquer. Next time I am thinking more chocolate and liquer is needed.
kathy says
Looks great Anna. I would like to try this in my 6 inch springform. How long do you think it should bake?
bakinmama - Deb says
Wow - this looks amazing. I may have to add this to my baking list this week. Kind of off topic, but since I am thinking to add this to my list, a question for you:
Our elementary school is having a bake sale this Friday as a fundraiser for one of the teachers - her daughter has cancer... terribly sad story, but I digress...
How soon would you bake things up for the sale - being as they need to be at school sometime on Friday? I am probably doing some chocolate pound cake, coffee cake and maybe these cakes! The are cookied out (have some 30 dozen pledged so far). I was thinking of at least measuring out all the dry ingredients for each project to make it go a little quicker on Thursday. Any other prep ideas?? Thanks in advance - and thanks for all the great ideas!
Sarah says
Yum! This looks like something I'd love for someone to make for me! (Of course, I love baking, but isn't it the kind of dessert that would look even more heavenly if it were brought out & placed in front of you?)
Also, I made the tex-mex chocolate cookies for Valentine's Day & they are phenomenal!
Anna says
Hi Amanda,
I like that combo too. My favorite hazelnut chocolate combo is Cooking Light's Triple Hazelnut Cheesecake. If you have the same affinity for hazelnut/chocolate, you should try it. I swear to you, it does not taste light.
Alica, ditto.
Gosh. I hope I am not scaring people off from THIS recipe. It was really good. Rich, but good. I'm glad I was able to scale it down.
Alicia says
You had me at hazelnut. I need to invest in some mini cake pans.
Amanda says
yummy! this looks divine 🙂 I love anything with chocolate and frangelico combined.