Double delicious, Rich but light with Italian style cake

How can this cake is so delicious? This is the question that my friend asked me, well, how could I know because she told me after she baking it but I still don't have a chance to bake it!

When I told her that I never made this before, she just ordered me "Bake it now!, and you will understand what I say". So, I baked it (well, I was curious, ^ ^), and I found it's very delicious too.
The cake consists of the delicious ingredients, chocolate and hazelnut and this cake is good for the people who can't eat the gluten too, because there is no flour in the cake.
You might think that the cake will be heavy because there are a lot of nut and butter in the cake but the result is astonishing, it's light and you can finish one piece without feeling heavy at all. It's very easy to make too, start by grinding the hazelnut with the chocolate and butter and mix with the egg yolks, then the whipped egg white will lighten the texture of the cake.
The skin of the hazelnut can be the secret, because the little bitterness of it make the flavor of the cake more balance.
The recipe comes from one of my favorite book this book is very good for anyone who love to bake (haha, the name already said it all). Most of the recipe are reliable, and easy to follow too.
After reading this you might feel a bit curious about the deliciousness of this cake too, so I think it will be good if you just feed your curiosity by baking it! You will love it too.

Italian Hazelnut Cake
Serve 6-8

200g (7oz) hazelnuts(with skins on)
1 tsp baking powder
50g dark chocolate
100g (3½ oz) butter,softened
5 eggs, separated
175g (6oz) caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

20cm (8 inch) diameter spring-form/loose-bottomed tin or 16 heart pan(6x5cm / pieces)
Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F), Gas mark 3. Butter and line the sides and base of the cake tin with greaseproof paper.


Grind the hazelnuts with the baking powder and dark chocolate in a food processor until fine. Add the butter and combine.

Place the egg yolks in the bowl of an electric food mixer or use a hand-held electric beater. Add the sugar and whisk until the mixture become slightly ‘moussey’ and the mix holds a trail when you lift the beater. Add the hazelnut mixture and the vanilla extract and whisk until combined.

Whisk the egg whites and salt together in a large, spotlessly clean bowl until stiff peaks form, then gently fold into the nut mixture in three stages so as not to deflate the whites. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin, smooth the surface and bake in the oven for 55-70 minutes (if using small pan baking for 35-40 minutes)or until the cake feels firm and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.The mixture is quite delicate so don’t be tempted to open the oven until close to the end of the cooking time. Allow to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then very gently ease the sides of the cake out of the tin using a palette knife. Remove the base after another 15 minutes and leave to cool before cutting into slices.

Double delicious, Rich but light with Italian style cake