CHOCOLATE NUT TORTE

Preparation Method :

• Break the chocolate into pieces. Melt, stirring in a bain-marie over a low heat.
• Cream the butter with a mixer and add the chocolate. Beat in the powdered sugar and add the eggs and egg yolks at 30-second intervals.
• Sift the flour with the baking powder and gradually stir this into the mixture together with the ground almonds. Whisk the egg whites until stiff and fold them into the mixture.
• Fill a greased, 12 inch, loose-bottomed cake pan with the mixture and smooth the surface.
• Place the pan on the middle shelf of a 375°F/190°C preheated oven. Bake for 45-50 minutes.
• Unmold the baked cake base onto a wire rack, leave to cool, and slice horizontally twice, to make three layers.
• Place the hazelnuts on a baking tray and roast them in a preheated 400°F/ 200°C oven for 8-10 minutes or until the skins burst.
• Place the roasted nuts in a sieve, allow to cool slightly and rub off the skins. Reserve 18 nuts and grind the rest.
• Make the pudding using the powder and milk, following the instructions on the package but omitting the sugar.
• Leave the pudding in the refrigerator to set, stirring occasionally. Cream the butter and gradually mix in the sugar.
• Gradually combine the pudding with the butter and stir until creamy and smooth.
• Spoon a quarter of the butter cream into a piping bag fitted with a star-shaped nozzle.
• Mix the rest of the frosting with the ground almonds. Use the butter cream to sandwich the three cake bases together.
• Decorate the cake with cream rosettes and the whole reserved hazelnuts.