This is hands down THE BEST cake I have ever made!
I really wanted to make this because my friend Kiran is limited to what she can eat as she can only eat lactose free, wheat free, gluten free, things. This recipe was free from everything, except maybe the chocolate, but she didn't have an allergic reactions.

The big bonus is that it was so incredibly moist. Usually flourless cakes I've had before have been dry and tend to sink in the middle. This cake didn't sink at all, even on the car ride to our dinner destination! The hazelnut meal is probably the key ingredient in this recipe, balancing out the richness of the chocolate.

This cake is going to be made quite a few times this year, I can feel it now!


Flourless Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

1/3 cup (35g) cocoa powder
1/3 cup (80ml) hot water
150g dark eating chocolate, melted
150g butter, melted
1 1/3 cups (295g) packed brown sugar
1 cup (100g) hazelnut meal
4 eggs, separated
1 tablespoon, cocoa powder, extra

1. Preheat oven to 180°C / 160°C fan-forced. Grease and line a 23cm-round cake pan.

2. Blend cocoa with the water in a large bowl until smooth. Add chocolate, butter, sugar, hazelnut meal and egg yolks, stir until combined.

3. Beat egg whites in a small bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Fold into chocolate mixture in two batches.

4. Pour mixture into pan, bake for about 1 hour. Stand cake in pan for 15 minutes before turning, top-side up, onto wire rack to cool. Dust with sifted extra cocoa.

Serves 8.