Flourless hazelnut cake. Pure taste and aroma. Naturally a simple recipe. I use untreated hazelnuts, almost wild, truly the few left; between deer that feed on tender sprouts, squirrels and wild boars feasting, what remains we preserve with care; if you want a product of excellent quality, some sacrifices must be made. After all, they need to eat too, certainly if I had to cultivate for income, I would surely need to put nets to preserve the harvest, but not for the squirrels and dormice.
In Langa the hazelnut cake is one of the most appreciated proposals, then there are brutti e buoni and hazelnut lady’s kisses. The economy revolves greatly around this fruit and cultivating hazelnuts becomes a full-fledged enterprise.
Egg whites whipped to stiff peaks, yolks with sugar and then the magic…
For more recipes with this great fruit:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 2 cakes of 8 inches
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups hazelnut flour (toasted)
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 pinch salt
Useful Tools
For all the other tools I use in my kitchen, refer to my shopping recommendations
- Choppers
- Stand Mixers
Steps
First, prepare the hazelnut flour, not too fine. Separate the yolks from the egg whites, add a pinch of salt to the whites, and whip them to stiff peaks.
Meanwhile, beat the yolks with the sugar and cornstarch, then finally fold in the stiff egg whites.
Transfer to a baking pan. I recommend placing a circle of parchment paper. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for about thirty minutes. The cake will almost double in volume.
Wait until it’s cool before cutting.
It keeps for a few days, but since it contains no fat other than the eggs, it will be a bit drier.
Some Extra Tips
Excellent as a dessert, snack, or indulgent break. Ideal to serve with zabaglione sauce, cream ice cream, or hot chocolate.
