FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE, HAZELNUT AND BUTTERMILK CAKE

SERVES 8-10

PREP + COOK TIME: 55 MIN (PLUS COOLING)

• 170g hazelnuts

• 280g dark chocolate (66-70% cocoa solids), coarsely chopped

• 100g butter, coarsely chopped

• 100ml well-shaken buttermilk at room temperature

• 2 tbsp Dutch process cocoa, sieved, plus extra for dusting

• 6 eggs, separated

• 150g caster sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C; butter a 22cm diameter cake tin and line with baking paper.

2. Roast the nuts on an oven tray until golden (5-8 minutes). While warm, tip into a tea towel and rub to remove the skins; finely chop.

3. Melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from the heat, and stir in the buttermilk, cocoa and egg yolks.

4. Whisk the egg whites until frothy using an electric mixer. While whisking, gradually add the sugar and whisk until glossy peaks form. Fold in the chocolate mixture in batches along with the hazelnuts. Pour into the tin; bake until the cake rises and cracks at the top (25-30 minutes). Cool in the tin, gently pressing on top as it cools so it falls back evenly. Remove from the tin, dust with cocoa and serve. The cake will keep for 2-3 days stored at room temperature in an airtight container.