The deep chill of winter has settled in here in Pennsylvania, wrapping January in a relentless, bone-deep cold that made the month feel like an entire year. Dreary gray skies, frosty winds, and that kind of dampness that seeps into your bones when you walk out the door. (In a moment of questionable judgment, I decided to participate in Dry January—what was I thinking? Let’s just say, it did not help.)
Now February has arrived, bringing more of the same—frosty mornings, icy sidewalks, and the occasional dusting of snow, just enough to tease but never quite enough to transform the landscape into something magical.
But this year, I’m determined to embrace winter rather than endure it. Instead of burrowing under blankets until spring, I’ve been bundling up for brisk walks along the towpath just outside our door; meeting friends for quiet midweek chats at cozy local haunts; and unfurling my yoga mat for (way too) early yoga sessions. And ooh – then there’s chocolate—deep, dark, and gloriously rich. Because if anything can chase away the winter blues, it’s chocolate.
With friends coming for a dinner party, I knew exactly how I wanted to end the meal—something luxurious, something indulgent. A flourless chocolate cake, dense and velvety, seemed like the perfect ending. And why not add hazelnuts? One of my favorite pairings with chocolate – like those silky little gianduia chocolates from Italy.
A quick search led me to a recipe from one of my favorite food bloggers Heidi Swanson at 101 Cookbooks – a decadent and dense flourless chocolate cake based on the torta tenerina cake from Italy. With a few tweaks to incorporate hazelnuts, I had exactly what I was looking for. Bingo.
Flourless Chocolate-Hazelnut Cake with Whipped Cream
(Cake recipe slightly adapted from ‘Flourless Chocolate Cake’ recipe from the-always-wonderful 101 Cookbooks)
The recipe itself is delightfully simple – melt the chocolate, then add eggs, sugar, and a fat. I love that Heidi’s version swaps olive oil for the usual butter – making it a tad healthier 😁 and adding a silky texture to the cake. Then it is just a matter of folding in whipped, sweetened egg yolks. Pour it into a pan and bake. No fuss – and so, so satisfying.
What I love most about this cake is the way it transforms as it cools. The top settles into a delicate, crackly crust, while the center remains lusciously dense – like a big chocolate brownie. I added a few tablespoons of finely ground toasted hazelnuts to the batter to get that chocolate-hazelnut flavor I was craving.
And what better way to finish it off than with a cloud of hazelnut-and-chocolate kissed whipped cream? I whipped up some heavy cream with touch of Nutella and powdered sugar and topped the entire cake with it. Lastly, a final dusting of dark cocoa powder and a sprinkling of more toasted hazelnuts brought everything together.
Maybe winter isn’t so bad after all. 😁
Sending a warm hug from our kitchen to yours,
Flourless Chocolate-Hazelnut Cake with Whipped Cream
- Yield: 6-8 1x
Description
This flourless chocolate-hazelnut cake is pure decadence—rich, fudgy, and infused with the deep, toasty essence of hazelnuts. The magic happens when dark chocolate melts into ground hazelnuts, creating a luscious, almost truffle-like texture. And to top it all off? A cloud of lightly sweetened whipped cream, kissed with a hint of chocolate hazelnut, for a truly irresistible finish.
Ingredients
(Slightly adapted ‘Flourless Chocolate Cake’ recipe from the-always-wonderful 101 Cookbooks)
For the cake:
- ½ cup hazelnuts
- 12 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips or chunks, divided
- 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing the pan
- 1 cup sugar, divided
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 5 large eggs, room temperature, separated
For the whipped cream:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons Nutella
To serve: Cocoa powder
Instructions
- Prepare the hazelnuts: If using raw hazelnuts, toast them in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes, or until fragrant. Once cool, rub them in a towel to remove loose skins. Grind finely in a food processor.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a deep 8-inch or 9-inch cake pan with olive oil and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper.
- Place 8 ounces of the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted, being careful not to overheat. Remove from heat.
- Whisk in the olive oil, ½ cup sugar, salt, and 3 tablespoons of ground hazelnuts. Reserve any remaining hazelnuts for sprinkling over the cake before serving.
- Let the mixture cool slightly (so you do not scramble the egg yolks) and when cool to the touch, whisk in the egg yolks. Stir in the remaining chocolate.
- In another large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until foamy. Gradually add the remaining ½ cup of sugar, about 1 large spoonful at a time, while continuing to whip. Continue whipping until the egg whites are glossy and soft peaks form. (see tips below)
- Using a rubber spatula, gently fold about ⅓ of the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mixture to help loosen. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites in 2-3 additions, being careful not to deflate the mixture. Continue folding until almost no streaks remain. (It is ok if a few remain.)
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. For an 8-inch pan, bake for about 40 minutes, or until the center is just set. For a 9-inch pan, bake for about 35 minutes. Let the cake cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then carefully remove it from the pan.
- While the cake is baking, make the whipped cream: In a mixing bowl, beat the cream until it just starts to form very soft peaks. Add the powdered sugar and Nutella. Continue beating, until soft peaks form, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Top the cake with whipped cream. Serve any remaining cream on the side.
- Dust the top of the cake with ground hazelnuts and cocoa powder if desired. Serve with a smile!
Notes
- Tips for beating the egg whites:
- Use room-temperature egg whites for better volume.
- Avoid fat or yolk contamination—even a small amount can prevent whipping.
- Add sugar slowly to avoid deflating the foam.
- Hazelnut substitution: You can substitute the hazelnuts with almonds or walnuts, though the flavor will vary.
- Tips for making the whipped cream:
- Make sure the cream is very cold. Do not remove from the refrigerator before using it. You can also chill the bowl and beaters to ensure everything is cold.
- To make the whipped cream in advance: You can make the whipped cream in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24 hours. When ready to serve, give it a quick whisk by hand or with a mixer to restore its fluffy texture.