This silky smooth Flourless Chocolate Torte is rich and chocolatey with a little nuttiness from hazelnuts and just a hint of brightness from lemon zest! A luscious ganache on top makes it truly decadent.
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a 10” round cake pan with parchment paper, spray with nonstick cooking spray, and coat with cornstarch. Tap out excess cornstarch.
Zest the lemon into approximately half the sugar.
Melt chocolate, butter, cocoa powder, and salt in a bowl placed over a simmering pot of water and stir occasionally until melted. Make sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Cool slightly.
In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites to stiff peaks. Remove from the mixer and set aside.
In a stand mixer, whip the yolks and lemon-infused sugar until considerably lightened. You’ll want them to triple in volume! With the mixer running, add in the chocolate mixture in a steady stream and beat until combined. Add the remaining sugar, hazelnut flour, and extract, and beat until incorporated.
Fold in the egg whites and distribute evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake at 325°F for 30-35 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
Cool in the pan before unmolding. Unmold by running a small offset spatula around the sides of the pan and then turning it over on a cutting board or wire rack. Remove the parchment from the bottom and then place on the desired plate or cake stand.
Make the ganache and assemble:
Combine chocolate, corn syrup and salt in a heatproof bowl.
In a saucepan, heat cream to a gentle boil and pour over chocolate. Allow to sit for 2 minutes before whisking to emulsify into a glossy ganache. Whisk in Frangelico.
Pour the ganache on the center of the cake, spread with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon, and refrigerate to set.
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Notes
Yield - 8-inch or 10-inch round cakeTechnique - When you make it to the step of folding your whipped egg whites into a thick batter, put just a small amount of whites first. This is called ‘sacrificing’ and helps to maintain the stability of the overall mixture.Variations - You can substitute the Frangelico with Grand Marnier, Amaretto, bourbon or vanilla extract, or you can omit it completely..Storage - Store baked cake well-wrapped in plastic wrap or an air-tight container. This cake will keep 3 days at room temperature, a week in the refrigerator or 2 months in the freezer. Thaw uncovered in the fridge.