The Cake That Makes People Think You Went to Pastry School
You didn’t train in a fancy kitchen. You have a typical set-up, a typical oven and a sink that somehow fills up as soon as you attempt anything beyond a Ghirardelli brownie mix. (No judgment, these are fire!)
However, you want to create something yourself- something you can feel proud of. Deeply chocolatey, rich, and intense. The type of dessert which seems to be made in a dimly lit restaurant with linen napkins.
This is that cake. Five ingredients. Approximately 20 minutes of actual work. And, with the clean-as-you-go rhythm, it is incorporated in the steps, you will have a clean kitchen and a cake already in the fridge.
Dirty dishes ruin every ambitious recipe. Not this one.
Why skip the flour?
Flour provides body; however, it kills the taste. Omitting it, you are left with basically a baked ganache. Chocolate without watering down. The texture is almost a silky truffle and just slightly more dense than a brownie.
It is also naturally gluten-free, and thus you can take it anywhere without it feeling like a “special diet” option. It is simply a fantastic cake.
The hazelnut twist
The majority of flourless chocolate cakes are based on sugar. This one replaces sugar with hazelnut syrup, and this one change does two jobs. Of course, it sweetens, but it also adds a slight, nutty richness to make the chocolate taste deeper and more layered, but without any additional steps.
I tend to use Torani since it is dependable and readily available. But if you are in favor of some other brand, use it. Feel like being adventurous with another flavor of syrup? That will also work fine.
The one technique worth knowing
This cake is baked in a water bath; your 8-inch pan is placed in a larger pan with a lot of hot water. It is not as complex as it sounds. The easiest way: do it directly on the oven rack. Pull the rack out a bit, place the pans, then pour in the water.
No fumbling, juggling in the kitchen. No spills. Simple, flatten, and bake, that is sure to come out just right with a nice fudgy texture.
On cleaning as you go
This is the true reason why baking is so daunting: it is not the recipe, it is the clean-up. When a person claims to not like cooking, in most cases, they simply don’t like seeing the sink after it. And honestly, fair. All you have to do is ask my husband about my “soaking dishes” habit.
This recipe doesn’t require too many dishes. Also taking minuscule resets here and there, will allow you to keep things in check so you are not faced with a dish crisis at the end of it.
The biggest one: wash your chocolate bowl when it is still hot. Chocolate melts quickly off a hot surface. Allow it to settle, and in no time, its stuck to the bowl. Hot bowl, ten seconds. Cold bowl, 10 minutes.
Thirty seconds of tidying now turns into ten minutes of scrubbing later.
Make it the night before
This cake needs at least six hours in the fridge, and overnight is even better. The texture becomes tighter, and the flavor is enriched.
Making it one of the best make-ahead desserts of all time. Prepare it the previous night, sleep and wake up the following day with a cake that feels like it was prepared in the finest restaurant.
Equipment You’ll Need:
8″ round cake pan
Larger pan (12″ +)
For the water bath
Parchment Paper
Dark Chocolate
I recommend Belgian chocolate. Trader Joe’s has their “pound plus” that works great or Tony’s Chocolate bars work too!
Chocolate Hazelnut Flourless Cake
Ingredients
- 18 oz chocolate 50% or higher
- ● 1 cup butter
- ● 6 eggs
- ● ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ● 1½ cups hazelnut syrup e.g., Torani
- ● Roasted hazelnuts for garnish
Instructions
Preheat
- Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Prepare an 8-inch round cake pan, grease it, and cover it with a piece of parchment paper cut into a circle with "handles" to be easily removed.
Melt the chocolate
- Add the melted chocolate to the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
Add butter
- Cut butter into 1-tablespoon pieces. Beat one piece of butter at a time into the chocolate until well mixed.
Mix in syrup and eggs
- Add hazelnut syrup and combine. Add eggs gradually, one at a time, making sure that each is fully mixed before another is added.
Prepare the water bath
- Put the 8” cake pan into a bigger pan (12 inch +). Pour batter into the 8"pan. Pour the boiling water carefully into the bigger pan to form a water bath. (Tip: Place on the oven rack to prevent spillage.)
Bake
- Bake for 45 minutes. Allow the cake to cool in the pan. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
Serve
- Take out the cake using the parchment handles. Serve with hazelnuts, whipped cream, ice cream or fresh fruits.
The Kind of Dessert You’ll Come Back to Again and Again
This is one of those recipes that find their way into your favourites. The one you call upon when you want something good, striking, and without effort, all at the same time. No second-guessing, no pressure, all you need is a cake that works every single time.
Being full without being blatant, plain without being dull, and graceful without any particular talent, it is all. It can serve your visitors or you alone after a hectic day at work, and it suits the occasion without requiring much effort on your part.
And that perhaps is the best part. You do not need any special event, a full-fledged kitchen or a couple of hours of free time. You only need a handful of ingredients, one bowl, and a bit of goodwill, and you are left with something that feels truly special.
Want this in your weekly plan?
Your sweet tooth is already covered. No more craving something sweet and having nothing on hand.
