Chocolate Nut Cake with Cheese Cream

Ingredients

• 50 g spelt flour type 1050
• 1 tsp Baking powder
• 30 g Ground Almonds
• 50 g ground hazelnuts
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder (14 g)
• 1 organic orange zest
• 5 eggs (size M)
• 80 g raw cane sugar
• Salt
• 200 g Cream cheese (13% fat)
• 40 g powdered sugar (from raw cane sugar)
• 1 tsp vanilla powder
• 300 ml whipping cream
• 50 g chopped roasted hazelnut kernels
• 100 g dark chocolate couverture
• 100 g milk chocolate couverture

Instructions

1. 1.

   Sift the flour, then mix with baking powder, ground almonds, hazelnuts and cocoa powder. Rinse the orange hot, dry it and finely grate its zest.

2. 2.

   Separate the eggs. Beat the yolks with half of the sugar using a hand mixer until frothy. Whisk the whites with salt into stiff peaks, gradually adding the remaining sugar until the meringue is firm and creamy. Fold the meringue into the yolk mixture with a spoon. Gently fold in the dry ingredients and orange zest. Line a springform pan with parchment paper. Pour the batter, smooth the top and bake on the middle rack at 180 °C (160 °C fan; gas: level 2–3) for 25–30 minutes.

3. 3.

   About two minutes before baking ends, test the cake by inserting a wooden stick into the center. If crumbs cling to the stick, leave it in the oven. When the stick comes out clean, the sponge is done. Remove from the oven, let cool slightly, then carefully lift it from the pan with a thin knife, transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely for about two hours.

4. 4.

   For the cream, blend cream cheese with powdered sugar and vanilla powder until smooth. Whip the cream stiff and fold into the cheese mixture. Gently fold in chopped hazelnuts.

5. 5.

   Cut the sponge horizontally into four layers of equal thickness. Spread one-quarter of the cream on each of the lower four layers, stack them together, and close with the lid. Place the cake on a serving plate.

6. 6.

   Chop the chocolate couverture and melt it over a hot water bath. Let it cool slightly, then pour over the cake and spread evenly. Garnish with chocolate-nut sprinkles if desired and let set. Chill until ready to serve.