Iced Hazelnut Chocolate Cake Recipe

150 g/5 oz/1¼ cups hazelnuts, skinned

225 g/8 oz/ 1 cup granulated sugar

15 ml/1 tablespoon instant coffee powder

60 ml/4 tablespoons water

175 g/6 oz/1½ cups plain (semi-sweet) chocolate, broken up

5 ml/1 teaspoon almond essence (extract)

100 g/4 oz/½ cup butter or margarine, softened

8 eggs, separated

45 ml/3 tablespoons digestive biscuit (Graham cracker) crumbs

For the icing (frosting):

175 g/6 oz/1½ cups plain (semi-sweet) chocolate, broken up

60 ml/4 tablespoons water

15 ml/1 tablespoon instant coffee powder

225 g/8 oz/1 cup butter or margarine, softened

3 egg yolks

175 g/6 oz/1 cup icing (confectioners') sugar

Grated chocolate to decorate (optional)

Method:

Toast the hazelnuts in a dry pan until lightly browned, shaking the pan occasionally, then grind until fairly fine. Set aside 45 g/3 tablespoons for the icing. Dissolve the sugar and coffee in the water over a low heat, stirring for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate and almond essence. Stir until melted and smooth, then leave to cool slightly.

Cream together the butter or margarine until light and fluffy, then gradually beat in the egg yolks. Stir in the hazelnuts and biscuit crumbs. Beat the egg whites until stiff, then fold them into the mixture. Spoon into two greased and lined 23 cm/9 in cake tins (pans) and bake in a preheated oven at 180ºC/350ºF/gas mark 4 for 25 minutes until the cake begins to shrink away from the sides of the tin and feels springy to the touch.

To make the icing, melt the chocolate, water and coffee over a low heat, stirring until smooth. Leave to cool. Cream the butter or margarine until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the egg yolks, then the chocolate mixture. Beat in the icing sugar. Chill until of a spreadable consistency.

Sandwich the cakes together with half the icing, then spread half the remainder round the sides of the cake and press the reserved hazelnuts round the sides. Cover the top of the cake with a thin layer of icing and pipe rosettes of icing round the edge. Decorate with grated chocolate, if liked.