Torta di nocciole: a cake that smells of roasted hazelnut

The torta di nocciole is on the Italian list of traditional regional food products (PAT) of Piedmont. The nut itself also comes from Piedmont: the Nocciola Piemonte, a hazelnut with a protected geographical indication (IGP), is the Tonda Gentile Trilobata variety, which grows mainly in the hills of the Langhe, Roero and Monferrato. This is our own home version; ordinary hazelnuts work too.

1 cake of 24 cm, 10 slices · Preparation: 30 min · Cooking: 52 min · Resting: 85 min

Times are guidelines; preheat during preparation where possible. Allow extra time to cool food before storing it.

Equipment

Baking sheet, tea towel, food processor or mini chopper, electric mixer, springform tin (24 cm diameter), baking paper and wire rack.

Ingredients

• 230 g shelled, unroasted hazelnuts (skins on)
• 150 g granulated sugar, divided into 50 g and 100 g
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 100 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 50 g plain wheat flour
• 5 g baking powder
• 1 g salt

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 175 °C, conventional (top and bottom heat). Roast the hazelnuts on the baking sheet for 10–12 minutes, until fragrant and lightly coloured. Rub them in a tea towel to remove the loose skins. Leave the oven on and let the nuts cool for at least 15 minutes, until they no longer feel warm: nuts ground while warm quickly turn oily.
2. Roughly chop 30 g hazelnuts for the top. Grind the remaining 200 g with 50 g sugar in short pulses to a fine meal; stop before it becomes a paste. Line the base of the springform tin with baking paper and grease the sides.
3. Whisk the eggs with 100 g sugar using the mixer for 5–6 minutes until pale and thick, falling from the whisk in a ribbon.
4. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt into the ground hazelnuts. Fold this into the egg mixture in two additions, followed by the butter. Work gently so the air stays in.
5. Spoon the batter into the tin, scatter the roughly chopped nuts over the top and bake on the middle shelf for 35–40 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
6. First leave the cake to rest in the tin for 10 minutes. Then remove the ring and leave it to cool on a wire rack for at least another 60 minutes before cutting. So allow a good 70 minutes between oven and knife.

Storage

Store the cooled cake covered in a cool place and eat within 3 days; this is quality advice.

Allergens

Nuts (hazelnut), egg, milk and wheat/gluten.

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