PISCEAN DINNER PARTY: TEA AND COFFEE WITH HAZELNUT CAKE WITH A CHOCOLATE BUTTER CREAM

Both of our Pisces' friends favourite flavours are - you guessed it! - coffee, hazelnut and chocolate. 

This is the cake I enjoyed tasting when we ex-Presidents and voluntary members were invited to the launch of the 25th Anniversary of Food Of Orange District (F.O.O.D.). 

On a side note: The 25th Anniversary of Food of Orange District runs from Friday 8th to Sunday 17th April and you would be well-advised and wise to attend if you can.

Also, in honour of F.O.O.D 's 25th Anniversary Week, Bloodwood Wines is offering preview tastings of the 2013 Pinot Noir (95/100). 

But back to important things: this cake was absolutely fabulous: moist, light, hazelnutty and very more-ish, and, most importantly, made almost totally out of local ingredients. 

http://orangefoodweek.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Hazelnut-Olive-oil-and-Fig-cake-with-Salted-Caramel.pdf

What follows is slightly adapted from Sophie Hansen's excellent recipe (http://local-lovely.com/)  ~ and it's easy!

INGREDIENTS:

  • 3 cups (300g) hazelnut meal
  • 1 cup (220g) caster sugar
  • 5 large eggs at room temperature
  • 150mls light (not peppery) olive oil
  • 1t vanilla paste
  • 1t baking powder
  • 1T instant coffee dissolved in 1 T boiling water
  • Pinch salt

METHOD:

Cook time 35-40 mins.

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C and grease and line a 24cm cake tin.

Whisk 5 eggs until light and frothy. Whisk in the sugar slowly until dissolved. Fold in ground hazelnuts, vanilla, baking powder and coffee mix (here you can substitute cocoa too for another variation), then mix in the olive oil. 

Pour cake mixture into the cake tin, smooth the top and bake for 35-40 mins, or until the cake's centre is springy to touch and it's just coming away from the sides.

Let cool in the tin for five minutes then turn out to a rack to cool completely.

SHORTCUTS:

You don't even have to whisk the eggs etc. -  just combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.

CHOCOLATE BUTTER CREAM FROSTING:

Because of the fineness of the cake, I made a melted chocolate icing with egg yolks and hot syrup, which is time consuming and doesn't handle the heat too well.

Use your favourite recipe here and shortcut versions are fine. 

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