Torta di Nocciole delle Langhe

Name: Torta di Nocciole delle Langhe
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Piemontese
Ingredients: 250 g nocciola tonda gentile delle langhe (toasted piedmont hazelnuts); 4 whole Eggs; 180 g caster sugar; 10 g Unsalted butter; 1 pinch Fine sea salt; 3 whole Egg yolks; 45 g caster sugar; 60 ml moscato d'asti

A fragrant, moist Piedmontese flourless hazelnut cake made with toasted Langhe hazelnuts, traditionally served with a spoonful of warm zabaglione.

🇮🇹Italy· Piedmont

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 35 min
Total: 60 min
Servings: 8
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 480 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 8 gathered

Servings

250 g nocciola tonda gentile delle langhe (toasted piedmont hazelnuts) — skins removed, finely ground
4 whole Eggs — separated, at room temperature
180 g caster sugar — divided into two equal portions
10 g Unsalted butter — melted, for greasing the tin
1 pinch Fine sea salt — for whipping egg whites
3 whole Egg yolks — for the zabaglione
45 g caster sugar — for the zabaglione
60 ml moscato d'asti — sweet sparkling Piedmontese wine, for the zabaglione

Equipment

•22cm springform cake tin
•Baking parchment
•Electric hand mixer
•Food processor
•Heatproof bowl
•Balloon whisk

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 480 kcal
fat: 33 g
carbs: 36 g
fibre: 4 g
protein: 11 g
calories: 480 kcal

Instructions

1
Preheat your oven to 175 degrees C.
2
Grease a 22cm springform tin with melted butter and line the base with baking parchment.
3
Grind the toasted hazelnuts with half the sugar in short pulses until fine and sandy.
4
Whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until pale, thick, and doubled in volume.
5
Fold the ground hazelnut mixture gently into the whipped yolks using a spatula.
6
Whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff, glossy peaks form.
7
Fold one third of the whites into the batter to loosen, then gently fold in the rest.
8
Transfer the batter to the tin and bake for 35 minutes until golden and firm.
9
Cool the cake in the tin for 10 minutes, then release onto a wire rack.
10
Whisk the extra yolks, sugar, and Moscato in a heatproof bowl over simmering water until thick and frothy.
11
Slice the hazelnut cake and serve immediately with generous spoonfuls of warm zabaglione.

Chef's tips

Pulse the hazelnuts in short bursts to avoid turning them into oily paste. Use room temperature eggs for maximum volume when whipping both whites and yolks. Serve the zabaglione straight after whisking before it loses its airy structure.

Ingredient substitutions

Nocciola Tonda Gentile delle Langhe → high-quality roasted blanched hazelnuts
Moscato d'Asti → dry Marsala or Vin Santo

Storage

Store the cooled cake wrapped in foil or under a cake dome at room temperature for up to four days; make the zabaglione fresh.

Reheating

Warm individual slices in an oven preheated to 150 degrees C for five minutes if desired.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Over-processing the hazelnuts until they release too much oil and turn into paste.
•Deflating the whipped egg whites by folding them too vigorously into the nut base.
•Allowing the water beneath the zabaglione bowl to boil rapidly, which curdles the yolks.

Serving suggestions

Serve warm slices alongside a cup of freshly brewed espresso.Spoon warm Moscato zabaglione directly beside each slice on dessert plates.Pair with a chilled glass of sweet Moscato d'Asti DOCG.