1 cup toasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped, plus a few whole for optional garnish
2 tablespoons Frangelico or brandy, optional
Nutella (chocolate-hazelnut spread), optional
Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly butter a 9-inch springform pan, or line
the bottom of a cake pan with a circle of parchment paper.
Combine butter and chocolates in the top of a double boiler. Melt over hot (not
boiling) water. Set chocolate mixture aside to cool slightly.
Separate the eggs, placing the yolks in a medium bowl and the whites in a large
bowl. Add sugar and salt to yolks; whisk to combine. Whisk in melted chocolate.
Sift cake flour over chocolate mixture; whisk to combine. Fold in chopped
hazelnuts and liqueur.
Using beaters or a clean whisk, whip the egg whites to soft peaks. Fold the
whites into the chocolate mixture, combining gently to deflate the whites as
little as possible. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake about 45
minutes, until the cake rises and cracks slightly. Let cake cool (it will fall a
bit), then remove from the pan. Garnish the cake with toasted hazelnuts, or pipe
stars of Nutella around the edge. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
