Hazelnut Torte

(Photo credit: Chava)

Another classic recipe, and a favorite of many.  This recipe isn't too sweet and has plenty of protein. 

Hazelnut Torte

Serves 8-12

2 1/2 cup hazelnuts

1 slice bread

8 eggs, separated

1/2 cup sugar plus 1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Frosting

2 cup heavy whipping cream

Powdered sugar

Raspberry jam

Preheat oven 300 degrees.  Prepare three 9 inch round cake pans: grease lightly with butter and dust with flour; cut out rounds of parchment paper to fit the bottom of the pans.  (The parchment may not be necessary depending on your pan).  

Pour the hazelnuts onto a baking sheet with raised edges.  Roast hazelnuts in the oven until the skins begin to loosen.  Remove from oven, cool to touch and rub between your hands to remove as much skin as possible.  Set aside 13 nuts for decoration.  Grind the hazelnuts in a food processor.  Set aside 1/2 cup of the ground nuts for decoration.  Transfer remaining hazelnuts to a bowl.  Grind the slice of bread in a food processor and transfer to the bowl of hazelnuts.  Add the egg yolks, 1/2 cup sugar and vanilla to the bowl.  In a separate bowl add the egg whites and beat until soft peaks form.  Gradually add the other 1/2 cup sugar to the egg whites and continue beating until stiff peaks form.  Fold the egg whites into the hazelnut mixture.  Divide the batter between the three prepared cake pans.  Bake 20 minutes at 300 degrees.  Cool and remove from pans.

To finish beat the whipping cream and add powdered sugar to taste.  It should be stiff enough to spread, but not so stiff that it is lumpy.  Place a layer of cake down on your serving platter and spread the cake with a generous layer of raspberry jam.  Spread a layer of whipping cream.  Repeat with the other two layers of cake--spreading first with jam, then whipping cream.  Frost the top and the sides of the cake with whipping cream.  Pat the reserved ground nuts around the sides of the cake--it should stick to the whipping cream.  Decorate the top with edible flowers and the 13 reserved whole hazelnuts.  Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.