Torta di Nocciole

One of the traditional desserts you encounter in Piemonte, is the hazelnut cake. I personally prefer Panna Cotta, but I decided to try my hand at the Torta di Nocciole!

Here’s what you need:

1 1/4 cup of sugar
1 1/2 cup of hazelnuts (pealed)
4 large egg yolks
4 large eggwhites

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F or 180 C
2. Combine the hazelnuts and 1/4 cup of sugar in a blender. Blend until all the hazelnuts are ground up
3. In a bowl, add the egg whites and 1/4 cup of sugar. Beat on high speed until the egg whites are glossy and firm.
4. In another bowl, beat the egg yolks and the remaining sugar until pale yellow in color. The batter should also be quite thick.  Make sure to scrape of the sides while mixing.
5. Add the hazelnuts to the egg yolks. Combine until a firm mass has formed. Add about 1/4 of the egg whites to the batter, mixing it carefully in with the spatula. Continue this process, adding the egg whites a little at the time, gently working the two together.
6. When all egg whites have been added, and all the streaks of white has disappeared, add the batter to the pan.
7. Bake for 20 minutes. To check if the cake is done, gently press on the middle. If it is golden brown and firm, you are good to go!