Festive hazelnut cake

Festive hazelnut cake

• 2½ cups hazelnuts, roasted and skinned, plus more for garnish
• 2 tsp. Baking powder
• 6 large eggs, separated, plus 1 whole egg
• ½ cup honey
• 5 TBSP amaretto or orahovica (walnut liqueur) or use 1-2 tsp. Vanilla extract instead
• whipped cream or coconut yoghurt to serve

INSTRUCTIONS

For the cake:

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees C. Line a 21cm springform pan with baking paper.
2. In a food processor, pulse together the hazelnuts and baking powder until the nuts are very finely ground. Do not over-blend them, or they'll turn into nut-butter. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl whip the egg whites. Once they start to become frothy, gradually add the 2 TBSP honey and continue mixing until they have reached medium-stiff peaks.
4. In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks and whole egg with the remaining honey until pale and fluffy. Add the liquor (or vanilla extract) and ground hazelnut mixture, and stir until fully combined.
5. Carefully fold the egg whites into the hazelnut and egg yolk mixture.
6. Pour into the prepared pan, and place on the central rack of the preheated oven. Bake for about 60 minutes or until the edges of the cake start to pull away from the sides of the pan, and the center of the cake bounces back every so slightly when gently touched.
7. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
8. Decorate cake with coconut yoghurt/whipped cream and roasted hazelnuts.