Flourless Hazelnut Cake with Chocolate Ganache

Here's one more Passover recipe if you're still hungry for cake! This airy hazelnut cake is totally flour-free, dairy-free, gluten-free. I filled and topped it with a chocolate ganache, which made it completely decadent.This is one dessert you'll be happy to serve year round.

There is nothing that really screams“Passover” about this dessert – no matza meal or potato starch, or even any coconut. There's only four ingredients in the cake, yet it produces a dish that would be at home on any table, especially a gluten-free one. And it can even garner the most precious compliment of all: “this doesn’t even taste like a Passover dessert.”

I chose to slice the cake in half and fill it with a rich chocolate ganache, a perfect pairing for the airy, light cake. It would also work nicely with a simple whipped cream filling, or even just a little dollop on top of every piece.

Recipe:
6 eggs, separated
8 ounces ground hazelnuts
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder

2 cups chocolate ganache (recipe below)

Beat the egg yolks and sugar together until pale yellow. Add in the hazelnuts and baking powder and mix until incorporated.
Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Stir 1/3 of the egg whites in to the hazelnut mixture, then gently fold the remaining egg whites in until completely combined.
Pour the mixture in to a greased 9-inch springform pan* and bake on 325 for 50 to 60 minutes, until the top springs back when lightly pressed.
Let cool completely, slice in half, and fill with half the chocolate ganache mixture. Top with remaining mixture.

Chocolate ganache:
10 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chips or finely chopped
1 cup cream or milk**

Place the chocolate in a glass or metal bowl.
Heat the cream or milk until just boiling. Pour it over the chocolate, and let sit for five minutes. Whisk the mixture gently until it becomes a smooth, silky frosting (this may take several minutes). Let cool to room temperature before using on cake.

*I realize many people will not have a springform pan, for Passover or at all. You can bake it in a regular 9-inch pan, but it may be difficult to remove which means you won’t be able to slice it in half. If you bake it in a different size pan, make sure to adjust the baking time accordingly.