How Delicious is Grain Free Chocolate Hazelnut Cake?

When I first made this cake, I made the all butter version and took it to my church connect group. This is a group of about 30 people that bring lots of delicious food around a theme every two weeks. This was Italian week, and because I’m the food blogger, the pressure is always on. I didn’t know if this nuanced one-layer cake would be popular or not. After a few minutes, I noticed it was gone and people were begging for the recipe. That let me know I needed to share this recipe with you.

Hazelnut flour is expensive and that deterred me for the longest time. I decided to make my own hazelnut flour which was easier than ever

How Do I make Hazelnut Flour?

I didn’t blanch or fret over skins on the hazelnuts like I do when when I make almond flour.  I roasted them first to increase the hazelnut flavor. I then put them in the food processor which resulted in a hazelnut meal that was fine enough for this cake. It’s okay that it’s not as finely ground as the nut flours you can buy, as this only adds to the texture of the cake in a good way.

What kind of chocolate do I use for a chocolate hazelnut cake?

When baking cakes, I like to use a dark Belgium 72% chocolate I get at Trader Joe’s. You can use Lily’s sugar free chocolate for a lower carb count or my favorite sugar free which is Choc Zero dark chocolate chips.  I am not referring to this dessert as a keto dessert, because of the chocolate I prefer to use.

How does hazelnut flour compare to almond flour when baking?

I have baked a lot with almond flour and it seems they bake the same. Almond flour is slightly less expensive, so I wouldn’t choose hazelnut flour for baking unless I specifically wanted that hazelnut flavor as I do in this hazelnut chocolate torte.

Why did I not use baking powder in this chocolate hazelnut cake?

This is not a cake that needs to rise, as the beauty of it is its crumbly texture. However, I experimented with it replacing the butter with avocado oil, which will naturally result is a less dense cake that will rise higher than an all butter cake. You can also replace with an organic extra virgin olive oil.  

Are Hazelnuts Healthy?

Yes. Hazelnuts are healthy.  They are rich source of Omega 3’s, high in magnesium, calcium and vitamins B and E. Hazelnuts aid in muscle, skin, bone, joint and digestive health. They have a high fat content, can go rancid and will stay fresh if refrigerated for up to six months.

How do I Serve this Chocolate Hazelnut Cake?

I love this cake with a sprinkling of confectioner’s sugar ( I use Swerve) and some strawberries. I’m not sure why strawberries go so well with hazelnuts but they do!

You can also serve this with stabilized whipped cream. 

Friends, I’m so honored you come here to enjoy my recipes. I take them very seriously and often make a dessert several times to get it to the point that I feel confident you can repeat it.

Please visit me on Instagram where you can see most of my recipes being developed.

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Chocolate Hazelnut Flourless Cake

Chocolate and Hazelnut Flour Cake

Course Dessert

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 5 eggs separated
• 8 ounces melted chocolate
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup Swerve powdered erythritol
• 1 cup of unsalted butter see notes
• 2 cups hazelnut flour
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Tools Used in this Recipe

• 9 inch cake pan
• Kitchen Aid Mixeror Hand Mixer
• Parchment Rounds

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Prepare one 9 inch pan with baking spray or butter.
• Separate Eggs. Make sure you do each egg in an individual bowl. Break egg into bowl. Lift out yolk. Save in separate bowl. Pour this egg white into the bowl you’ll be mixing. Do this with each egg white just in case one of the yolks breaks.
• Beat until soft peaks form and the egg whites resemble marshmallow cream.
• In meantime, melt chocolate by placing stainless steel bowl over a saucepan that has two inches water at a simmer.
• Once egg whites are mixed, transfer to a bowl. Clean mixer.
• Mix hazelnut flour, coconut flour, salt in mixing bowl. Set aside.
• Cream butter and swerve (or sugar) in mixer until smooth.
• Add egg yolks and mix well.
• Add melted chocolate.
• Add vanilla.
• Add in dry ingredients.
• Fold in egg whites.
• Use an offset spatula to smooth out batter.
• Bake in center of oven for 30 minutes. Test cake with cake tester. It should come out clean.
• Cool completely before cutting.

The post Grain Free Chocolate Hazelnut cake (Gluten Free) appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Did you ever get into something late in the game like a television show in its last season?

I’m a big Monk fan, but way behind the trends, I only became a fan during the second to the last season. Then over the next year or so, I caught up and watched all the episodes.   While I enjoyed the obsessive compulsive Mr. Monk, I didn’t have to live with him, and could just enjoy the brilliance in the way he saw what others didn’t see, noticed the little nuances, and always solved the murder. He never missed anything, and at the end of the show left viewers satisfied.

Caught behind the trends is exactly how I feel about this roasted salad. I am known in my circles as the salad queen, so how did I not know people were roasting salads. Sure, I knew they were roasting radicchio and sometimes romaine lettuce, but a spring mix?

I did not know.  And, just like binge watching my favorite shows, I am now obsessed with this salad, making different versions of it over and over. I’m also paying attention to the nuances.

There are up 14 different greens in a bag of spring mix, which is usually made up of baby lettuces and baby greens. When roasted together, it works like a salad orchestra that has practiced well.

I was hoping for better pictures, but I’ve been battling a bout of pneumonia and not much energy to cook. This is one of the few things I’ve prepared so far this year. When I first saw the idea in Food and Wine Magazine, it was the picture that captured me. The cheese had melted just right over the lettuce and I became intrigued.

Use as much or as little of the cheese when you make this, but do use a good Pecorino Romano. It the right mix of saltiness for the greens.

I used to think spring mix was boring, but roast it up and you can actually taste and appreciate each of the different lettuces in the mix.By the way did you ever wonder what all the lettuces are? For the first time, I took a look at the bag.

In a typical bag, you might find:

Baby Lettuces: Lollo Rosa, Tango, Red and Green Oak, Red and Green Romaine, Red Leaf Parella,

Baby Greens: Tatsoi, Mizuna, Red and Green Chard, Frisee, Baby Spinach, Radicchio.

This is an amazing mix of greens, something before this post I never paid much attention to.

It’s obvious that spring mix is nutrient packed, because each type offers its own special benefit. The only advice I might offer is to buy organic when you can if you are buying spring mix, but most importantly, buy it fresh. Look for moisture in the bag, which you don’t want. Examine the mix thoroughly, buy it only a day in advance if not the day you’re making it.

I first saw this salad in Food and Wine Magazine and I adapted it to my liking, but it was all their idea. I’ve made it for two separate sets of friends and they all loved it. It was on our Christmas Eve table with pomegranates. It was a brunch with poached eggs another day.

A few ways I’ve enjoyed this salad:

Topping with a perfectly poached egg or two.

Topping with pink grapefruit. Roast the grapefruit with the lettuce, brushing balsamic vinegar on it first. This idea worked out amazingly with the juiciness of the grapefruit with the crunchiness of the nuts.

Topping with cooked bacon, or better yet some crispy pancetta. Add the grapefruit to this idea and it’s double good.

Varying the nuts: Toasted almonds or pinenuts.

Adding dried fruit, especially dried cherries if you have access to them.

So tell me, have you ever roasted a salad before?

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Roasted Salad of Spring Greens, Hazelnuts, Pecorino

Adapted from Food and Wine Magazine, roasted spring mix comes alive with hazelnuts, and melted pecorino cheese.

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Author Angela Roberts, adapted from Food and Wine Magazine

Ingredients

• 1 bag of fresh spring mix about 6 cups
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• 1 -2 ounces pecorino romano cheese
• 10 hazelnuts toasted, chopped
• drizzle of good balsamic vinegar
• Sea Salt
• Black pepper
• pomegranate arils optional

Instructions

• Mix olive oil into the greens with your hands. You will find you need very little when you do this. Toss with vinegar, salt pepper.
• Arrange on shallow baking dish. Place thin slices of pecorino cheese and chopped hazelnuts as much or as little as you like.
• Roast for 5-6 minutes at 400 degrees.

The post Roasted Salad of Spring Greens, Hazelnuts, Pecorino appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

This is all dressed up food crack. One bite and you’re hooked, because it’s a food experience that wakes up your senses and brings a lot of satisfying texture. Anchovies, crushed red pepper, garlic, capers, kalamata olives and Italian parsley come together to create a spicy, sultry, fabulous dish.

While Ahi Tuna is usually prepared with Asian flavors, Ahi works very well with a Mediterranean profile because it’s mild of flavor,  yet meaty, bringing an incredible texture and balance to bigger, bolder flavors.  It has a lot of heat, salt, and acid. The anchovy sauce by itself could be a bit overwhelming, but put it with pasta and back it up with a hazelnut crusted Ahi Tuna and everything balances out just wonderfully.

Once prepped, you can literally make this dish in under 15 minutes, but this is not fast food.  This is dinner party food.  This is a dish your friends will talk about and come back for more.

I’ve been meaning to make this dish that’s been in my head for over four years, but it took All-Clad to make it happen. When I agreed to create a recipe in exchange for receiving a 10 inch frying pan,  I knew it was time.  It  takes this kind of pan to make the dish and it takes this kind of  dish to show off this pan.

Why All Clad

Part of the joy of writing a blog is to inspire people back into the kitchen. I am serious about my cookware.  I had already been a huge fan of All-Clad and for good reason. I have the 12 inch frying pan and it’s the secret to my perfectly seared golden scallops.  My good fortune is that the ten inch pan had already been on my wish list, so I was not agreeing to accept something I wasn’t willing to purchase.

Before I talk recipe, I want to tell you why an All-Clad pan is a must in every kitchen. Made in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania with American steel, All-Clad is crafted to conduct heat evenly with no hot spots.  Even at a low temperature, you can sear scallops to golden perfection or prepare a piece of Ahi Tuna in two minutes. It will be your go to pan for a quick sauté a toasting of nuts, caramelizing onions, making a wine reduction, finishing a pasta dish, or searing a steak and putting it into the oven to finish. This pan will most likely be the hardest worker in your kitchen, as long as you know how to cook with it. Many cooks think that to get that beautiful sear, you have to turn the heat up high, splash hot oil all over your kitchen and set off the smoke alarms. Not so with All-Clad.

How to Cook with All Clad Frying Pans

All-Clad suggests preheating a pan on low to medium heat for one to two minutes and testing the upper edge heat of the pan. If it is to hot, remove for a few minutes to cool down. In a moderately hot pan, pour in 2 to 3 teaspoons of cold oil, just enough to cover the pan.  You want to hear a sizzle, not a crackle. The food should temporarily stick to the pan and needs to be left alone until it is ready to turn easily. The sugars in the food are caramelizing and the food will lift when you have a nice sear. When finished cooking, allow the pan to cool before immersing in water. Keep your pan looking brand new by using Bar Keeper’s Friend. However, your pan will not need a lot of maintenance if you stick with low to medium low heat.

Making the Dish

I put this recipe together with the idea of showing the versatility of the pan. I was able to toast the bread cubes, sear the tuna, make the olive anchovy sauce and finish the pasta dish all in the ten inch pan, and I made enough for four people to eat a medium sized portion.

First I made the bread crumbs by melting a little butter into the pan and cutting bread into very small cubes. If you use panko bread crumbs as an option, you can toast the crumbs in under a minute.

Next I made the tuna, first by turning the pan on medium low, and allowing it to heat before I put in the olive oil as suggested by All-clad. Once the tuna was made, and set aside, I used the pan to make the olive anchovy sauce, by melting in the anchovies, adding the crushed red pepper, parsley, chopped olives and capers, and garlic. The best part is the finish. Once the pasta is almost finished, it is drained (never rinsed) and tossed in the sauce to finish cooking, while maintaining a low heat.

Cooking Notes

• You could make the pasta without the tuna or you could substitute the tuna with seared scallops. But, this is truly an exciting and fresh way to incorporate a piece of Ahi Tuna into a dish.
• I used homemade breadcrumbs. You could substitute toasted panko bread crumbs, but be sure to toast them first (using this pan).
• I made a homemade pasta, but linguini or spaghetti would also be good choices.

Note: All-Clad provided this pan for this post.

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Ahi Tuna with Tagliatelle in an Olive and Anchovy Sauce

An Italian take on Ahi Tuna, with a spicy kalamata olive and anchovy sauce, homemade bread crumbs.

Servings 4

Ingredients

• BREADCRUMBS
• 2 pieces stale bread
• 2 teaspoons butter
• AHI TUNA
• 1/4 cup crushed hazelnuts
• 1 pound Ahi Tuna
• finely ground sea salt freshly ground black pepper
• OLIVE ANCHOVY SAUCE
• 1/3 cup olive oil plus 1 tablespoon for cooking fish
• 3 anchovies rinsed, patted dry
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon crushed red chili pepper
• 6 kalamata olives seeded, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon capers
• 4 tablespoons Italian parsley finely chopped, divided saving 1 tablespoon for garnish
• 1/2 pound pasta see note for recommendations
• 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

Instructions

• I used a 10 inch all-clad frying pan for breadcrumbs, tuna and sauce, cleaning each time in between.
• BREADCRUMBS
• Cut bread into small cubes. Heat pan on low. Add butter, and when melted, add in bread cubes and pan fry until golden brown. Set aside.
• AHI TUNA
• Brush tuna with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, and pack on hazelnuts on top and bottom of tuna.
• Heat 10 inch frying pan on medium low heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When oil is hot, add Ahi Tuna and sear one minute on each side. Set aside.
• Cook Pasta: Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to directions, short of 1 minute. Drain.
• OLIVE ANCHOVY SAUCE
• Heat 10 inch frying pan. Add 1/3 cup olive oil. When oil is hot, add anchovies and break up with wooden spoon, until they melt into the oil.
• Add in crushed pepper, capers, kalamata olives. Cook for one minute. Add in garlic, parsley. Add tuna to pan and turn over once just to get the flavors. Remove tuna to a platter.
• Add drained pasta to olive oil anchovy sauce and finish cooking on low heat for a minute until pasta is cooked.
• Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
• Put pasta on a serving platter. Toss with 1/2 cup of bread crumbs, crumbling some of the cubes with your hands. Top with tuna.
• Sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately.

Notes

For the pasta, you can use linguini, tagliatelle or a thick spaghetti. This will serve 4 medium portions or 2 large portions.

The post Hazelnut Crusted Ahi Tuna with Tagliatelle in Olive Anchovy Sauce appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Chocolate and hazelnut naturally go together. But, adding in crispy prosciutto takes it up several notches. Seriously, you have the chocolate, the crunchy, the nutty, and the salty all baked together and topped with hazelnut cream. What could be better?

Bookmark this and serve it to holiday guests. They will talk about it for a long time.

This is very moist just the way a bread pudding ought to be and very easy to make. The whipped cream turns this into a special dessert. I like the idea of individual sized cups as this makes it easy to feed a crowd.

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Chocolate Hazelnut Bread Pudding Cupcakes with Crispy Prosciutto

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 4 cups of nature’s pride country white bread cubes set out overnight
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 6 ounces nutella
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract the better quality, the better flavor
• 4 egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/3 chopped toasted hazelnuts reserving enough to garnish
• 4 slices crispy prosciutto see below crumbled for topping and for recipe. If you are only using for topping, use less.

Hazelnut Cream for Topping

• 1 teaspoon hazelnut syrup
• 1 cup heavy cream

Instructions

• Set bread cubes aside in mixing bowl.
• Toast hazelnuts for 5 minutes at 375.
• Crisp prosciutto for 10 minutes at 375.
• Continually whisking, heat heavy cream, milk, and cocoa on stove to boiling.
• Turn off heat, add nutella, whisk until fully incorporated.
• Beat egg yolk with sugar.
• Whisk chocolate mixture into egg mixture, slowly.
• Add in half of the chopped nuts.
• Option: You can also add in crispy prosciutto (very fine pieces). Prosciutto can be of a different size, so you can be judge on how much to make.
• Wrap in plastic for one hour.
• Spoon into baking cups. Bake at 350 for 21 to 25 minutes.
• Sprinkle with chopped hazelnuts and crumbled crispy prosciutto.
• Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

The post Chocolate Hazelnut Bread Pudding with Crispy Prosciutto appeared first on Spinach Tiger.