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CHOCOLATE, HAZELNUT AND RICOTTA CAKE
Unsalted butter for the tin
250 g shelled hazelnuts, toasted
225 g unsalted butter, softened
250 g caster sugar
8 eggs separated
250 g ricotta
Finely grated zest of 5 lemons
65 g plain flour
150 g dark chocolate, grated
1
Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas4; butter a 30cm round cake tin that is 5cm deep and line the base with greaseproof paper
2
Coarsely chop the nuts in a food processor
3
Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and light; add the egg yolks, one by one, beating well
4
In a separate bowl, beat the ricotta lightly with a fork; add the lemon zest and the chopped nuts
5
In a third bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks
6
Fold the egg yolk and butter mixture into the ricotta; sift in the flour and fold it in
7
Finally fold in the whisked egg whites; spoon into the prepared tin and bake for 35 minutes or until set
8
Remove the cake from the tin to a plate and leave for 5 minutes then, while it is still warm, cover with the grated chocolate, which will immediately melt