Tasty and Easy Recipes

Ingredients:
Cake:
6 ounces (180g) semisweet chocolate
3/4 cup (180g) granulated sugar
3/4 cup (180g) butter or margarine
6 eggs, separated
2-1/2 cups (180g) toasted hazelnuts, ground (see below)

Decoration:
2 tbsp. apricot glaze (see below)
3-1/2 ounces (100g) semisweet chocolate
1 tbsp. butter or margarine
2 tbsp. water
Hazelnuts, chopped and toasted

Method:
Melt the chocolate and let cool. Beat all but 3 tablespoons sugar with the butter until pale and fluffy. Mix in the egg yolks and chocolate.
In another bowl, whisk the egg whites into soft peaks. Whisk in the reserved sugar. Stir 2 spoonfuls into the main mixture. Gently fold in the nuts and remaining egg whites.
Pour the mixture into the prepared 9″ springform cake pan, which has been greased and lined, and bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack and peel off the lining paper.

Make Decoration:
Brush the top of the cake with the apricot glaze and let cool.
Melt the chocolate with the butter and water. Pour onto the cake and spread over the top and sides. Sprinkle with the chopped nuts and let set.

Make Toasted Hazelnuts:
Toast on a baking sheet at 350°F until lightly browned and with flaking skins. Pour the hot nuts onto a cloth. Fold the cloth over them and rub gently to remove the skins. Cool before using, then grind.

Make Apricot Glaze:
Put 1 cup (125g) apricot jam and 3 tbsp. water in a small pan and let stand over gentle heat until the jam has melted. Pour into a sieve over a small bowl and press through with a wooden spoon. Keeps in the refrigerator, in a sterilized screw-top jar, for 2 weeks. Warm it before use. Cake keeps for about a week. Freezes for 1 to 2 months undecorated.

Ingredients:
2/3 cup Sugar
1 cup softened Butter
2 tsp Vanilla Essence
1 tsp grated Lemon Peel
1 Egg Yolk
2 1/4 cup Fine Wheat Flour (Maida)
1 1/2 cup grounded Hazelnuts
1/2 cup Jam

Method:
Preheat the oven at 325 degrees.
In a bowl mix sugar and butter.
Beat the mixture till soft and fluffy.
Add vanilla essence, lemon peel and egg yolk.
Mix well.
Add the flour and the hazelnuts.
Make a soft dough.
Make 1 1/4 size balls out of the dough.
Take a ungreased cookies sheet and place the balls on it 2 inches apart.
Press the cookies in the center with the thumb.
Bake the cookiesat 325 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes or until light golden brown around edges.
Let them cool.
When completely cool fill the cavity of each cookie with ½ teaspoon jam.

Ingredients:
Cake:
6 ounces (180g) semisweet chocolate
3/4 cup (180g) granulated sugar
3/4 cup (180g) butter or margarine
6 eggs, separated
2-1/2 cups (180g) toasted hazelnuts, ground

Decoration:
2 tbsp. apricot glaze (see below)
3-1/2 ounces (100g) semisweet chocolate
1 tbsp. butter or margarine
2 tbsp. water
Hazelnuts, chopped and toasted

Method:
Melt the chocolate and let cool. Beat all but 3 tablespoons sugar with the butter until pale and fluffy. Mix in the egg yolks and chocolate.
In another bowl, whisk the egg whites into soft peaks. Whisk in the reserved sugar. Stir 2 spoonfuls into the main mixture. Gently fold in the nuts and remaining egg whites.
Pour the mixture into the prepared 9″ springform cake pan, which has been greased and lined, and bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack and peel off the lining paper.

Make Decoration:
Brush the top of the cake with the apricot glaze and let cool.
Melt the chocolate with the butter and water. Pour onto the cake and spread over the top and sides. Sprinkle with the chopped nuts and let set.

Make Toasted Hazelnuts:
Toast on a baking sheet at 350°F until lightly browned and with flaking skins. Pour the hot nuts onto a cloth. Fold the cloth over them and rub gently to remove the skins. Cool before using, then grind.

Make Apricot Glaze:
Put 1 cup (125g) apricot jam and 3 tbsp. water in a small pan and let stand over gentle heat until the jam has melted. Pour into a sieve over a small bowl and press through with a wooden spoon.

Keeps in the refrigerator, in a sterilized screw-top jar, for 2 weeks. Warm it before use. Cake keeps for about a week. Freezes for 1 to 2 months undecorated.