Marliesentorte (German chocolate cake)

Our first cake, a German traditional one with strong roasted hazelnut flavor and chocolate flavor that reminds one of some sweet home-made nutella (which we will be making soon, mind you!) but with enough creaminess to smooth it out into some tender and crunchy perfection.

And yes, I labeled it as light. But you know, light for a cake. Yes, it has a lot of cream and chocolate, but, as I've said, light for a cake - no butter involved at all. Which for a cake is quite rare - most are gorged with at least 70-100 g of butter. 

It's quite easy to make if you can find ready-ground nuts or have a food processor / sturdy coffee-grinder or some other type of common kitchen utility that can grind nuts. Oh, and must also have a cake tin - our was 26 cm wide, but any smaller one will do - the cake will just be taller.

A nice little trait this cake has is that it gets better day after day as you leave it.... but personally, after tasting it, I don't think the rumors about this cake lasting days are even remotely true. :)

Ingredients (makes around 12 slices):

• 300 g hazelnuts (finely ground)
• 200 g milk chocolate (ground or grated into chips)
• 800 ml whipped cream
• 100 g sugar
• 5 eggs
• 2 tablespoons flour
• half a teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius or gas 5. If your hazelnuts are whole, like ours were, place them in your food processor:

Grind them:

Do the same for the chocolate:

Put the ground nuts and 150 g grated chocolate (save 50 g for the topping) together in a mixing bowl:

Add the sugar, flour and baking powder:

Add the eggs:

And mix everything together into a batter. Grease the cake tin with a little butter:

Pour the batter in it:

Pat it to make it evenly spread:

Put it in the preheated oven and bake it for 40 minutes. Then, take it out and allow it to cool:

Gently remove the springform, leaving the cake on the tin base:

Cut about 1/3 from its top off gently (and don't struggle to keep the piece you cut off whole, you are about to crumble it anyway):

Put the extra pieces on a separate plate:

Crumble them finely (works faster with a grinder or food processor, as the dough is crunchy enough). Then, mix with 600 ml of whipped cream:

Until it gets even and creamy:

Put the springform around the tin again (with the cake still on it) and pour the cream mixture on top:

Spread it evenly, then top with the remaining cream:

Sprinkle the remaining grated chocolate on top:

Then, leave it in the fridge for a few hours before serving. When you take it out, remove the springform and cut into slices. It's done, dig in! :)