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Decadent Chocolate Hazelnut Tart

6/4/2014

 
Decadent Chocolate Hazelnut Tart by Liz Posmyk
One of the things I miss greatly from my childhood is nuts in their shells. There were always walnuts, hazelnuts, peanuts, almonds and Brazil nuts in my mother's kitchen, and as a family we would often sit together shelling nuts—for snacking on as well as preparing walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds for one of my mother's artisan cakes.

Hazelnuts in their shells, one of the things I miss from childhood
My mother's mogyorós torta (hazelnut torte) comprised featherlight layers of soft hazelnut chocolate cake filled with mocha cream. She would roast the hazelnuts in the oven, then pop them into a clean tea towel and rub her hands over them to peel away the skins. Then she would grind the nuts in a little hand grinder (which I still treasure) and combine the hazelnut meal with beaten egg whites, a little melted chocolate, and creamed butter and sugar. Sometimes she'd add just a little nip of rum or brandy. While the cake was baking, she would prepare a mocha filling, which was cooked in a method similar to that used in the recipe for her walnut torte here. I can still smell and taste that beautiful hazelnut torte and must bake it again soon, perhaps on the Easter weekend. The memories of mum's torte came flooding back when I tasted a decadent chocolate hazelnut tart at the EAT Festival in Merimbula recently.

Meet the chef...

Natasha Slade is the Manager of the Merimbula Lakeview Hotel and also a trained chef. We met at the EAT Festival during our visit to the Sapphire Coast. Natasha's droolworthy chocolate hazelnut tart caught my eye as we walked along the Lake foreshore at Fishpen during the Festival and I grabbed Peter by the arm and said, 'We HAVE to try some of that tart!'. Needless to say, Peter agreed. Can I tell you, that tart was even more delicious than we had expected and I felt compelled to ask Natasha (Tash) for the recipe. She very kindly said 'Yes' and even took a moment away from the busy marquee to smile beautifully for my camera. Thanks so much Tash, you are a legend! xox
Collage featuring chef Natasha Slade, by Liz Posmyk Good Things

The recipe...

DECADENT CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT TART
I've tweaked Natasha's recipe slightly with additions to make it easier for home cooks to reproduce the tart with ease. The ingredients and quantities remain the same.

For the pastry:
280g plain flour, sifted
120g icing sugar, sifted
50g cocoa powder, sifted
200g unsalted butter, softened, cubed
1 free range egg yolk

Grease a 25cm x 4cm deep (10" by 1.5") tart tin. To prepare the pastry base, combine the sifted flour, icing sugar and cocoa powder in a large stainless steel bowl. Make a well in the centre and place the butter and egg yolk into the well. Mix with a fork, working the flour into the butter and egg a little at a time. Then, using your fingertips gradually work in the rest of the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Work the pastry together by kneading it into a flat disc. Then cover it with cling wrap and rest it in the refrigerator for an hour or so.

Next steps:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured board and lifting it onto the rolling pin, carefully place it into the greased tart tin. With clean hands, press the pastry into the base and and up the sides of the tin, smoothing it as you go. Cover the pastry with a sheet of baking paper, fill with pastry beads or rice, then blind bake for 15 minutes. Remove the baking paper and beads, and bake for a further five minutes. Allow to cool.

For the filling:
80g unsalted butter
180g brown or light muscovado sugar
3 free range eggs
2 tablespoons double cream
3 tablespoons Frangelico (plus a tipple for the cook!)
30g plain flour
200g hazelnuts
100g dark couverture chocolate, chopped

20g dark couverture chocolate melted, to decorate

To prepare the filling, chop the hazelnuts (or process them in a food processor until chopped into quarters). Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until light and creamy, then add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Fold in the cream, Frangelico and flour. Finally add the chopped chocolate and nuts. Spoon the mixture into the cooled pastry tart shell. Pop the tart tin onto a baking tray (in case any of the filling overflows during the baking), then bake for 45-55 minutes at 170 degrees C until cooked through (if you touch the centre very lightly, it should spring back a little). Allow to cool then drizzle with (or spoon over) the melted chocolate and serve with cream (or sour cream) and raspberries. Serves 12.

Note: The tart can be frozen in an airtight container, but my chef friend, Adam Moore, recommends that when you are ready to serve it, defrost it overnight in the refrigerator rather than in the microwave, as it will most likely not keep it shape if heated in the microwave.
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Use fresh hazelnuts and free range eggs...

Hazelnut, Egg, Frangelico by Liz Posmyk, Good Things

A tipple for the cook...

Frangelico, a tipple for the cook

Spoon melted couverture over the top...

Decadent Chocolate Hazelnut Tart by Liz Posmyk

Deliciously decadent and, yes, droolworthy...

Food writing and recipe testing means making sacrifices for your wonderful readers, no? As soon as I had finished taking these photographs, Peter asked if we could cut the tart and taste it. Yes, it was Sunday morning and, yes, I admit we ate a slither each for breakfast. Of course, we went to the gym later that morning! My esteemed colleague, Mr Ian Parmenter, of Consuming Passions fame, kindly reminded me that we would need to run for an hour to work off a couple of bites of tart. Of course, he is right. This kind of decadence is an indulgence that should be reserved for special occasions. Just as well I don't bake like this every day, or Peter and I might need to spend all day every day at the gym! The PT would be happy to see us!
Decadent Chocolate Hazelnut Tart by Liz Posmyk

Tell me dear readers, have you ever eaten cake (or indeed tart) for breakfast? Do you believe that the cook should have the occasional tipple? And are nuts in their shells still available in your part of the world? Perhaps you forage for them. Do please share your stories!
Jennifer Milk and Honey link
5/4/2014 10:31:37 pm

I love the combination of chocolate and hazelnuts. This tart looks and sounds superb. Lovely pics too.

The answer to all three of your questions is Yes. I eat dessert for breakfast now and then (and I run every day), I think it's only right that the cook gets to "sample" the booze and nuts in there shells are available where I live. I have almond trees and my Dad has a huge chestnut tree too. I think everyone should get to eat a nut straight from the tree, out of the shell at least once in their life.

Lizzy
6/4/2014 10:25:08 am

Thank you kindly, Jennifer! I am in awe that you have almond trees and your dad has a chestnut tree, that must be so wonderful! I agree with you... there is something very special about eating nuts straight from the tree.

Aniko link
5/4/2014 11:22:49 pm

Hello Liz, Frangelico and hazelnut go pretty well together. I love this combo, and sure I'll give it a try shortly! Thanks for the recipe :-)

Lizzy
6/4/2014 10:24:12 am

Hi Aniko, it's a very Magyar combination, isn't it. So delicious! Thank you for stopping by and happy birthday once again xo

yummytummytales.com
8/4/2014 03:13:47 am

This tart is absolutely drool-worthy... your pictures are beautiful

Lizzy
9/4/2014 01:31:00 pm

Thanks so much!

Mary Frances link
8/4/2014 10:20:04 am

Chocolate and hazelnut are a timeless flavor combination, this is an excellent example of that!

Lizzy
9/4/2014 01:31:16 pm

Aren't they ever! Thank you!

Jamie link
6/4/2014 12:32:41 am

Wow what a gorgeous tart! Wow! I love hazelnuts and chocolate and although this looks so decadent and rich, your description makes it sound so light. And I love the addition of Frangelico (I love my cakes and tarts to have a tipple). Fabulous recipe, Liz!

And my husband always has dessert for breakfast when there is cake or tart in the house. I don't but I do go back for cake/tart and coffee mid morning :-)

Lizzy
6/4/2014 10:26:21 am

Jamie, thank you very much. This is a very decadent tart and yet it is so light and very delicious indeed. Even though the base is thick, it's not heavy and just melts in the mouth. Thanks for stopping by my friend : )

Krista Bjorn link
6/4/2014 12:21:37 pm

Oh my goodness, that looks and sounds absolutely fantastic!! I adore hazelnuts in any form. :-) Every Christmas we'd get big bags of nuts still in their shells for cracking on cold winter nights. :-)

Lizzy
6/4/2014 12:31:35 pm

Krista, yummy!

John @ Kitchen Riffs link
6/4/2014 02:49:05 pm

I've absolutely eaten cake/tart/pie/whatever for breakfast. And will again someday, I'm sure! Not much difference, really, between that and a coffeecake or doughnut! Although it's one of those very occasional things. Lovely tart -- thanks for this.

Lizzy
6/4/2014 05:10:19 pm

So true, John and, yes, it's best as an occasional thing. Thanks for stopping by!

Glenda
6/4/2014 03:53:58 pm

This looks like a wonderful do ahead dessert. I'm eager to try it over Easter. The combination of hazelnuts and chocolate is always a winner.

Lizzy
6/4/2014 05:09:43 pm

Hi Glenda, yes, it is indeed... and I've just frozen some of ours so we don't eat it all at once! Let me know how you go : )

e / dig in hobart link
6/4/2014 05:02:47 pm

please post a slice to me; my postal address is... :-)
i love the size of your tipple! i love cooking with frangelico and often add a slosh into a brownie or chocolate cake, even if the recipe doesn't specify it.
i have seen on american blogs recipes for cake for breakfast, and i must admit i find that weird. and a bit unhealthy. i try not to be judgmental but... cake for brekkie would set me up for a day of sugar consumption.

Lizzy
6/4/2014 05:09:06 pm

Elizabeth, I'd love to post some to you, but something tells me that as soon as the postman got wind of the aroma he'd eat it! Cake for breakfast is quite a European thing too. : )

ela@GrayApron link
6/4/2014 05:31:07 pm

I might just have to try that one Liz...my type of a cake. :) lea

Lizzy
9/4/2014 01:31:45 pm

Ela, thank you. I'll be interested to see the type of flour you use! : )

Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella link
6/4/2014 05:58:56 pm

What a delightful looking cake Lizzy! :D I love the chocolate hazelnut combo.

Lizzy
9/4/2014 01:32:06 pm

Lorraine, thank you, this tart is really quite heavenly!

maureen@orgasmicchef.com link
6/4/2014 06:13:15 pm

In Maine, where the winters are quite harsh - cold, wind & snow and also where people work very hard physically - pies, donuts, pancakes, waffles etc are all breakfast fare. Dinners by contrast are usually a much smaller meal.

I'd love this tart for both meals :)

Lizzy
9/4/2014 01:32:44 pm

I can understand that, Maureen, similarly in Hungary, the food is laden with kj to combat the winter and snow!

Tandy | Lavender and Lime link
6/4/2014 07:50:17 pm

at Christmas I buy nuts in their shells and keep them on the table with the nut cracker for people to enjoy! I might have eaten the entire tart for breakfast as it looks so good :)

Lizzy
9/4/2014 01:33:17 pm

Hi Tandy, I think I might need to start doing that again! Sounds like a great thing to have on the xmas table! : )

Hotly Spiced link
6/4/2014 11:57:14 pm

This is such a beautiful looking cake, Lizzy. I love how it's totally appropriate for breakfast too. We used to see a lot of nuts in their shells at Christmas time. It wasn't Christmas unless we had a basket of nuts under the tree complete with a nut cracker. It was such a highlight of Christmas. I wonder why we don't see nuts in their shells so much any more xx

Lizzy
9/4/2014 01:33:59 pm

Hi Charlie, it probably is a little rich for breakfast... that was a one-off! I'd love to see more nuts in their shells xox

kellie@foodtoglow link
7/4/2014 12:42:06 am

Super gorgeous tart my dear. I just wish I wasn't allergic to hazels :-( But I image pecans would be divine as a replacement. Freshly shelled nuts are not only a real treat but health-wise the papery skins are a prebiotic and therefore *extra* healthy. But we love them for their tastes, don't we? Nutrition is a happy bonus ;-). We pick fresh cobnuts (lovely and milky) and black walnuts - amazing fresh taste!

Lizzy
9/4/2014 01:34:20 pm

Yes, Kellie, pecans or walnuts would be lovely too!

Deena Kakaya link
7/4/2014 03:36:41 am

Decadent is really the description for this tart isn't it? It looks dense and crunchy and sweet as well as toasty. Divine!

I have dessert for breakfast if I'm absolutely famished, then feel naughty. I buy pistachio in their shells from the Indian grocers as they are cheaper. X

Lizzy
9/4/2014 01:34:38 pm

Deena, that sounds really good! xo

tableofcolors link
7/4/2014 04:28:55 am

Oh, how lovely! It brought back childhood memories for me as well...our family bakery made a Diplimatico torte that had hazelnuts and chocolate and I think mocha buttercream and it still makes a La Tortue wedge that looks similar to your torte but it has pecans. Different nuts are amongst my favorite foods.

Lizzy
9/4/2014 01:34:55 pm

Yummy, that sounds amazing!

Liz link
7/4/2014 07:19:59 am

My mom used to have a huge bowl of mixed nuts in shells in the house for the holidays. We loved using the nut cracker and snacking right in our living room. Your tart looks divine!!!

Lizzy
9/4/2014 01:35:25 pm

Seems like nuts on the xmas table is largely a thing of the past, Liz! We might have to start a new trend!?

Laura (Tutti Dolci) link
7/4/2014 08:49:53 am

What exquisite hazelnuts, I'd love to taste your tart!

Lizzy
9/4/2014 01:35:40 pm

It is exquisite, too, Laura!

Andrea Mynard link
7/4/2014 08:55:10 am

Funnily enough we have a French apple tart in the fridge that is earmarked for breakfast tomorrow. Your tart looks wonderful and I do like the idea of companionable nut-cracking around the kitchen table - the tipple for the cook sounds good too.

Lizzy
9/4/2014 01:36:07 pm

Ah, another who is happy to have desserts for breakfast. Yes, it did make for a convivial gathering!

Anna Johnston link
7/4/2014 05:00:01 pm

YUM! What a treat, looks gorgeous. :)
I am a little hazelnut shy these years, as an apprentice chef I was on hazelnut shelling duties for weeks, shudder! I should have thought to include a nip of Frangelico to get me through. LOL!
Its rare for me to eat super sweets for breakfast, but I'd defo do it.

Lizzy
9/4/2014 01:36:22 pm

Thank you, Anna : )

April @ The 21st Century Housewife link
8/4/2014 10:51:46 pm

I so enjoyed reading your memories of your mother's tart, Lizzy, and I can definitely understand how you treasure your nut grinder. I have one or two pieces of my late mom's that I treasure too. The Chocolate Hazelnut Tart looks just gorgeous. I know my family will love it. Thank you for sharing the recipe.

Lizzy
9/4/2014 01:36:50 pm

April, how lovely of you to stop by! So nice to make your acquaintance!

Karen (Back Road Journal) link
9/4/2014 06:12:08 am

Your mum's torte must have been wonderful from your vivid memories. This recipe sounds wonderful too and yes, is decadent.

Lizzy
9/4/2014 01:37:15 pm

Mum was such a beautiful baker, Karen! Thank you for your kind words.

Chris link
9/4/2014 06:28:53 am

That tart is absolutely wonderful. Oh, that special occasion part is a bit sad. Then it would really take some time until to enjoy such lovely tarts. Hm, ok, burning by more exercise might be a solution, but a few hours for a slice is hard, too.

Lizzy
9/4/2014 01:37:42 pm

Yes, definitely need to do some exercise after this one, Chris : )

Choc Chip Uru link
9/4/2014 07:45:30 pm

How did I even miss this tart, I think it is the most indulgent chocolate tart in the history of the world! :D

Cheers
Choc Chip Uru

Lizzy
11/4/2014 09:51:25 pm

It is absolutely divine! : )

David link
12/4/2014 12:48:25 am

I would love a piece of this tart right now! The chewy, chocolatey nuttiness really appeals to me. We, too, miss nuts in their shell. Bags of them are available here at Christmastime, and we love nothing more than sipping glasses of sherry, shelling nuts, and chatting away with friends.

Lizzy
12/4/2014 12:29:47 pm

That sounds like a delightful past time, David! : )

Zsuzsa link
12/4/2014 04:21:15 am

Lovely Tart! I checked out you mom's walnut cake Lizzy. What a lovely post. Hazelnuts are like candy, I love anything with hazelnuts. Our pie eating friend gifted me with a basket of hazelnuts. I will make the cake - you inspired me.

Lizzy
12/4/2014 12:29:14 pm

Thanks so much, Zsuzsa. You are very kind! Do try the cake… I just bought a huge bag of hazelnuts direct from the grower today! Will pop them into the freezer to keep them fresh!


Comments are closed.

    Welcome...

    Üdvözölöm
    Photo of Liz Posmyk, Food Writer, Cook and Traveller

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