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Carlotta’s Flourless Hazelnut Cake
Carlotta Muti, Torino Discovery and EatWith, Turin, Italy 200 grams hazelnuts, ground fine 4 eggs 180 grams of sugar Whip egg whites with half the sugar until a meringue forms, and then set aside. Whip the yokes with the rest of the sugar. Mix in the hazelnuts. Gently fold in the egg-white meringue. Put in cake pan and bake 30 to 35 minutes in 180 degree Celsius oven, or until toothpick comes out clean. When cake cools, serve topped with Moscato Zabaione sauce. Moscato Zabaione Sauce This is the recipe handed down to Carlotta, but she notes, “I actually find that three eggs, three spoonfuls of sugar, and three eggshells of wine are enough for four people." 1 egg yoke per person 1 tablespoon of sugar per person 1 eggshell of Moscato wine per person (Marsala wine may also be used) Use a half eggshell to measure the wine per person, as shown below. 
Place all ingredients in a Thermomix or similar machine and cook for 8 minutes at 70 degrees Celsius at medium speed. You can also do it traditional way on the stove. Gently place ingredients in a pot over a second pot of boiling water. (This method is called bain marie or double boiler. It heats ingredients gently so eggs don’t burn or curdle.) Whisk vigorously and constantly until a thick, foamy, smooth cream forms and the volume of the mixture doubles. Serve warm over cake. Carlotta recommends: Moscat d'Asti dessert wine 
For more on Italian recipes, wine, and food lore, see my post: Carlotta's Secrets for Cooking Italian Comfort Food These recipes are being collected on a Mediterranean Comfort Food Tour, a five-month journey around the Mediterranean rim exploring what food can tech us about other cultures — and our own. See all my Comfort Food Recipes. |