The chocolatiest cake ever! Before I made the change to the keto lifestyle, I used to make it with the traditional recipe.
Pinch off small pieces of the dough and bake for 10 minutes at 160 degrees Celcius.
Leave to cool and if they are still not crunchy after cooling, bake for a few more minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180oC (fan assisted).
Melt the butter and the chocolate over very low heat (or bain marie). Put aside to cool slightly. The mixture should not be scalding.
Beat the eggs with the sweetener, the cacao, vanilla, coffee and salt, using a wire whisk to blend until the sweetener melts.
Don’t use the mixer because you don’t want up the eggs to puff up.
Gradually add the egg mixture to the chocolate mixture and mix with the wire whisk. The end result will be a thick mass.
Use a 20 cm diameter mould with a removable bottom or an adjustable cake ring to help the ganache meld with the cake.
Cover the mould bottom with wax paper and smear with butter, also covering the sides.
Pour mixture into the mould, sprinkle the hazelnuts over it and bake for 17 minutes.
Heat the heavy cream and add the chocolate, mixing until it melts.
Melt the sweetener in the butter and cream, add the cacao mixing continuously until the materials are blended and leave to one side to allow the cacao fibers to develop.
As soon as the cake has cooled down, take out of the mould and remove the wax paper. Cut in half horizontally and put the bottom half back in the mould.
Spread half he ganache over the top, sprinkle the hazelnuts and place the top half of the cake over it.
You may either spread the remaining ganache over the top, or use a piping bag to make swirls and other decorative motifs on the cake and sprinkle with the crunchy bits if using.
Place in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight, but it is best if taken out for a short while before serving, because it tends to become quite hard due to the fat content.
It is a very dense cake and will easily yield 12-14 portions.