Hazelnut Flourless Chocolate Cake

Makes one 6-inch cake

 

3 Tbsp ground flax seed

1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp filtered water

4 ounces vegan unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1/4 cup hazelnut butter or almond butter

1/4 cup pureed pear or apple

1 cup coconut sugar

1/4 tsp sea salt

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup hazelnut meal

1/2 cup raw cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder plus additional for sprinkling

hazelnuts and chopped dark chocolate for garnish

Instructions:

 

In a bowl, whisk together the flax seed and water. Place in the fridge for 15 minutes to gel. This will be your flax eggs.

Meanwhile, oil a 6-inch spring form pan with coconut oil and preheat the oven to 375F degrees.

In the top of a double boiler, combine the chocolate and nut butter.  Allow to melt, whisking often.

Whisk in the pear puree, sugar, sea salt, and vanilla until smooth.

Add the flax eggs and allow to warm for a couple minutes with the other ingredients whisking often until completely smooth and uniform.  Whisk in the cacao powder and hazelnut meal until very well combined (you want to make sure the oil is emulsified or it will separate when baking).

Pour into the prepared pan.

Place in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes until dried on the top and mostly set.

Once finished baking, remove from the oven, allow to cool 15 minutes, then release from the pan and dust with cacao powder. 

Garnish with hazelnuts and chopped dark chocolate and serve!

To make the hazelnut meal, grind whole hazelnuts in the blender until flour consistency, but not too long or you will get butter. Or you can buy Bob's Red Mill brand hazelnut meal on Amazon or Vitacost.

 

Put in the oven and bake for around thirty minutes, or until the top is mostly set and dried out.

When baked, take out of the oven, let cool for fifteen minutes, then carefully remove from the pan and sprinkle with the cacao powder. 

 

Serve with chopped dark chocolate and hazelnuts as garnish!

Grind whole hazelnuts in a blender to a flour-like consistency (do not process for too long or you will end up with butter) to make a hazelnut meal.