Chocolate, Cardamom and Hazelnut Cake

• blanched hazelnuts150g g
• green cardamom pods8
• gluten‑free dark chocolate↗150g g
• butter↗125g g
• eggs↗6

  separated

• golden sugar↗125g g
• cocoa powder↗1 tbsp tbsp

  plus extra for dusting

• crème fraîche↗

  for serving

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Toast the hazelnuts in a dry pan until golden, then let them cool slightly and grind them in a blender to a uniform consistency. Remove the cardamom seeds from the pods and crush them with a mortar and pestle.

2. 2

   Preheat the oven to 160 °C/140 °C with convection/gas 3. Grease and line the bottom of a 23 cm (removable) cake tin. Melt the chocolate with the butter in the microwave in 30‑second bursts until the mixture is glossy and smooth. Let it cool slightly.

3. 3

   Using an electric mixer in a very clean bowl, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks. Then, without washing the beaters, whisk the yolks with the sugar in a separate bowl until pale and voluminous.

4. 4

   Combine the chocolate with the egg‑yolk mixture, then add cocoa powder, a pinch of salt, the cardamom seeds and hazelnuts. Fold in one spoonful of the egg whites to loosen the batter, then gently fold in the remaining whites, trying to retain as much air as possible. Carefully pour the batter into the tin and bake for 35 minutes. Let it cool in the tin, then dust with cocoa powder and serve with crème fraîche.