When I’m hosting a gathering or meeting up with girlfriends for coffee, I love to bring a treat—and maybe even something a little indulgent. This chocolate hazelnut torte hits that “sweet” spot. It’s rich and dense like a flourless cake, but not too sweet. The hazelnuts give it a wonderful nutty flavor, and the salted caramel drizzle is one of my favorite homemade sauces. Add a dollop of Chantilly cream on top, garnish it with a few slices of candied citrus, and suddenly you’ve got something really special for the dessert table.
This torte is baked in a hot water bath, so in the end it has a texture almost like cheesecake. The combination of chocolate, citrus, caramel, and cream is so lovely. It’s fancy enough for a Christmas or Thanksgiving dessert idea but simple enough for a casual dinner party. It also happens to be naturally low in gluten since it only uses half a cup of flour. Sub in your favorite gluten-free flour mix to make this chocolate dessert gluten-free.
What flavors go best with hazelnuts? Chocolate, for starters!
Hazelnuts have a warm, rich, toasty flavor that tastes great with the chocolate, caramel, coffee, vanilla, and orange in this recipe. If you’ve ever had a chocolate-hazelnut spread or a Ferrero Rocher candy, you already know just how magical that pair can be!
Are caramel and hazelnut a good combo?
I’m going to have to say yes! The buttery sweetness of caramel balances out the toasty, earthy flavor of hazelnuts. I especially love using a salted caramel drizzle with nutty recipes—to me it balances and enhances the flavor of the nuts at the same time. If you don’t have time to make homemade caramel sauce, I’ve got a couple of shortcuts for you: I like Coop’s or Mrs. Richardson’s caramel sauces when I need a quick alternative to homemade. If you do want to make your own, check out my homemade caramel sauce recipes:
Are hazelnuts good for your health?
They are! Hazelnuts are a wonderful source of vitamin E, healthy fats, and antioxidants. We’re basically baking them into a dark chocolate cake recipe here, so I can’t exactly call it “health food.” But it’s always nice to know a little bit more about our yummy ingredients!
What is the difference between a chocolate cake and a chocolate torte?
I know I just compared it to cake, but technically a torte is richer and denser than a traditional cake. Tortes often use ground nuts in place of some or all of the flour, and they usually don’t rise as much. This chocolate hazelnut torte gets its structure from the eggs. It gets its moist, creamy texture from all that dark chocolate and butter. The result is somewhere in between a brownie and a cheesecake. A decadent little slice feels just right with a hot cup of coffee or a glass of red wine. It’s a wonderful holiday dessert recipe if you ask me!
What fruit tastes best with chocolate?
Orange and chocolate is one of my favorite pairings, especially in the colder months. This recipe includes candied orange slices because they’re so pretty, and their brightness cuts through the rich chocolate and cream. You could also try blood oranges for a more dramatic presentation if you like. I also love chocolate (and hazelnuts!) with strawberries, for the record! Here’s a fun, easy dessert recipe that features this type of chocolate fruit combination:
Looking for more chocolatey holiday baking recipes? Here they are!
This torte is just the beginning. There’s a pie recipe for everyone in My Life in Pies!
As always, 100% of the proceeds from all of my cookbook sales go to support local children’s charities in the Oak Park area. Click the link below to see my pie cookbook—it’s full of yummy recipes and useful tips your whole family will adore!
Chocolate Hazelnut Torte Recipe with Salted Caramel and Citrus
Rich, dense, and delightfully nutty, this chocolate hazelnut torte is baked in a hot water bath to give it a creamy texture. It’s topped with a homemade salted caramel sauce, candied orange slices, and sweet Chantilly cream. This is one holiday dessert everyone will be talking about!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F.
- Grease and line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Then take one large section of aluminum foil to cover the base and sides of this pan. You will be baking this cake in a bain-marie (hot water bath). The foil should prevent any water leaking in if your springform pan is not totally waterproof. Place your prepared springform pan into a deep roasting pan and set aside.
- Melt chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, making sure the bowl does not touch the water. Once the chocolate is completely melted, stir in the brandy and set the mixture aside to cool.
- With an electric mixer, whisk the eggs, vanilla, and sugar until pale and frothy.
- Gently stir in the cooled chocolate mixture until everything is combined.
- Use a fork to mix the hazelnut, all-purpose flour, and salt. Gently fold this dry mixture into your batter until just combined.
- Boil the 6 to 8 cups of water in a kettle or saucepan. Fill the springform pan with the cake batter.
- Place the roasting pan (with the filled springform pan still inside it) on the center shelf of your oven. Then, pour the boiling water into the roasting pan until it comes up the sides about an inch. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until just set in the center and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cool slightly on a wire rack, then turn the cake out onto your preferred cake plate or board, removing the parchment paper.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and blanch your citrus slices for one minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely.
- Add the orange slices to the simmering syrup, reduce the heat, and simmer very gently for 30 minutes, or until the citrus slices are translucent and the syrup has thickened.
- Carefully remove the citrus from the syrup and place it on a wire rack over a board or plate to drip and cool.
- Keep the syrup! You can use it in cocktails or drizzle it over other dessert recipes. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge.
- If any slices remain after garnishing your torte, you can toss them in granulated sugar and add them to your next charcuterie board! You can make these up to 2 days in advance if you like.
- In a medium saucepan, melt the sugar over medium heat, stirring every now and then until it’s fully dissolved. Turn down the heat a little and cook until it turns a deep amber color, swirling the pan regularly so the mixture doesn’t burn.
- Whisk in the butter. Be aware that the mixture will bubble quite a bit!
- Remove the pan from the heat and carefully whisk in the heavy cream and salt, stirring until smooth. Allow to cool completely before using.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk all ingredients on medium-high until soft peaks form. Place in the refrigerator until ready to serve. You can also use an electric hand mixer and a large mixing bowl for this step if you’d like.
- To assemble and serve your torte, wait until everything has cooled to room temperature. Drizzle your torte with the caramel sauce, then garnish with the candied orange, Chantilly cream, and toasted hazelnuts. Enjoy!
