Flourless hazelnut brownie cake

Courtesy of Polly Markus
Serves 8

Ingredients

120g butter
250g dark chocolate – chopped
3/4 cup soft brown sugar
3 large eggs – at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste
2 cups hazelnut flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup cocoa powder

Berry Compote

2 cups frozen mixed berries
2 tablespoons caster sugar (or more, to taste)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C fan bake. Grease a 20cm (8 in) springform cake tin with butter.
2. Melt the butter and chocolate in a large bowl in the microwave until nice and smooth. Do this in short bursts, giving it a good stir in between.
3. Whisk in the sugar. Add the eggs one by one, whisking in between. Add the vanilla, whisking well until everything is combined.
4. Add the hazelnut flour and baking powder, then sieve in the cocoa powder. Stir until just combined but don’t over-stir.
5. Pour the mixture into the cake tin and bake for 45 minutes. The top should have a slight crust.
6. Let the cake cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then very carefully remove the sides and lift it off the base, placing it on a wire rack to cool completely.
7. To make the Berry Compote, warm the berries in a medium saucepan on a medium heat until defrosted. Add the sugar, stir until dissolved, then remove from the heat. Serve with the cooled cake.

Images and text from Miss Polly’s Kitchen by Polly Markus, photography by Melanie Jenkins (Flash Studios), published by Allen & Unwin NZ, RRP $45.00.