Milano Torte

Anna with her prized confection Meet Juanita

Anna emailed Grandma that she would like her to bring some marshmallows on her recent visit to Italy. Marshmallows are not an item available in Europe. Juanita is the "domestica" who assists our daughter with managing the household. Juanita helped Anna bake the cake and Anna decorated the cake with ... marshmallows. This is a favorite cake when we visit. I call it the Milano Torte.

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Ingredients:

5 eggs,

9 Tablespoons sugar

8 Tablespoons butter

1 1/3 cup ground hazelnuts

11 ounces dark sweet chocolate

8 Tablespoons water (or coffee)

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Directions:

Beat egg whites and gradually add 5 Tablespoons sugar, beating until stiff. Grind nuts and mix with 4 Tablespoons sugar. Melt chocolate in 4 tablespoons water and cooled. Mix egg yolks with chocolate stirring until well blended. Gently fold ground nut-sugar mixture in beaten egg whites in four additions. Mix remaining ingredients being careful not to overbeat mixture. Prepare a cake pan with a loose bottom. Bake at 375 for 35 minutes. Remove, turn out and cool. Cake will fall when cool. Frost if you wish.

Tip: Toast the hazelnuts at 300 for 8-10 minutes until skins blister. Remove from Oven and place in a cotton towel to finish steaming. When cool twist towel to make a pouch and rub nuts together to remove skins. Not all skins can be removed. This will intensify the flavor of the nuts.