A Tribute To Heidi.Rhadamacher

Chocolate Hazelnut Torte

This is my dear late friend Heidi, a resident of Australia. While this is a shared photo I would guess Heidi was being entertained with a private symphony concert which demonstrates a tribute to her love of music and financial support of the Symphony and Arts. To know Heidi was to love her and love her we did. You are missed sweet soul!

Heidi was born in Germany and this recipe may be from her mother-land. Married to my neighbor, I always looked forward to a visit.
Ingredients
4 eggs, separated 
200g sugar   1 cup
250g butter   1 cup plus 2 tablespoons
1 teaspoon vanilla to taste. or hazelnut extract  
100g ground hazelnuts, skins removed    3/4 cup 
50g orange peel finely grated    1/4 cup loose zest  (1 orange)
70g dark bitter chocolate  5 tablespoons
200g flour.  1 2/3 cups
50g cornflour   1/3 cup (very fine corn meal or semolina )
15g baking powder.   3 1/2 teaspoons

Directions:

Most important, do not over-mix folding ingredients into the whipped egg whites!  Add in 4 increments. 

Melt chocolate with boiling water, set aside to cool, when cool, add zested orange peel, flavoring and beaten egg yolks,  whisk to blend well. 

Blend 4 tablespoons of the sugar with the 3/4 cup hazelnuts to prevent clumping. 

Whisk together the flour, corn flour, sugar and baking powder and the hazelnuts,  set aside.

Mix liquid and dry ingredients.

Whip egg whites until stiff peaks form.  Gently fold ingredients 

into stiff egg whites in four increments not over folding.  Pour batter into 8 or 9 inch cake pan parchment lined.

Bake at 350*F, 25 to 30 minutes.  Cool 5 minutes in pan.  Place plate

on top of baked cake and flip over.  Remove parchment, when cool dust with confectioners sugar.