- 1 1/2 cups hazelnuts (7 to 8 ounces)
- 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped coarse
- 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 8 large eggs, separated
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Chocolate Glaze
- Preheat oven to 350°F. and butter a 10-cup bundt pan or other tube pan.
- In a food processor pulse hazelnuts until finely ground.
- In a double boiler or a bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolate, stirring until smooth. Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat and cool chocolate slightly.
- In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat butter with 1/2 cup sugar until light and fluffy and beat in chocolate. Add yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in hazelnuts and flour.
- In another bowl with cleaned beaters beat whites with salt at medium speed until white, opaque, and beginning to hold their shape. Gradually add remaining 1/2 cup sugar, beating at high speed until whites hold soft (not stiff), slightly glossy peaks.
- Stir one fourth whites into chocolate mixture to lighten and fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly until no streaks remain.
- Pour batter into pan and smooth top. Bake cake in middle of oven 35 to 45 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Invert cake onto a rack. After 5 minutes remove pan but leave cake on rack until cooled completely. With cake on rack set over a pan (to catch the drips), pour chocolate glaze over cake, allowing it to drip down outside and center.
- While glaze is still wet (to avoid cracking), transfer cake to a platter. When glaze is set, cover cake loosely with plastic wrap or keep under cake dome at room temperature until ready to serve.
- If cake is kept more than 1 day (before or after serving), it should be wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen. Bring cake to room temperature before serving.