Gateaux Recipes - Chocolate and Nut Gateau

Ingredients

• 75g/3oz shelled hazelnuts

• about 32 sponge fingers

• 150ml/3/4 cup cold strong black coffee

• 30ml/2 tbsp brandy

• 450ml/1 3/4 cups double cram

• 75g/6 tbsp icing sugar, sifted

• 150g/5oz plain chocolate

• icing sugar and cocoa powder, for dusting

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Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200.C/400'F/Gas 6. Spread out the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven for 5 minutes until golden. Transfer the nuts to a clean dish towel and rub off the skins while still warm. Cool, then chop finely.

2. Line a 1.2 liter/5 cup loaf tin with clear film and cut enough sponge fingers to fit the base and sides. Reserve the remaining fingers.

3. Mix the coffee and brandy in a shallow dish. Dip the sponge fingers briefly into the coffee mixture and return to the tin, sugary side down.

4. Whip the cream with the icing sugar until it forms soft peaks. Roughly chop 75g/3oz of the chocolate, and fold into the cream with the hazelnuts. Melt the remaining chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Cool, then fold into the cream mixture. Spoon into the tin.

5. Moisten the remaining biscuits in the coffee mixture and layover the filling. Wrap and freeze until firm.

6. Remove from the freezer 30 minutes before serving. Turn out on to a serving plate and dust with icing sugar and cocoa.