Nuts, as part of a balanced diet, are a good source of key nutrients, healthy fats, and protein, and eating them on a regular basis provides several health benefits. Like other nuts, hazelnuts are rich in nutrients and have a high content of protein, fats, vitamins and minerals. Hazelnuts’ unique taste and crunchy texture transform every food from ordinary to extraordinary. This hazelnut slab pie resembles my granny’s chocolate-walnut cake, it consists of two yeasted cake layers spread with apricot jam and a mixture of egg foam and ground hazelnuts.

Ingredients:

For the dough:

• 10 g (~1/3 oz) fresh yeast (1 tsp dry yeast)
• 50 ml (~3 1/2 tbsp) milk
• 400 g (~3 1/4 cups) flour
• 150 g (~2/3 cup) butter
• 40 g (~3 1/2 tbsp) + 1 tsp sugar
• pinch of salt
• 2 eggs
• 20-40 g (~3/4 – 1 1/2 oz) sour cream (depends on the eggs’ size)

For the filling:

• 150 g (~1/3 lb) hazelnuts
• 5 eggs
• 150 g (~3/4 cup) sugar
• zest of a half lemon
• 25 g (~1 oz) semi-sweet chocolate, grated
• pinch of salt
• 6-8 tbsp apricot jam

For the chocolate glaze:

• 100 g (~3 1/2 oz) semi-sweet chocolate
• 50 ml (~3 1/2 tbsp) milk
• 30 g (~2 tbsp) butter

Place hazelnuts in a baking pan and toast them in the oven at 180°C / 356°F for 6-8 minutes. Cool and grind them. (Before grinding try to rub off the hazelnuts’ skins, as much as you can.)

For the dough dissolve yeast with a teaspoon of sugar in lukewarm milk.

Rub butter into flour. Add salt, 40 grams (3 1/2 tablespoons) of sugar, eggs, activated yeast and sour cream, and knead until smooth. If the dough is a little sticky, adjust it by adding some more flour.

Grease a 30×30 cm / 12×12 inch baking pan. Preheat the oven to 180°C / 356°F.

Cut the dough in half. On a floured surface roll out the first piece of dough into a rectangle, and transfer into the prepared baking pan, pressing the dough into corners and sides. Spread apricot jam all over it. Set aside.

Prepare the filling. Separate the eggs. Whisk egg whites and salt until stiff. Beat egg yolks and sugar until the mixture is pale yellow and thick. Mix in lemon zest and grated chocolate, finally gently fold in ground hazelnuts and egg whites. Scoop this filling on the dough evenly.

Roll out the other piece of dough and cover the hazelnut filling. Prick the top with a fork and bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.

For the glaze put chocolate and milk in a small saucepan and slowly heat, while stirring constantly, until the chocolate melts completely. Turn off the heat and stir in butter until it melts and is fully incorporated. Pour the chocolate glaze over the top of the hazelnut slab pie and spread evenly. Let the cake cool before serving.