Hungarian Chocolate & Roasted Hazelnut Torte

This Hungarian Chocolate & Roasted Hazelnut Torte Slice is a treasured family recipe passed down from my nan and enjoyed at countless family dinners. Naturally gluten free, it combines a light roasted hazelnut meringue base with a rich chocolate and roasted hazelnut layer, all finished with a silky dark chocolate ganache.

The recipe showcases the beauty of traditional Hungarian baking, where whipped eggs provide natural lift and roasted hazelnuts create flavour, structure and moisture without the need for flour. Every step has a purpose—from roasting the hazelnuts to whipping the eggs separately and folding the mixtures gently—ensuring a beautifully balanced torte with a light texture and deep chocolate flavour.

Whether you're baking for a celebration, afternoon tea or simply sharing a family favourite, this elegant torte is proof that timeless recipes and food science go hand in hand.

Baking for Every Table – bringing traditional recipes to life with expert baking techniques, food science and smart ingredient swaps for every baker.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 45

Servings: 10 people

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Baking

Ingredients Equipment Method Video Notes

Ingredients

Cake

7 Egg white
90 g Castor sugar
200 g Ground Hazelnuts Note 1
7 Egg yolks
90 g Castor sugar
100 g Ground Hazelnuts Note 1
100 g Unsalted Butter
100 g Dark chocolate chopped Grated Note 2

Ganache

100 g Dark Chocolate
100 g Cream

Equipment

1 Slice tray 18 x 26cm
1 Oven
2 Medium bowls
2 Oven trays
1 Food Blitzer
1 Stand Mixer
1 Stand Mixer Whisk
1 double boiler
1 stove
1 Bowl scraper
1 Step Pallete knife
1 Saptula
1 Comb Scraper

Method

Set the oven to 165C
Prepare a slice tin with baking paper adding to the base and sides

Cake

Separate eggs into egg white and yolks
Whip egg white until soft peaks form add the sugar in three stages and whip until medium peaks.
Roast the two lots of hazelnuts until a light golden brown and set aside to cool. (first for egg whites and second for the egg white)
Fold through the first lot of hazelnuts into the egg whites
Add to the tin and smooth with a spatula.
Bake until just set around 25 minutes
Cool slightly around 10 minutes
Melt and cool the butter
Whip the egg yolks and sugar until it holds a trail
Add in the melted butter and mix in
Add in the second lot of the roasted hazelnuts
Add the grated chocolate and just mix though
Spread over the baked base and smooth with a spatula
Add to the oven and bake until a light golden brown and set around 20 mins
Cool fully

Ganache

Bring the cream to boil and pour over the chocolate
Mix until smooth
When the slice is cool take out of the tin
Smooth a layer of ganache over the slice with a spatula and comb
Fully set before cutting into even bite size squares

Video

Notes

1: Roasting the Ground Hazelnuts

Spread the ground hazelnuts in a thin, even layer on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Roast in a 160°C fan-forced (180°C conventional) oven for 8–10 minutes, stirring halfway through, until they are lightly golden and fragrant. Watch them carefully during the final few minutes, as ground hazelnuts can burn quickly due to their natural oil content.

Allow the roasted hazelnuts to cool completely before folding them into the egg whites or egg yolk mixture. Warm hazelnuts can deflate the whipped eggs, reducing the cake's light texture.

2:Preparing the Dark Chocolate

Use a good-quality 55% dark chocolate and chop it into small, uneven pieces, about 3–5 mm in size. Avoid chopping it too finely or grating it, as you want small pieces of chocolate to remain throughout the second hazelnut layer. During baking, these pieces soften and partially melt, creating pockets of rich chocolate flavour and a more luxurious texture in every bite.