Hazelnut Cake with Chocolate Chips

There are few things I like as much as the combination of hazelnuts and dark chocolate. That's why this hazelnut and chocolate chip cake it has stolen my heart. For that reason, and because it has a third wonderful ingredient, which is the golden butter, brown butter or butter hazelnut. The sum of all of them gives a sponge cake with a delicious flavor and an incredible aroma that, when it escapes from the oven, floods every corner of the kitchen.

This sponge cake type financier it has a surprising juiciness and is the perfect excuse to use up egg whites frozen. If you can resist the temptation and let it rest for a few hours before trying it, you'll see that it's even more delicious. The culprit is the perfect combination of powdered hazelnuts, praline, egg whites, and browned butter. Chocolate chips put the finishing touch on one of the most delicious and easiest cakes you can imagine.

Regarding brown butter, if you haven't had the chance to try it or don't know it, don't worry, because a few months ago I dedicated a full post to it; you'll find it here. In addition to seeing how to make brown butter, which is something tremendously easy, you will also see how to use it. It's almost magical how butter changes after a few minutes over the heat. Once you try the result in this sponge cake, I'm sure you'll want to use it in many more sweet recipes.

Here is the recipe for the hazelnut sponge cake with chocolate chips. I hope you make it today and that you like it as much as I do.

Ingredients

• 150 g hazelnut powder, very finely ground
• 30 g of praliné*
• 125 g powdered sugar
• 6 egg whites (unbeaten)
• 75 g of flour
• 3 g of baking soda
• 140 g butter
• 6 g baking powder (such as Royal)
• 40 g of chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

*You can buy the praline or make it at home. If you prefer to make it yourself, here you have the recipe.

Preparation

1. First, make the brown butter. Put the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Once it has melted, reduce the heat to low and let it cook for a few minutes, until it turns golden and its aroma reminds you of walnuts or hazelnuts. Turn off the heat and let it cool to room temperature.
2. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
3. In the bowl of your KitchenAid stand mixer, add the hazelnut powder, powdered sugar, and praliné. Mix the ingredients with the flat beater.
   
4. Add the unwhipped egg whites and mix again until they are well incorporated.
5. Sift the flour and add it as well, along with the baking soda and baking powder. Mix again until combined.
6. Pour the browned butter into the bowl and mix again so it incorporates well.
7. Finally, add the chocolate chips or chopped chocolate and stir just enough to distribute them throughout the batter.
8. Cover your de Buyer perforated rectangular stainless steel mold with removable base of 20 cm and pour in the batter.
9. Bake for 40 minutes at 180 °C and, when it's done, let it cool on a rack before taking a bite.
   

Suggestions

• You may have noticed that this cake uses only egg whites. As I mentioned at the beginning, it's the perfect excuse to use any you have frozen. If that's not the case, with the yolks that aren't used, you can make a wonderful pastry cream, as we explain here, or some delicious cups of vanilla cream with red berries, like what you can see here.
• Even though the recipe calls for praline, you can replace it with pure nut paste or nut butter, whether hazelnut or almond. It will be just as wonderful.
  
• If you want to make small or individual-serving cakes, you can divide the batter into individual molds. You'll need to adjust the baking time, as they will be ready sooner.