Hazelnut Cake with Raspberries

Serves 4

Preparation time: 15mins

Cooking time: 30 - 40 mins

Ingredients:

2 x 150g/6oz packets of hazelnuts

4 x egg whites

325g/9 oz caster sugar

½ tsp vanilla essence

½ tsp white wine vinegar

275ml/½ pint whipped cream or clotted cream

Icing sugar

Punnet raspberries

AND THIS IS WHAT YOU DO…

1.  Preheat oven to 170c/Fan 150c/Gas 4. 

2.  Place hazelnuts in moderate oven for approx 10 mins until golden brown, cool, rub off skins and grind.

3.  Beat egg whites stiffly and gradually add all but two heaped tablespoons sugar.

4.  Fold in nuts with remaining sugar. Continue beating, add essence and vinegar.

5.  Place mixture evenly on two greased and lined 8” sandwich tins.

6.  Bake 25 – 40 mins. The cake should be crisp on top and soft marshmallow inside. Turn out on to wire racks to cool for 3 hrs.

7.  Spread the cake with cream, dust top with icing sugar and decorate with raspberries (and extra cream rosettes, if liked).