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Dark Chocolate Walnut Gateau

Chocolate and walnuts are a marriage made in heaven. Giving a favourite an even healthier twist, this cake comes with a serving of oats too. It’s flourless, gluten free, moist and delicious. Make it ahead as a tea cake or dessert.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 35 minutes
Servings 8 people

Ingredients
  

Walnut Oat Base

  • 30 g clarified butter {ghee}
  • 150 g walnuts
  • 40 g quick cooking oats
  • 15 g brown sugar

Dark Chocolate Filling

  • 4 egg yolks
  • 50 g brown sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean scraped {or 1vanilla extract}
  • 15 g coffee powder
  • 100 g dark chocolate melted
  • 2 tbsp Water
  • 4 egg whites
  • 1 pinch cream of tartar
  • 50 g brown sugar
  • 30 g oatmeal
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 10 g powdered sugar for sifting

Mascarpone Caramel Cream

  • 200 g mascarpone chilled
  • 2-3 tbsp salted caramel sauce
  • Salted caramel sauce to drizzle

Instructions
 

Flourless Gateau

  • Preheat oven to 180 C. Butter an 8" springform tin. Line the base with parchment paper

Walnut Oat Base

  • Run walnuts, oats and 1 tablespoon brown sugar in food processor till ground. Add the clarified butter/ghee and pulse till it all comes together.
  • Gently press this into the bottom and up the sides of the baking tin to form a base.

Dark Chocolate Filling

  • Place the egg whites in the bowl of the stand mixer. Add 50g brown sugar, pinch of cream of tartar and beat on high speed to stiff peaks. Reserve in a separate bowl.
  • Place the egg yolks in the same bowl of the stand mixer. Beat on high speed for 5-7 minutes until thick and mousse like. Add the remaining 50g brown sugar, coffee powder and scraped vanilla bean, and continue to beat for another 3 minutes. Gently stir in the oats flour and baking powder.
  • Fold in the melted chocolate and water.
  • Gently fold in the beaten egg whites, beginning with a quarter at a time.
  • Turn the filling over the walnut base and spread uniformly. Sprinkle over with 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • Bake for approximately 30 minutes, cool in the pan for another 15-20 minutes
  • Loosen sides, and leave to cool completely for about 2 hours. The centre will drop/sink
  • Chill, then top with the mascarpone cream.

Topping

  • Whisk the mascarpone until smooth.
  • Take 2-3 tbsp and whisk in the salted caramel sauce to loosen, the gently fold this through the remaining mascarpone. Taste and add more sauce if desired.
  • Top the chilled cake with this, add some salted caramel popcorn if you like.
  • Slightly warm a little more salted caramel sauce and drizzle over to finish.