Natalie Wong's hazelnut chocolate cake

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Step 1
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.

Step 2
Grease and line three 20cm-cake tins, or two tins and one muffin tin (use muffin cases for the latter).

Step 3
Add the chocolate, 200g sugar and the butter to a bowl, then melt over a pan of simmering water.

Step 4
Take off the heat and stir in the ground nuts.

Step 5
Beat the yolks and add them to the mixture.

Step 6
Whisk the egg whites, adding the remaining sugar just before they form soft peaks.

Step 7
Then whisk until they reach soft peaks.

Step 8
Fold in to the chocolate.

Step 9
Transfer to the tins, and bake for 20 minutes (for cakes) or 15 minutes (for muffins).

Step 10
Cool before turning out.

Step 11
To make the ganache, melt the chocolate and cream in a bowl set over boiling water, then cool slightly.

Step 12
Spread ganache on the top of the first cake, place the second on top, and spread with more ganache.

Step 13
Top with the third cake or the muffins.

Step 14
Carefully pour the remainder over the entire cake and spread as evenly as possible – don't worry if it looks a bit messy and uneven.

Step 15
Sprinkle the chopped hazelnuts over the entire cake and decorate with whole nuts.

Step 16
Serve with sour or whipped cream.