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1
Preheat oven to 350-degrees.
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2
Prepare a 9-inch springform pan: grease and line with parchment or wax paper.
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3
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs whites and salt until stiff but not dry (this means that they will hold their peaks, yet still appear glossy and smooth).
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4
In a separate bowl, beat the butter and Nutella together, then add Frangelico (or what you have chosen to use), egg yolks, and ground hazelnuts.
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5
Fold in the cooled, melted chocolate, then lighten the mixture with a dollop of egg white, which you can beat in as roughly as you want, before gently folding the rest of them in a third at a time.
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6
Pour into the prepared pan and cook for 40 minutes or until the cake's beginning to come away at the sides, then let cool on rack.
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7
Toast the hazelnuts in a dry frying pan until the aroma wafts upward and the nuts are golden brown in parts: keep shaking the pan so they don't burn on one side and stay too pallid on others.
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8
Transfer to a plate and let cool.
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9
This is imperative: if they go on the ganache while hot, it'll turn oily (believe me I speak from experience).
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10
In a heavy-bottomed sauce pan, add the cream, liquer or water, and chopped chocolate and heat gently.
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11
Once the chocolate's melted, take the pan off the heat and whisk until it reaches the right consistency to ice just the top of the cake.
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12
Unmold the cooled cake carefully, leaving it on the base as it will be too difficult to get such a damp cake off in one piece.
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13
Ice the top with the chocolate icing, and dot thickly with the whole, toasted hazelnuts.
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14
If you have used Frangelico, put shot glasses on the table and serve it with the cake.
