A luscious vegan torte using hazelnut flour and seasonal pears makes a perfect zero-waste dessert. The recipe, from the cookbook Eating for Pleasure, People & Planet, uses aquafaba and ground flaxseeds as egg replacements, turning what would be poured down the sink into a cake with remarkable lift.
Blitz shelled hazelnuts into a flour instead of using ground almonds, though almonds work if you have them. The torte is gooey and not too sweet; cook it slightly under for a brownie-like centre. Serve warm with your favourite yoghurt for best results.
Ingredients include 250g hazelnuts, 100g light-brown sugar, 75g wholemeal flour, 2 tbsp cocoa powder, 2 tsp baking powder, 100ml olive oil, 100ml aquafaba, 50g ground flaxseeds, and 4 pears. Roast hazelnuts at 200C (180C fan) for eight minutes, then pulse to a powder. Mix with dry ingredients, then add wet ingredients and beat well.
Grease a 23cm flan dish, dust with flour and cocoa, fill with mixture, and top with pear slices. Bake for 40 minutes until risen and firm. Sprinkle with brown sugar or homemade icing sugar before serving with yoghurt.
