Hazelnut Gateau Breton

For the filling:

•      100 g chopped dates
•      100 ml water
•      2 tbsp Orange blossom water
•      20 ml vegetable oil
•      20 g plain chocolate chips
•      50 g Hazelnut meal
•      1 tbsp almond extract

 
For the gateau:

•      250 g unsalted butter, softened and cut into pieces
•      1 tsp salt
•      100g Hazelnut meal
•      2 tbsp Almond extract
•      150 g golden caster sugar, Lakanto Golden
•      200 g plain flour, sieved  
•      3 eggs
•      2 egg yolks
•      1 egg white, for glaze

Position rack in centre of oven and preheat to 160°C. 

Butter and flour 9-inch-diameter springform pan. 

Combine deseeded dates and water over low heat. Once soft add Orange blossom, oil, chocolate and meal. Add extract, set mix aside.

 In a food processor, pulse to combine flour, sugar and salt. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles bread crumbs. 
Add the eggs, whisk in hazelnut meal (batter will be thick; do not overmix or cake may be tough).

Divide batter into two. Transfer one half to prepared pan; smooth top with offset spatula (layer will be thin). Spread chocolate mix on top and spread evenly, leaving out the 1/2 inch from the outermost circle. Spread the other half of the batter on top.

Brush top generously with egg glaze. Using back of tines of fork, deeply mark crisscross pattern atop cake, marking 3 times across in 1 direction and 3 times in the other direction. Bake cake until deep golden on top and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool in pan on rack 15 minutes, then remove pan sides and cool cake completely.