French Hazelnut Cake (Creusois)

This French hazelnut cake, also called “Creusois”, is a specialty originated from the Limousin region, prepared with ground hazelnuts and egg whites. It has a unique rustic, nutty flavor and remains light and fluffy at the same time.

Here’s a dessert that only French people would know. Growing up in France, I knew about this hazelnut cake and got to try it from time to time. Spoiler alert: I love it! However, the original recipe is well kept by a very small group of 31 pastry chefs. It makes this cake recipe very rare, even in France. In fact, most of the gâteaux Creusois we find in France are indeed industrial ones.

I first intended to recreate the recipe a little while ago and used it as a base for my Chocolate Hazelnut Easter Egg Cake (by far my favorite Easter dessert). I’m happy to share a very slightly different version today, with a little less butter to make it lighter. The result? A unique and powerful nutty flavor with a light and fluffy meringue texture. Delicious!

What is Creusois?

Creusois is a meringue hazelnut cake originated from the Limousin region in the south-central France. Prepared with ground hazelnuts, flour, egg whites, sugar and butter, this rustic recipe was first mentioned in a 15th century parchment found in a local monastery.

The name “Creusois” evokes both the French department La Creuse, where the cake is originated, and the hollow tile where the cake was baked in its origins.

What goes into Hazelnut cake Creusois?

• Hazelnuts. These are the main ingredient in the recipe. We use them ground, with still some texture in it (it doesn’t have to be too thin like blanched flour).
• All-purpose flour. Because hazelnuts can make the cake a little heavy and dense, we add a little bit of flour to the recipe for a little lift.
• Sugar. Use caster or granulated sugar for best results in texture. Brown sugar would make the cake too moist and you would loose its light and fluffy texture.
• Butter. Use it melted and ideally unsalted. Butter makes the cake rich and generous.
• Egg whites. The recipe calls for 5 egg whites, beaten until still peaks form. Combined with the other ingredients, they act as baking powder, creating a little lift to the cake, while making it light and fluffy. Read below for how to use the 5 remaining yolks.

Ground hazelnuts or hazelnut meal?

You have 2 options here: use whole hazelnuts and grind them yourself with a food processor, or use store-bought hazelnut meal (also called hazelnut flour). Either way, expect a texture that is sandy, nutty, with brownish colors. Do not expect a white texture like for almond meal. I personally find that we achieve very honest results with the store-bought one (I always use Bob’s Red Mill Hazelnut Meal).

Pro tips using the beaten egg whites

This French hazelnut cake is a very straightforward recipe, with a minimalist list of ingredients. The meringue is the only tricky part, especially if you are not used to bake with beaten eggs. Always start with beating egg whites with an electric hand mixer equipped with beaters. Start beating on medium speed, and increase the speed to the maximum towards the end. You are looking for stiff peaks that will stay in the bowl if you invert it (you can do the test, but be careful not to drop the mixture if the whites are not ready).

Then, it’s important to add the beaten egg whites in several additions. I always add a little bit of egg whites to make the hazelnut mixture more supple and easy to handle, then I fold in the remaining egg whites in 2 or 3 additions, stirring gently by lifting the mixture from the bowl in a circle movement, until completely incorporated. Doing so ensures a light and fluffy texture to the cake.

How to serve this French Hazelnut Cake

Although you could enjoy it as it, simply dusted with a little bit of confectioners’ sugar, I find that Creusois always benefits from a little something to serve along. I love it with crème anglaise (a French vanilla custard), vanilla ice cream, hot chocolate or chocolate pudding, and it also pairs well with pears and/or berries.

What to do with the remaining yolks?

Because the recipe calls for 5 egg whites, you will be left with 5 yolks to use. To avoid them going to waste, I recommend making French chocolate pots de crème, which are generous in egg yolks. You can also serve them alongside this hazelnut cake for a very French and generous dessert. That’s how I do it myself every time!

Other French desserts:

• French Yogurt Cake (Gâteau Au Yaourt)
• French Chocolate Cake
• Lemon Meringue Pie
• Apple Tarte Tatin
• Teurgoule (Slow-Baked Rice Pudding)

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