I didn’t have to go to Vienna to try this cake.
These are the post cards I got from my friend, so I just had to try the cake.
I have a friend, Janet who just spent ten days in Austria with her granddaughter, Sarah, who is in school there for the year studying engineering. I loved getting emails and text from her with their iternary and what they were eating every day.
So on to one of her desserts of the day. I’ve heard of sacher torte for years but never made it. But after getting a post card from Janet with this dessert and the picture of her and her granddaughter Sara eating it. I knew I had to make it and what better reason than another dessert to take to a bunch of ladies who love to try the things I make — good or bad. Usually I don’t take the “flops”, they go in the trash.
You may think it’s just another chocolate cake but this cake dates bake to the 1800’s and the story behind the invention of the cake is interesting; read here for more on this delicious Torte
My disappoint in the finished product was that it’s a dense cake. I used one of Lidia C recipes and wasn’t satisfied with the way she did her ganache. Normally ganache is just cream and chocolate; she added white Karo syrup to the ganache and she also used some almond flour with her cake. I will definitely make this again but will try a different recipe.
BLAST FROM THE PAST: Looking for a new side dish for summer cookouts? Try my Cuban Style Brown Rice and Black Beans.
Ingredients ready for baking.
Grease bottom of pans, add wax paper circles, then grease and flour. Shake out excess flour.
Beat the butter and sugar then add in the yolks one at a time and after mixing, stir in the melted chocolate.
Beat the egg whites to soft peaks.
Beat in 1/4 of the egg whites then hand fold in the remainder of beaten whites.
I use these baking strips. You wet them and fasten around pan with a “t” pin. These strips keep the tops of the cake layers flat and not domed.
Divide the batter between the two greased and floured pans and spread to edges of pans.
Put the first layer down and spread about 1/2 cup of the apricot preserves over the later. Then add the top layer and brush with some of the apricot mixture. Make the ganache and spoon over the cake to smooth top and sides.
Yum, now whip your heavy cream.
This is my post card rack where I have put hundreds of cards from friends and postcards I even send to myself.
My little “bird girl” I have this statue in my garden and also a smaller one on my mantle. I did send this one to myself after a girl’s trip to Savannah last year.
- CAKE
- 6 large eggs, separated
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup almond flour or 2 ounces blanched almonds (1/3 cup), ground
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
- FILLING AND GLAZE
- 1 3/4 cups apricot preserves
- 2/3 cup light corn syrup
- 2 tablespoons rum
- 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- Unsweetened whipped cream, for serving (optional)
- Preheat the oven to 375°. Butter a 9-inch springform pan.* Line the bottom of the pan with waxed paper and butter the paper. Dust the pan with flour, tapping out the excess.
- ctric mixer, whip the egg whites at high speed until soft peaks form.
- In a small bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour with the almond flour and salt. In another large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the yolks, one at a time, and beat until fluffy. Beat in the chocolate, then beat in the flours. Beat in one-fourth of the whites, then, using a spatula, fold in the rest of the whites until no streaks remain.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan(s) and smooth the top. Bake the cake in the center of the oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Let the cake cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then remove the ring and let the cake cool completely. Invert the cake onto a plate and peel off the parchment. Turn the cake right side up. Using a long serrated knife, cut the cake horizontally into 3 even layers.
- MAKE THE FILLING AND GLAZE
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, whisk 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the apricot preserves with 1/4 cup of water and microwave until melted.
- Set the bottom of the springform pan on a wire rack and set the rack on a baking sheet. Arrange the top cake layer, cut side up, on the springform pan. Brush the cake with one-third of the melted apricot preserves. Spread 1/2 cup of the unmelted apricot preserves on top and cover with the middle cake layer. Brush the surface with another third of the melted preserves and spread another 1/2 cup of the unmelted preserves on top. Brush the cut side of the final layer with the remaining melted preserves and set it cut side down on the cake. Using a serrated knife, trim the cake edges if necessary to even them out.
- In the microwave-safe bowl, microwave the remaining 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the apricot preserves until melted, about 30 seconds. Press the preserves through a strainer to remove the solids. Brush the preserves all over the cake until completely coated. Refrigerate for 20 minutes until set.
- Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, whisk the corn syrup with the rum and 2 tablespoons of water and bring to a boil. Cook until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Put the chocolate into a heatproof bowl and pour the hot mixture on top. Let stand until melted, then whisk until smooth. If the chocolate glaze is too thick to pour, whisk in another tablespoon of hot water. Let cool to warm.
- Using an offset spatula, scrape off any excess preserves from the cake so that it is lightly coated. Slowly pour half of the warm chocolate glaze in the center of the cake, allowing it to gently coat the top and spread down the side. Spread the glaze to evenly coat the torte. Microwave the remaining glaze for a few seconds and repeat pouring and spreading. Scrape up any excess glaze. Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes to set the glaze, then cut the torte into wedges and serve with the whipped cream.
- The torte can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days.
- I did not want to bake in springform pan and chose to bake in two 9" cake pans so I would not have to cut. Cooked faster than suggested since it was in two pans and I would also use 8" pans the next time.
- She add almond flour with the all purpose. I would to add almond flour the next time, maybe either use all all purpose or look at another recipe.
- Most recipes I have looked at only call for making two layers.
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