Sachertorte

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Susan, AKA Kiwicook
Susan, AKA Kiwicook

Susan, AKA Kiwicook

In her days as a recipe developer, Susan has created over 450 recipes. Her Dutch and New Zealander roots serve as a basis for her culinary inspiration.

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SACHERTORTE

The October Daring Bakers’ challenge was brought to us by Korena of Korena in the Kitchen. She took us to Austria and introduced us to the wonders of the Sachertorte.

This challenge took me back to my own visit to the Sacher Hotel in Vienna when I was a mere 25 years old (seems SO long ago) and the memory of digging into that expensive piece of torte in such exquisitely refined surroundings has always stayed with me. I also remember being horribly drunk whilst riding the ferris wheel in Prater Park that night, but that’s another story!

To say I was a little intimidated by this challenge is an under-statement. But, I bit the bullet and dove in. And, let me say, the cake itself was a breeze and was absolutely beautiful. Being a European style cake, it has a slightly drier texture than we’re used to, but it was by no means dry. You eat it with a large dollop of freshly whipped cream which provides that extra moisture. And, in terms of taste, the cake is not overly sweet, but is covered in an apricot jam and rum glaze that gives a surprising hit of rich, tangy sweetness and complements the chocolate beautifully.

No… where I, and indeed many of the Daring Bakers, had issues was with the chocolate glaze. You’ve got to be very quick in pouring it to ensure the surface and side of the cake is covered before it sets, which is super quick. Any attempts at working the glaze to cover up any uncovered areas ends up in a hot mess. It’s tricky stuff and many of us failed.

I also have to be honest with you (and I cross my fingers and hope Franz Sacher, the creator of the cake doesn’t turn in his grave), but I didn’t actually like the glaze. It is intensely sweet, being made up mostly of sugar, and has a fudgy taste and texture. Like some of the other Daring Bakers I scraped the glaze off the cake and made my own chocolate icing, borrowing it from the Baumkuchen (Tree Cake) recipe I made months ago. It’s a simple chocolate and coconut oil glaze that is dark and slightly bitter and, I think, a perfect foil for the cake. I’m leaving the original glaze ingredients and instructions in this recipe, however, as it is authentic and part of the Daring Kitchen challenge. However, if you want to try the dark chocolate icing I used, you can find that recipe here.

You’ll see that I also didn’t write the word ‘Sacher’ on the torte as was directed in the recipe. I killed two birds with one stone and made this cake for my father’s birthday and as I was sure he wouldn’t want to receive a cake with ‘Sacher’ written on it… (I could hear him say, ‘Who’s Sacher?’), I went ahead and decorated it in my own way. I applied sliced almonds to the side while the icing was still wet and sifted some dark cocoa over a crocheted doily on the surface (yes, I washed it afterwards). So I slightly went off-road with this challenge, but all for a good cause.

It’s a long post (I’m sorry!) and a long recipe, but I promise you that it’s worth the effort. One of my brothers immediately booked this cake for his upcoming birthday, so that was a nice compliment and I’m looking forward to making it again, without the sense of trepidation. Enjoy!

SACHERTORTE 2
SACHERTORTE

SACHERTORTE

Craving a classic sachertorte recipe? Forget those fussy versions! This one is surprisingly easy to make, and the results are seriously impressive. Rich chocolate, a hint of apricot, and a classic chocolate glaze… it's the perfect dessert for chocolate lovers who want a touch of Old-World charm.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Cooling Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Course Dessert
Servings 16 Servings
Calories 360 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

Cake Ingredients

  • oz bittersweet chocolate (good quality) (I used 62% cocoa, chopped)
  • 9 tbsp unsalted butter , softened at room temperature
  • oz confectioners’ sugar (icing sugar or powdered sugar)
  • 6 large eggs , separated, at room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 7 oz granulated sugar
  • oz all-purpose flour (plain flour)
  • Pinch fine grain salt

Apricot Glaze

  • 14 oz apricot jam or preserves
  • 2 tbsp rum or other liquor or water

Chocolate Glaze

  • 7 oz granulated sugar
  • ½ cup water
  • 4 oz bittersweet chocolate (good quality), chopped

Writing Chocolate

  • 1.8 oz chopped good quality chocolate
  • ½ – 1 tsp vegetable oil

Assembly

  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream,cold (I like adding 2-3 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar to sweeten it a little)

Instructions
 

  • Preparation: Preheat oven to moderately hot 375˚F/350°F fan/190˚C/gas mark 5 with a rack in the centre of the oven. Butter and flower the sides of a 9-inch (23 cm) springform pan, then line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper.

For the cake: 

  • Place the bittersweet chocolate in a heat-proof bowl and heat over a small saucepan of barely simmering water (make sure that the bowl is not touching the simmering water) or in the microwave until just melted. Set aside to cool completely, stirring often.
  • Place the butter in a large mixing bowl and beat with the paddle attachment of a stand mixer or electric mixer on medium speed until very light and creamy. Add the confectioners’ sugar on low speed, then increase to medium speed and beat again until light and creamy.
  • Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
  • Add the cooled chocolate and vanilla and beat until well-mixed and very light and creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
  • In a scrupulously clean bowl using the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites with about one tablespoon of the granulated sugar on high speed until foamy. Gradually add in the rest of the granulated sugar and continue beating the whites until they form soft, shiny peaks – they should hold their shape but flop over on themselves.
  • Vigorously stir about 1/3 of the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, then gently fold the remaining egg whites into the chocolate mixture with a spatula until just a few wisps of egg white remain. Do this carefully so as not to deflate the egg whites.
  • Stir together the flour and salt and sift half of it over the chocolate mixture. Fold in with a spatula until almost incorporated. Sift over the remaining flour and fold to combine completely. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared springform pan.
  • Bake in the preheated moderately hot 375˚F/350°F fan/190˚C/gas mark 5 oven for 35-45 minutes (mine took exactly 40 minutes) or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. The cake will crack and dome in the middle as it bakes but will flatten out as it cools.
  • Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge to loosen it from the pan and remove the sides. Carefully invert the cake onto a rack and remove the bottom of the pan and parchment paper, then turn the cake right-side up onto a rack and allow to cool completely.
  • For the Apricot Glaze: Boil the jam and rum/water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until the mixture thickens and drips slowly from the spoon, about 2-3 minutes. Strain through a wire mesh sieve, pressing firmly on the solids. You should have about 1 cup of glaze. Use warm.

Assembly: 

  • Turn the cake upside-down so that the perfectly flat bottom of the cake is now the top. Cut the cake horizontally into 2 even layers.
  • Place 1 cake layer on the 8½-inch (22 cm) cardboard cake round and spread it generously with about half of the apricot glaze. Allow it to soak in.
  • Place the second cake layer on top and spread the top and sides with the remaining apricot glaze. Work quickly before the glaze has a chance to set and use a metal offset spatula to smooth the top.
  • Place the cake on a rack set over a plate or baking sheet lined with waxed paper and allow the apricot glaze to set.

For the Chocolate Glaze: 

  • Place the sugar and water in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
  • Attach a candy thermometer and cook, stirring, until the mixture reaches 234˚F/112°C, about 5 minutes.
  • Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the chocolate. It might thicken up quite a bit. If it does, return it to low heat and add a few drops of water if necessary to thin it out to a runny, pourable consistency. The glaze should be smooth and shiny.
  • Off the heat, stir the glaze for 30-60 seconds to cool it slightly, then immediately pour it over the top of the cake, first around the edge (allowing the glaze to spill down the sides) and then in the middle. Spread the excess glaze over any bare spots using a metal offset spatula. Before the glaze has a chance to set, move the cake to a serving platter. Note: Any excess glaze can be stored in a container in the fridge and added to a mug of hot milk to make hot chocolate.

For the Writing Chocolate: 

  • Heat the chocolate until just melted, then stir in enough vegetable oil to get a pipeable consistency. If necessary, let the chocolate mixture cool slightly to thicken so that it is not too runny.
  • Place the chocolate in a disposable piping bag or small Ziplock bag and snip off the tip to make a small hole. It might pay to do a practice run on waxed paper before writing on the cake.
  • With the writing chocolate, pipe the word ‘Sacher’ in the middle of the cake and add any decorative flourishes you wish. Chill the cake until the glaze is completely set, at least 1 hour.

To serve: 

  • Let the cake come to room temperature for about 1 hour before serving. Whip the cream to soft peaks (this is best done in a cold bowl with cold beaters). If desired, sweeten it with icing sugar to taste.
  • Cut the Sachertorte into wedges with a large sharp knife dipped in hot water and wipe off the blade between cuts. Serve each wedge of cake with a large dollop of whipped cream.

Notes

Storage & Freezing Instructions/Tips:
*The cake can be stored up to 2 days in an airtight container at room temperature.
**Recommended watching: Epicurious has a great series of videos of a pastry chef making this Sachertorte recipe from start to finish, with some very useful tips on technique.

Nutrition

Calories: 360kcalCarbohydrates: 63gProtein: 4gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 88mgSodium: 40mgPotassium: 142mgFiber: 1gSugar: 41gVitamin A: 357IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 28mgIron: 2mg
Keyword Sachertorte
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Susan, AKA Kiwicook
About The Author
Susan, also known as the Kiwi Cook, hails from Levin, New Zealand, and has a unique Kiwi-Dutch-British heritage that influenced her culinary upbringing. As an artist, tutor, writer, and editor, Susan dedicates her weekends to creating delectable dishes. Her food philosophy embraces moderation and listening to her body's needs.

Comments

  1. I like the way you make your adaptations to suit your own taste (e.g. the chocolate covering you mentioned). Very sumptuously described and presented.

    Reply

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