Sacher Torte

Sacher Torte

A little piece of history

The story of the world-famous Original Sacher-Torte began in 1832, when the Wenzel Clemens Prince Metternich, ordered the creation of a particularly palatable dessert for spoiled high-ranking guests.

"Take care that you do NOT make me look a fool tonight", he warned. That very day, however, the chef was unavailable! The order was reassigned to a 16-year-old apprentice in his second year, the quick-witted chap Franz Sacher...

One thing was certain; the speciality which was finally presented to the masters and mistresses was a resounding success: a soft and fluffy chocolate cake with the tasty apricot jam under the icing.

 

The cake consists of two layers of dense chocolate sponge cake with a thin layer of apricot jam in the middle, coated in dark chocolate icing on the top and sides.

There are innumerable variations of this traditionally secret recipe, this is our favorite version -

Ingredients

• 150 g dark chocolate, chopped
• 1 tbsp water
• 155 g unsalted butter (make sure you use unsalted butter else the taste of the cake changes)
• 1/2 cup castor sugar
• 3 eggs (yolk and whites separated)
• 1 cup plain flour (maida)
• 2 tbsp castor sugar extra 
• 2/3 cup apricot jam (heated and strained)

For chocolate icing -

• 125 g dark chocolate chopped
• 125 g unsalted butter (once again it is important to use unsalted butter)

Method

Melt chocolate in a heat proof bowl in a hot bath (heat water in a bowl which is smaller than the bowl in which you are melting the chocolate, so that the bowl of chocolate can sit on top of the hot water)

Stir in the water, cool to room temperature.

Cream the butter and sugar in a small bowl (using a small bowl ensures that the butter and sugar combine well with a fluffy consistency) with an electric beater until light and fluffy.

Beat in egg yolks one at a time, beating only until combined. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl, stir in the chocolate mixture and the sifted flour.

Beat egg whites in a separate small bowl until soft peaks are formed (soft peak consistency is when you pull away the whisk the eggs should form a soft peak without collapsing)

Gradually add the extra 2 tbsp of sugar that we had kept aside. Beat until dissolved between each addition. Fold lightly into chocolate mixture. (This is the most important step of the cake; it is very important to fold with a very light hand, ensuring that the egg does not loose its aeration, otherwise the resulting cake will be dense and hard)

Grease a deep 23 cm round cake pan, line the base with butter paper and grease the paper as well. Preheat the oven to 180 deg C. (I use a LG Microwave with convection mode and it works as well as any OTG)

Spread the mixture into the pan. Bake at 180 deg C for 30 min. Check if done with the toothpick method. Stand for 5 min before turning onto a wire rack for cooling. Trim the extra cake on top to give a flat surface and then leave the cake upside down (the bottom portion of the cake is flatter and serves better for icing). 

Split the cake (once cold) in half and place on a serving plate. Brush the heated and strained jam on top of the lower half of the cake, put the other half on top. Brush cake all over with the remaining jam. Stand for about 1 hr to allow the jam to set. (In places with hot summers, you can keep the cake in the refrigerator for half and hour).

For Chocolate Icing - Melt chocolate and butter in a hot bath (as above), stir until smooth. cool to room temperature until spreadable, stir occasionally. The icing will start becoming firmer, this can take upto 2 hours. (Again for places with hot weather, you can keep the icing in the fridge for 10-15 min, stirring frequently). This icing is also suitable for piping.

Now spread the top and sides with the icing. Let the icing set.

Keeping time is 2 days but you can keep it in the refrigerator for 4-6 days.

Lamingtons

LAMINGTONS

 A lamington is a dessert of Australian origin and consists of squares of sponge cake coated first in a layer of chocolate icing (traditionally) and then rolled in desiccated coconut.. Lamingtons are sometimes served as two halves with a layer of cream or jam (strawberry / raspberry) in between. This one comes from one of my aunts recipe books.

Ingredients

For the sponge cake -

• 6 Eggs
• 3/4 cups castor sugar (or powdered sugar)
• 1 cup self raising flour (all purpose flour or maida with 2 tsp of baking soda)
• 1/3 cup cornflour (I used custard powder in the same proportion)
• 1/3 cup hot water
• 15 g melted butter

For Icing

• 4 cups (500g) icing sugar (or powdered sugar)
• 1/3 cup Cocoa 
• 15 g butter (melted)
• 1/2 cup milk

For the final rolling in

• 3 cups (250 g approx) dessicated coconut

Method

Beat eggs in a bowl with an electric mixer until thick and creamy; gradually add the sugar, beat until dissolved between each addition.
Put the butter in hot water and combine.
Fold in the sifted flour, then add the combined water and butter.
Pre-heat oven to 190-200 deg Celsius or 375-400 deg F
Grease a 23 cm square pan. Pour in the mixture.
Bake at 190-200 deg C for about 35 min.
Stand for 5 min before turning on to wire rack to cool.
Trim the crusts from the cake and cut into 25 squares (5 slices on each side of the square)

For the chocolate icing - sift the icing sugar and cocoa into a heatproof bowl, stir in the butter and milk, stir over a hot water bath until icing is smooth. (hot water bath - boil water in a large pan and then simmer, now put your bowl of chocolate icing in the large pan so that it does not get direct heat from the flame but the hot water keeps the icing in a syrupy state)

Now dip each piece of the cake into the chocolate icing, then toss in a tray of dessicated coconut till all sides are evenly coated.
Stand on a rack to set.

Keeping time - 2 days (maybe 3-4 if you are stingy and keep it in the fridge)
PS- will add in the pics of the preparation soon