Sachertorte is a sophisticated chocolate cake filled with apricot jam and iced with shiny chocolate frosting. It is said to have originated in the Hotel Sacher in Vienna. As they share a border with Austria, the Alto Adige and Friulia Venezia-Giulia regions of Italy have been influenced by its cuisine: you may find poppy seed breads, apple strudel and cakes similar to this sachertorte.
Warm Bread and Honey Cake
This recipe for homemade sachertorte comes from Warm Bread and Honey Cake, a lovely new baking book by Gaitri Pagrach-Chandra (pub. Pavilion £25.00). It appears here with permission. In the book, Gaitri Pagrach-Chandra says she often uses two sandwich tins for this cake, instead of one springform tin, which is the classic way. The advantage is that the cakes bake more quickly (in approximately 30 minutes) and are moister. The slight disadvantage is that, unless your tins have absolutely straight sides, you get a cake that is not quite as neat as the one baked in a single tin. If you decide to use the sandwich tins, be sure to check that both will fit in your oven at the same time. This is a straightforward cake to make if you use the alternative chocolate glaze. The ‘original’ boiled icing takes more time. Both glaze and icing need time to set.
Traditional Sachertorte – Recipe
Ingredients
To Make the Chocolate Cake
- 200 g/7 oz/7 squares dark chocolate, chopped
- 2 tbsp rum
- 150 g/51⁄2 oz/1 cup plain (all-purpose) flour
- 1⁄2 tsp baking powder
- 1⁄4 tsp salt
- 6 eggs, separated
- 200 g/7 oz/1 cup granulated sugar
- 150 g/51⁄2 oz/generous 11⁄4 sticks butter, softened
- 100 g/31⁄2 oz/scant 1⁄3 cup sieved (strained) apricot jam (jelly), warmed slightly
'Original' Boiled Chocolate Icing
- 250 g/9 oz/11⁄4 cups (superfine) caster sugar
- 100 g/31⁄2 oz/31⁄2 squares dark chocolate, finely chopped
- 25 g/1 oz/1⁄4 cup cocoa
- 8 tbsp water
Alternative Chocolate Glaze
- 250 g/9 oz/9 squares dark chocolate, chopped
- 125 ml/4 fl oz/1⁄2 cup cream, single (light) or double (heavy)
Equipment:
24-cm/9-in springform tin
Method
- Put the chocolate for the cake in the top part of a double boiler. If you don’t have a double boiler, choose a heatproof bowl that fits snugly on top of a saucepan. Put enough water in the bottom of the double boiler/saucepan so that the pan or bowl holding the chocolate will be just clear of the water.
- Bring the water to the boil, then turn the heat low and put the pan/bowl with the chocolate on top of this. Leave to melt, stirring from time to time. Remove from the heat and stir in the rum. Set aside.
- Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together and set aside. Use an electric mixer to whisk the egg whites until foaming. Add 75 g/23⁄4 oz/generous 1⁄3 cup sugar in a steady stream while still whisking and continue to whisk until stiff peaks hold their shape. Transfer this mixture to another bowl. Rinse and dry the bowl and whisk so that they can be used again.
- Cream the butter and the remaining sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks and whisk until well incorporated. Mix in the melted chocolate.
- Use a handheld whisk to fold a third of the egg whites into this mixture. Fold in the flour mixture gradually and gently, followed by the rest of the egg whites. Stop working the batter as soon as the white streaks disappear.
- Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F/Gas Mark 3.
- Grease the springform tin, then line the base with baking parchment and dust with flour. Transfer the mixture to the tin and level the top, then bake for about 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Loosen the sides with a flexible spatula and release the clip. Invert onto a wire rack, then remove the baking paper and leave to cool.
- For the boiled icing, put all the ingredients into a heavy-based saucepan and bring slowly to the boil, stirring gently. Boil over moderate heat until a sugar thermometer registers 110°C/230°F. Pour immediately into a large heatproof bowl and beat vigorously until thick and glossy. It is now ready to be used.
- For the alternative chocolate glaze, put the chocolate and cream in a heavy-based saucepan over low heat. Stir gently to melt the chocolate. If you stir too vigorously, air bubbles will appear in the glaze. As soon as the mixture is homogenous, remove it from the heat and set aside to cool slightly and thicken. A spoonful dipped up and allowed to fall should do so in large blobs rather than a thin stream.
- Cut the cooled cake in half horizontally. Keep it inverted so that the bottom will still be on top. This makes it easier to glaze and gives a neater finish. Sandwich the two halves with the apricot jam. Brush the surface of the cake free of crumbs. Pour the glaze onto the centre of the cake and use swift, sweeping strokes to smooth it over the surface and sides. A garnish is optional. Leave to set in a cool place away from strong smells.
- To cut the cake, hold a knife under very hot water for a few seconds, then dry it quickly and use it to cut wedges. Hold the knife under hot water and dry it after each cut. That way, the warm knife melts the chocolate and easily slips through the glaze, leaving no ragged edges.
Rebecca Ford - I'm a UK based freelance travel writer and photographer - and the country I most like to visit is Italy. That's not just because of the ...
