Sachertorte

A Sachertorte is an Austrian torte with apricot filling. This is maybe not the most authentic recipe, but my German teacher called it better than the original. Sachertortes are traditionally served with lots of whipped cream.

The caramelized walnuts may have looked pretty, but they were a pain in the ass and not really worth it :\

The recipe is taken from several different sources:
www.applepiepatispate.com, original source apparently Professional Baking and Advanced Bread and Pastry
Kaffeehaus: The Best Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest, and Prague
Cocolat by Alice Medrich
The America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book
  
Torte
6 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened (91 grams)

scant 1/2  cup granulated sugar
4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate (50-64% cocoa), melted and cooled
5 large egg yolks
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
5 egg whites
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3.2 oz/ 91 grams cake flour


Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease the bottom and sides of a 8 x 2 inch cake pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper and dust lightly with flour.

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the melted chocolate, egg yolks, and vanilla extract in stages, mixing to incorporation with each addition.

Whip the egg whites with the salt. Add the sugar and whip to soft peaks.Using a rubber spatula, alternate folding in the flour with the meringue in about 4 or 6 additions. Begin with the flour and end with the meringue.

Pour the batter into the lined cake pan. Place the cake pan on a cookie sheet or sheet pan (not sure why). Level and bake immediately for 45 to 55 minutes, until the sides pull away from the pan and a wooden skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

 Most tortes can sit at room temperature for several days, but this one got a bit... gooey on the edges the second day, so try to use it the day it's made.


Apricot Glaze
1 1/4 cups apricot preserves
2 tablespoons golden rum or water
Bring the preserves and rum to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring often. Cook, stirring often, until the last drops that cling to the spoon are very sticky and reluctant to leave the spoon, 2 to 3 minutes. Strain through a wire sieve into a small bowl, pressing hard on the solids. Use warm. Red currant glaze can be substituted, just use red currant preserves instead of apricot.

OR
Just process the apricot jam in a food processor until smooth and slightly runny, about 20 seconds.

Bittersweet Chocolate Glaze
for an 8-10 inch torte, store at room temperature
6 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (I used 60%), cut into pieces
4 oz (1 stick) sweet butter, cut into pieces
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
Place chocolate butter, and corn syrup in a small bowl. Melt gently in a water bath over low heat, stirring frequently until almost completely melted. Do not overheat the glaze, there is no need to warm it above 120 degrees. Remove glaze from water bath and set aside to finish melting, stirring once or twice until glaze is perfectly smooth. Or, melt in a microwave on medium (50%) for about two minutes. Stir mixture gently with a spatula or a wooden spoon until completely smooth; do not whisk or beat.

1. Once the torte is cool, level it by trimming the top or pressing it with the bottom of the cake pan. Slice the cake into two even layers with a long serrated knife.

2. Place the bottom cake layer on a wire rack over a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread 1/2 cup of the processed apricot jam or apricot glaze, right to the edges. Place the second layer on top and press lightly to adhere. Spread the remaining jam over the top and sides of the cake, letting any excess drip onto the baking sheet. Refrigerate the cake, uncovered, until the apricot jam is set, about 30 minutes.

3. Warm the chocolate glaze to 90-92 degrees. If there are crumbs or air bubbles in the glaze, pour glaze through a very fine strainer just before pouring it over the cake (Unnecessary step? Bubbles can be popped after the glaze is poured). Center the crumb-coated torte on a platter or turntable, with parchment paper underneath to catch extra glaze. Have ready a clean, dry metal icing spatula. Pour all of the glaze in a puddle in the center of the top of the torte. Working quickly use just two or three spatula strokes to spread the glaze over the top of the torte so that it runs over all sides of the torte. This is easiest if you rotate the turntable or platter as you spread. If there are any bare spots on the sides of the cake, use the spatula or a finger to scoop up excess glaze and touch it to the bare spots to cover them. Don't respread or resmooth glaze once it is poured and starting to set (the best looking glaze is poured, not spread).

Mocha Pecan Torte

There is a high cost to making this torte, in time, dishes created, and money (for fancy chocolate). It can also be frustrating to clean up puddles of chocolate on the floor. Despite all this, it's... so worth it. This torte is one of the best things I've ever made. Be careful of letting the glaze get on your hand, it may have to be licked off immediately.

Mocha Pecan Torte
from Cocolat by Alice Medrich 
Serves 10-12

Ingredients

Torte
6 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, cut into pieces (I used semisweet and cut down on the sugar by 1/4 cup)
6 ounces unsalted butter, cut into pieces
4 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup (4 ounces) ground pecans
2 tablespoons (1/2 ounce) flour
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar (1/4 teaspoon lemon juice can be substituted)

Mocha Glaze
10 ounces milk chocolate, cut into tiny bits
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon powdered instant coffee or espresso, dissolved in a few drops of water

Decoration
2 ounces each white and/or dark chocolate (optional)
1/2 cup (2 1/2 ounces) chopped lightly toasted pecans (toasted at 325 degrees for 10-15 minutes)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line bottom of 9 X 2-inch round cake pan with parchment or waxed paper.

2. Combine chocolate and butter in a small bowl placed in a barely simmering water bath over low heat, stirring occasionally until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Or, microwave on medium (50%) for about 2 minutes. Stir until completely melted and smooth. Set aside.

3. In bowl, whisk the egg yolks with 1/2 cup sugar until pale and thick. Stir in warm chocolate mixture, pecans, and flour. Set aside.

4. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar or lemon juice at medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually sprinkle in remaining 1/4 cup sugar, beating at high speed until stiff but not dry. Fold about one-quarter of egg whites completely into the chocolate batter to lighten it. Quickly fold in remaining egg whites. Turn mixture into the prepared pan and smooth top if necessary. Bake for 35-45 minutes, until a toothpick or wooden skewer plunged into the center of the cake shows moist crumbs (the center of the torte should be neither completely dry nor runny).

5. Cool the cake completely in pan on a rack. It will have risen and then fallen in the center, leaving a higher rim of cake around sides and possibly some cracking. Run a small metal spatula or knife between the edges of the torte and the sides of the pan to release it. Press the raised edges of the torte down with your fingers until it is level with the center. Place a 9-inch cardboard cake circle on the torte. Invert the pan and rap gently against the counter until the torte slips out. Remove the pan and the paper liner from the bottom of the torte. If the torte is uneven or still appears slightly sunken in the middle, level it again by pressing the top firmly with the bottom of the empty cake pan. Torte may be prepared to this point up to three days in advance. Wrap well and store at room temperature until needed, or freeze for up to three months. Let come to room temperature before serving, glazing, or decorating.

6. Place chocolate for glaze in a bowl and set aside. In a saucepan, bring cream and corn syrup to a simmer. Stir in dissolved coffee. Pour over chocolate and stir until completely smooth and all of the chocolate is melted. Rewarm if necessary by placing the bowl in a barely simmering water bath, stirring gently until the glaze is perfectly smooth and the consistency of heavy cream (at a little under 100 degrees). If there are crumbs or air bubbles in the glaze, pour glaze through a very fine strainer just before pouring it over the cake (Unnecessary step? Bubbles can be popped after the glaze is poured). Center the crumb-coated torte on a platter or turntable, with parchment paper underneath to catch extra glaze. Have ready a clean, dry metal icing spatula. Pour all of the glaze in a puddle in the center of the top of the torte. Working quickly use just two or three spatula strokes to spread the glaze over the top of the torte so that it runs over all sides of the torte. This is easiest if you rotate the turntable or platter as you spread. If there are any bare spots on the sides of the cake, use the spatula or a finger to scoop up excess glaze and touch it to the bare spots to cover them. Don't respread or resmooth glaze once it is poured and starting to set.

7. For the marbled glaze (optional): Melt chocolate for decoration over simmering water or in the microwave, and scrape it into a parchment paper cone (these can be made by rolling up and taping a 8 X 12 triangle of parchment paper, with the midpoint of the hypotenuse as the tip of the cone). Cut a very small opening in the tip of the parchment paper cone, and pipe a spiral on the wet glaze first using one or both chocolates (practice this! it's hard and I messed up). Drag a skewer lightly through the glaze starting from the center to create lines (like wheel spokes), then drag the skewer in between these lines starting from the edge of the cake and ending the the center.

8. While the glaze is still tacky (just before it is completely dry), lift the torte off the rack and hold it in your non-dominant hand. Tilt the torte over a plate of nuts, and scoop the nuts into the palm of your free hand and press them carefully against the sides of the torte. Rotate the torte and continue to press nuts all around the sides.

Dang this is the longest recipe I've ever seen.