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12/05/2011 National Sacher Torte or Sachertorte Day Sacher Torte

Source of Recipe

En Chocolat


Recipe Introduction

December 5th marks the annual celebration of National Sacher Torte Day. Across the United States, various people observe this unofficial holiday. Sacher-torte, sometimes called Sacher cake, is a Viennese dessert. It can best be described as a chocolate flavored sponge cake, with a coating of apricot jam situated between two layers, and topped with a dark chocolate icing. Traditionally, the cake is served with simple unsweetened whipped cream.

List of Ingredients

HOME COOKIN’ 12/05/2011 National Sacher Torte or Sachertorte Day Sacher Torte



Sacher Torte from En Chocolat


8oz (250g) chopped dark chocolate (I use Trader Joe’s Pound Plus Belgian Dark Chocolate bar)
3/8cup (50g) sifted powdered sugar
7tbsp (100g) Jungle Shortening
5 egg yolks
5 egg whites
1cup (125g) ground almonds (I use the Trader Joe’s brand Almond Meal)
3tbsp sifted unsweetened cocoa powder (Scharffen Berger Cocoa Powder)
1/3-cup blackberry jam
2tbsp brandy
Dairy Free Dark Chocolate Ganache (see previous blog post)


Recipe



Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Finely chop the chocolate and melt in a double boiler. Allow the chocolate to cool. Grease an 8 ½” springform pan and line the bottom and sides with greased parchment paper.

Sift the Powdered sugar. Reserve 2 tbsp of powdered sugar for later use. Add the remaining powdered sugar to the shortening and cream together. Add in the egg yolks and beat until incorporated. Mix in the ground almonds. In a separate cup mix the hot espresso shot into powdered cocoa until combined. Add the espresso and cocoa mixture along with the melted dark chocolate to the shortening/almond/sugar mixture and stir until combined. In your mixer’s bowl, add egg whites and beat till the mixture is frothy. Add the reserved 2tbsp of powdered sugar and beat to soft peaks. Fold the first third of the egg whites into the cake batter. Then fold the second third of the egg white mixture until incorporated. Finally fold in the remaining third of the egg whites.

Pour the mixture into the greased lined spring form pan. Bake on the center rack for 45 min–1hr (an inserted toothpick should come out clean). Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan, peel off parchment paper and allow cake to cool on a rack.

Once cool, use a serrated knife to separate the cake in to two layers. Brush the bottom layer with brandy then spread a thin layer of blackberry jam on the bottom. Cover the bottom layer with the top. Brush the top layer with brandy and then ice with chocolate ganache (see ganache recipe post).

It may be hard to wait, but this cake’s flavor improves with age. It is better to let it sit a day before eating.