SACHER TORTE
Sacher Torte originates from Austria when the son of Chef Franz Sacher created it for Prince Metternich in Vienna in 1832 and is a chocolate cake filled with apricot jam and covered with a ganache glaze. It is known that the Sacher Torte is still handmade with the original recipe till this day at the Hotel Sacher.
Not entirely sure if I am even close to hitting the original recipe, but I feel the Sacher Torte recipe in this post can still be a winner on the table for your guests.
WHAT IS INCLUDED IN ITHE SACHER TORTE
The make up of a Sacher Torte is its chocolate sponge cake. Although light from the mixture of Italian meringue and chocolate base mixture, this cake is more on the denser side in comparison to other sponge cakes and is best served with a dash of cream or ice cream.
Once baked and cooled, the chocolate sponge is then divided into 2 to 3 layers horizontally and each layers are then spread with apricot jam before being stack together. I would highly suggest that you get the best Apricot jam for this dessert, since we are going through the whole effort of making it. In this post, I used Bonne Maman Apricot Jam.
Not particularly original, this version of a Sacher Torte is slightly lost in translation, where instead of coating the sides and top with more apricot jam, this recipe ask for a coating of chocolate ganache masked around the cake before being glazed in a shiny chocolate glaze.
RECIPE
Yield: 1 x 16cm cake
SACHER TORTE SPONGE
INGREDIENTS | QUANTITY |
Cake Mixture | ​ |
​Unsalted Butter | 90 g |
Caster Sugar (A) | 90 g |
Dark Coverture Chocolate 54.5% | 110 g |
Egg Yolks | 90 g |
Vanilla Bean Paste | 5 g |
Plain Flour | 90 g |
Fine Salt | 1 g |
​ | ​ |
Meringue | ​ |
Egg Whites | 135 g |
Caster Sugar (B) | 70 g |
Cream of Tartar | pinch |
​ | ​ |
Apricot Jam | 70 g |
CHOCOLATE GANACHE
INGREDIENTS | QUANTITY |
Dark Coverture Chocolate 54.5% | 110 g |
Cream 35% Fat | 110 g |
Glucose | 15 g |
CHOCOLATE GLAZE
INGREDIENTS | INGREDIENTS |
Water | 250 |
Sugar | 400 |
Dark Chocolate | 300 |
METHOD
FOR THE SACHER TORTE SPONGE
Ensure that the butter and eggs are brought out from the fridge 30 minutes prior to bring them to room temperature unless if your kitchen is really warm to prepare the Sacher Torte sponge.
Line the 16cm cake ring with a disc of parchment at the base and a strip around the edges which is approximately 8cm high.
Pre heat the oven to 180C.
1. Place the cold but pliable butter together with caster sugar (A) in the mixer bowl fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed and cream together until you get a smooth and airy butter mixture, scraping down the side and base of the bowl regularly. Add in the room temperature egg yolks and continue to mix until well combine and well aerated.
Meanwhile, place the chocolate in a bowl over a bain marie and melt to 45C.
2. Add in the melted chocolate (not too hot) into the butter and egg mixture and mix until they are well combined. Stop mixing the moment the melted chocolate are well mixed through. Remove the bowl from the mixer and using a hand spatula scrape the side and bottom of the bowl and gently mix to combine any butter that may not have mixed through with the chocolate mixture.
3. Transfer the chocolate mixture into a large mixing bowl. Clean the mixer bowl well ensuring there are no residue of grease.
Transfer the room temperature egg whites with a pinch of cream of tartar then starting with medium speed, whisk with a whisk attachment until they are aerated, with no sign of liquid egg whites left in the bowl.
Gradually add in the caster sugar (B) and continue to whisk. Once all the sugar has been added, increase the speed to high speed and continue to whisk until you achieve a soft peak meringue. The meringue should be thick and when picked up with the whisk it still runs slowly down the whisk.
4. Sift in the plain flour in a few addition into the chocolate mixture and gently fold to incorporate with a spatula until all the flour has been added. Ensure that you do not mix it too much as this can create too much gluten and make the sponge cake dense.
Once all the flour has been folded through, in two additions, fold in the meringue.
5. Pour the Sacher sponge mixture into the prepared tin that is sitting on a tray lined with parchment paper.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes or until when tested with a skewer, it comes out clean.
Note: If the sponge starts to brown too much too soon on the top, half way through baking, place a foil lightly on top and continue to bake. Do not open the oven door too prematurely, otherwise it can collapse.
ASSEMBLY
1. Allow the Sacher Torte sponge to full cool.
2. Trim the top off and divide the sponge to 3 equal portion horizontally with approximately 1.5cm thick for each slices.
3. Save the flattest slice for the top.
4. Starting with the first disc of sponge, place it on top of a square piece of parchment paper slightly wider than the sponge to allow you to move the sponge cake with ease.
5. Spread 35 g of the apricot jam on top then place the second disc of the sponge on top and spread the rest of the apricot jam on top.
6. Place the final disk of sponge on top, ensuring that the flattest side is facing upwards.
7. Spread the cooled and spreadable ganache to cover both the top and sides. Use all of the ganache. Smooth out the top and sides with a scraper.
8. Clean the base of the Sacher Torte and transfer onto a clean piece of parchment paper. Place in the fridge to allow the ganache to fully set for at least 1 hour.
9. Meanwhile, prepare the chocolate glaze.
Boil water and sugar until all the sugar starts to dissolve until it reaches 104C.
Allow the sugar syrup to cool slightly then add into the dark chocolate in 3 additions, slowly stirring until they are well combined. Emulsify with a stick blender, ensuring you are not incorporating too much air.
Allow to cool to 35C not exceeding 40C. Glaze the chilled cake that was previously masked with chocolate ganache.
