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Sacher torte
Impress your guests with this chocolate ganache-covered cake.
Photo by Gina Moore
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Testing for cake doneness
The surest way to know that your cakes are baking to perfection is to use the right equipment. See tip below.
Photo by Belinda Smith-Sullivan
SERVES 10–12
CAKE
Butter and flour for cake pan
6 large eggs, yolks and whites separated
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup almond flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1½ sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
5 ounces bittersweet baking chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
FILLING
1¼ cups apricot preserves
¼ cup plus 2–3 tablespoons water
2/3 cup light corn syrup
2 tablespoons rum
10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
Unsweetened whipped cream (optional)
Chocolate pearls (optional; available at specialty foods stores or online)
Preheat oven to 375 F. Butter a 9-inch springform pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper, and butter the paper. Dust the pan with flour, tapping out the excess.
In a large bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, whip the egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. Set aside. In a small bowl, sift the all-purpose flour with the almond flour and salt. Set aside. In the large bowl of a stand mixer, beat the softened butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, and beat until fluffy. Beat in the melted chocolate, then beat in the sifted flour mixture. Beat in ¼ of the whipped egg whites; then, using a spatula, fold in the rest of the whites until no streaks remain. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake the cake in the center of the oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Let the cake cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then remove the ring and let the cake cool completely.
Invert the cake onto a plate, and peel off the parchment. Turn the cake right side up. Using a long, serrated knife, cut the cake horizontally into 2 even layers.
In a small, microwave-safe bowl, whisk ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons of the apricot preserves with ¼ cup water; microwave until melted.
Set a 9-inch cardboard cake round on a wire rack, and set the rack on a baking sheet. Arrange the top cake layer, cut side up, on the cake round. Brush the cake with half of the melted apricot preserves. Spread ½ cup of the unmelted apricot preserves on top.
Brush the cut side of the second layer with the remaining melted preserves and set it, cut side down, on the bottom layer. Using a serrated knife, trim the cake edges if necessary to even them out.
In the microwave-safe bowl, microwave the remaining ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons apricot preserves until melted, about 30 seconds. Press the preserves through a strainer to remove the solids. Brush the preserves all over the cake until completely coated. Refrigerate for 20 minutes until set.
In a medium saucepan, whisk the corn syrup with the rum and 2 tablespoons of water and bring to a boil. Cook until slightly thickened, about 2–3 minutes. Put the chopped chocolate in a heat-proof bowl, and pour the hot mixture on top. Let stand until melted, then whisk until smooth. If the chocolate glaze is too thick to pour, whisk in another tablespoon of hot water. Let cool to warm.
Using an offset spatula, scrape off any excess preserves from the cake so that it is lightly coated. Slowly pour half of the warm chocolate glaze in the center of the cake, allowing it to gently coat the top and spread down the sides. Spread the glaze to evenly coat the torte. Microwave the remaining glaze for a few seconds, and repeat pouring and spreading. Scrape up any excess glaze. Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes to set the glaze. If desired, decorate with chocolate pearls or shavings. Cut into wedges and serve with unsweetened whipped cream.
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Recipe tips
How to get smooth melted chocolate: Place your chocolate in a non-reactive bowl (glass is perfect; don’t use metal). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and set the bowl atop a saucepan of boiling water for 15–20 minutes. Make sure the bottom of the bowl is not in contact with the water. Remove bowl from the heat, and carefully discard the plastic wrap. (Be sure not to allow any moisture to come into contact with the chocolate—if you do, it will seize. Seizing is clumping; once this happens, you must throw away the seized chocolate and start over.) Whisk the softened chocolate until it is smooth and shiny—ready to pour over your Sacher torte! Watch Chef Belinda’s video demonstration to see how it’s done.
How to ensure cake doneness: Two small investments worth making, especially for avid bakers, are an oven thermometer and a cake tester. Unless you have your oven calibrated on a regular basis, you have no way of knowing if the 350 F reading is accurate. Baking at the wrong temperature has a direct effect on the cooking time. A small oven thermometer will help correct for inaccuracies. Cake testers have a longer reach than toothpicks when checking that the centers of your baked goods are fully cooked, and they clean up easily.