Sacher Torte

Ever since returning from Europe I have wanted to try my hand at the famous Sacher Torte. Of course the original recipe is a secret but there are many out there that claim to replicate the original. I used a Women's Weekly recipe (it is typed out for you below) and it turned out pretty well. It actually tasted quite similar to what I had in Salzburg but it was not quite the same texture. The original tastes like there is actually jam in the cake rather than in between layers. I am nearly 100% sure that the ones that I tried in Austria did not have layers.... so I think next time I make this I am going to try stirring some jam into the mix and see if that helps. But this cake was delicious. It is a little flat because I didn't have the right sized pan. I actually think that the recipe is wrong and I recommend that you cook it in a 20cm round tin (rather than a 22cm tin). This will make the cake higher and ensure it is more moist (what is a word for moist when talking about cake that does not sound gross??) Here is the recipe I used. Happy baking :) 

Cake Ingredients ~

• 150g dark eating chocolate, chopped
• 1 tbsp water
• 150g unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 3 eggs, separated
• 1 cup plain flour, sifted
• 2 tbsp caster sugar, extra
• 1 cup apricot jam warmed and strained (when warm you should be able to push most of the lumpy bits through a sieve and make it smooth)

Icing Ingredients ~

• 125g dark eating chocolate, chopped
• 125g unsalted butter, softened

To Bake ~

• Preheat the oven to 180 deg C.
• First beat the egg whites in a bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the 2tbsp caster sugar until it is glossy and the caster sugar has dissolved. Set aside.
• Now cream the butter and sugar in a mixer until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing until well combined. 
• Melt the chocolate (keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn!) and then mix in the water. This will cool it but it will still be runny enough to mix in to the other ingredients. 
• Mix the chocolate into the butter/egg/sugar mixture. When well combined mix in the sifted flour.
• Fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture (this will take awhile, do it gently so you keep all the air in the egg whites).
• Pour the mixture into a pan and bake for about 30mins.
• When the cake is cooled cut it in half . Brush one half with the warmed apricot jam. Top with the other layer of cake and the spread the top and sides with the remaining jam. 
• Let the jam set for about 1 hr (overnight is best) and then spread with the chocolate icing.

To make the icing ~

• Melt the chocolate and butter together (either in a saucepan or in the microwave).
• Cool to room temperature until spreadable - stir occasionally. To speed this process up cool it in the fridge :)

mmm look at that tasty icing! and the jam spilling out the side. Yum!