Sachertorte (The Bilton Version)
Micheal Krondl did warn me that this cake is difficult to replicate and he was not wrong. The sponge and apricot glaze are relatively straightforward. But the chocolate glaze is where it gets tricky and despite a couple of attempts I’m not entirely convinced I’ve acquired the knack of getting the right consistency.
I have made a few amendments to the ‘approximate’ recipe found on the Hotel Sacher website. However, if you live in the UK and can’t be bothered to make your own you can order a Sachertorte from the Kipferl, a London based Viennese bakery.
Ingredients - Cake
125g/4½oz dark chocolate, coarsely chopped (min. 55% cocoa content - I used 70%)
150g/5oz softened unsalted, butter
100g/4oz Icing sugar
6 eggs, separated (I always use medium eggs)
2 tsp vanilla extract
150g/5oz plain (all purpose) flour
100g/4oz caster sugar
Pinch of salt
2 x 20cm sandwich tins, buttered and bases lined. Alternatively you can use one deep 20cm springform tin. The cake will take longer to cook (c.30-40mins) and will need to be cut in half horizontally before glazing)
Ingredients - Glazes
340g/12oz apricot preserve (try to get a smooth one one rather than one with pieces of apricot)
200g/7oz castor sugar
125ml/4¼ fl.oz. water
150g/5oz dark chocolate, coarsely chopped (min. 55% cocoa content - I used 70%)
Unsweetened whipped cream to garnish
Method
Preheat oven to 170°C Fan. Butter the sandwich tins and line the bases with baking paper.
Put the chocolate for the cake in a heat proof bowl then place this over a bowl of barely simmering water to melt the chocolate. Stir frequently and make sure the chocolate does not overheat otherwise it will become grainy. Allow the chocolate to cool a little while you prepare the rest of the cake ingredients.
Using a hand mixer beat the softened butter with the icing sugar until pale and fluffy.
Beat the egg yolks into the butter mixture one by one followed by the vanilla extract and melted chocolate. Fold in the flour.
Put the egg whites in the clean bowl of a free standing food mixer along with the caster sugar. Beat on a high speed until stiff.
Beat in a couple of spoonfuls of the meringue to loosen the mixture slightly. Carefully fold in the remaining meringue ensuring it is thoroughly incorporated and there are no white lumps in the batter.
Divide the mixture equally between the two sandwich tins (or one springform tin), smooth the top, then bake in the middle of the oven 15-20 minutes until a skewer comes out clean when inserted.
Remove the cake from the oven and allow cool in the tin for approximately 5 minutes before turning out. Then pull off the baking paper, and leave on a rack to cool completely.
Cut out two 30-35cm long x 5cm wide strips of baking parchment and place them on a rack positioned over a chopping board or tray. Warm the jam slightly and stir until smooth. Place one half of the cake on top of the strips. Spread with around half of the apricot preserve then place the other cake on top. Brush the sides and top of the cake with the remaining preserve.
To make the glaze, put the caster sugar and water into a saucepan. Heat gently until the sugar has dissolved then boil over medium to high heat for 5 minutes. Take the sugar syrup off the heat and leave to cool for five minutes. Add a little of the chopped chocolate for the glaze to the syrup stirring until it has melted. Continuing adding the chocolate, a handful at a time, stirring well between each addition. Once all of the chocolate has been added continue stirring until the chocolate has completely melted and the glaze has thickened slightly but is still pourable.
Pour all the warm glaze over the top of the cake allowing it to drizzle down the sides. You may need to use a palette knife to carefully spread it around the sides to ensure the cake is evenly coated. There will be a lot of glaze left on the board or tray underneath the cake. In my house this seems to be an unavoidable outcome to ensure a smooth finish on the top of the cake.
Leave the glaze to set for a while before using the two strips to lift the cake onto a serving plate. You should be able to carefully pull these from out underneath the cake. Leave the glazed cake for a few hours (there is no need to refrigerate it) before cutting into slices and serving with whipped cream.