Gilded Sachertorte Recipes

Steps:

• Cake: Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment; butter parchment. Dust with cocoa powder and tap out excess. Melt chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring often; set aside.
• Using a mixer, beat together butter and 2/3 cup sugar on medium speed until mixture is pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg yolks, then vanilla and melted chocolate until thoroughly incorporated. Reduce speed to low and beat in flour. Transfer batter to a large bowl. Put egg whites and salt into cleaned bowl of mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Whisk eggwhite mixture on low speed until foamy. Gradually beat in remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat just until stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir half of meringue into chocolate mixture. Gently fold in remaining meringue with a rubber spatula.
• Divide batter between pans; tap firmly on counter to remove any air bubbles. Bake until centers are just set, about 25 minutes. Transfer cakes in pans to wire racks and let cool completely, about 1 hour. Turn out cakes, remove parchment, and reinvert onto rack. Trim cakes flat with a serrated knife.
• Filling: Warm jam in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until loose. Stir in liqueur. Spread warm jam over 1 cake layer and top with remaining layer.
• Ganache (crumb coating): Place chocolate in a large bowl. Bring cream just to a boil over medium-high heat; pour over chocolate and stir until smooth. Refrigerate, stirring every 10 minutes, until ganache is cool and the consistency of buttercream, about 30 minutes. Spread ganache over top and sides of cake with a small offset spatula to create a smooth layer. Refrigerate cake until ganache is firm, about 30 minutes.
• Ganache (glaze): Place cake on a rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Place chocolate in a large bowl. Bring cream just to a boil over medium-high heat; pour over chocolate and let stand 5 minutes. Stir until smooth and the consistency of honey. Slowly pour ganache over top and down sides of cake, spreading evenly with offset spatula if needed. Let stand until ganache loses its sheen, about 1 hour. Using a small, fine sieve, sift luster dust over top of cake. Dusted cake can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in refrigerator.

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of an 8-inch springform pan; line the bottom with parchment paper. Butter the parchment and dust the bottom and sides with cake flour, tapping out the excess. Microwave the semisweet chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, stirring every 30 seconds, until smooth; let cool.
• Meanwhile, sift the cake flour and salt into a medium bowl. Beat the butter and 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until light, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the 6 egg yolks, one at a time, then beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the melted chocolate. Add the flour mixture and beat until just combined.
• Beat the 4 egg whites in a separate large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until frothy, about 30 seconds. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar. Increase the speed to high and beat until the egg whites are stiff and glossy, about 1 more minute. Working in two batches, fold the egg whites into the batter with a rubber spatula until just combined. Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool 10 minutes, then remove the springform ring and let the cake cool completely. Remove the cake from the bottom of the pan and cut in half horizontally using a long serrated knife.
• Make the filling: Combine 1/2 cup apricot jam, the granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring, until the jam melts; strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl and stir in the rum. Gradually brush about two-thirds of the syrup on the cut sides of the cake, allowing it to soak in. Remove any large pieces of fruit from the remaining 1/2 cup apricot jam; spread over the cut side of the bottom cake half and top with the remaining cake half, cut-side down. Brush the top and sides of the cake with the remaining syrup, allowing it to soak in.
• Make the glaze: Combine the corn syrup and water in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat, stirring to combine. Remove from the heat and add the bittersweet chocolate; stir until melted and smooth.
• Transfer the cake to a rack set over a baking sheet. Working in two or three batches, pour the glaze over the cake, allowing the excess to drip down the sides. Smooth the glaze with an offset spatula if needed. Refrigerate until the glaze is set, about 30 minutes. Serve with whipped cream.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9 by 2-inch cake pan.
• In a bowl, combine the chocolate and butter and melt over a double boiler. Set aside to cool. In a mixer, using a wire whisk, whip the egg yolks with 1 ounce sugar until light and ribbony. Beat in the chocolate mixture.
• In another bowl, beat the egg whites and salt until soft peaks. Slowly add the remaining 3 ounces of sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks. Fold in the flour and then fold in 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in the remaining egg whites, gently but thoroughly. Pour into prepared cake pan.
• Bake for 40 minutes or until done. To check for doneness, insert a paring knife in center of cake. It should come out dry. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack.
• To make the apricot filling: puree the apricot preserves. Stir in brandy.
• Slice the cake into 3 equal layers. Spread half of the apricot filling on the bottom layer. Top with a second layer of cake. Spread the remaining apricot filling and top with the last layer of cake. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
• To make the glaze: in a bowl, combine the chocolate and butter. Melt over a double-boiler. Bring the cream to a boil. Stir into the melted chocolate. Cool until it reaches glazing consistency. Spread over and around the cake. Chill for another 30 minutes before serving. Serve a slice with Schlagobers or whipped cream.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom of three nine-inch or 10-inch pans (foil pans are good). Line the bottoms with waxed paper and grease the paper.
• When separating the eggs, reserve two extra yolks for the frosting. Add salt to egg whites and beat until peaks just begin to firm. Add the sugar a little at a time, beating constantly. Beat a few more minutes till stiff and glossy.
• Meanwhile, melt the chocolate and butter over hot water. Cool a little and add vanilla. Then add this to the yolks, stirring with a wire whisk. It will be thick.
• Add a third of the whites to the chocolate mixture and stir well. Pour onto the remaining whites and sift in flour. Fold altogether with whisk, being careful not to overmix but not leaving any white lumps showing.
• Pour into pans and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Turn onto rack and peel off the paper.
• Make the frosting. Combine chocolate, cream, corn syrup and sugar in a small heavy pan and heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved and the chocolate is melted. Raise heat to medium and cook to 224 to 226 degrees Fahrenheit on a candy thermometer (soft ball). Using a small wire whisk, beat the hot mixture into the egg yolks. Cool and stir in vanilla.
• When cake is cool, spread apricot preserves between layers and pour frosting over the cake, smoothing sides with spatula. Chill well. Serve cake at almost room temperature.

Steps:

• Make the torte: In a saucepan combine the butter, the oil, and 1 cup water and bring the mixture to a boil.
• In a bowl with an electric mixer beat together the sugar, the flour, and the cocoa powder for 30 seconds, or until the mixture is combined well, add the butter mixture in a stream, beating, and beat in the eggs, the buttermilk, the vanilla and the baking soda.
• Beat the batter until it is just combined well, pour it into a buttered and floured 9 inch cake pan, 2 inches deep, and bake the torte in the middle of a preheated 350F oven for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.
• Let the torte cool in the pan on a rack for 5 minutes, turn it out onto the rack, and let it cool completely.
• With a long serrated knife carefully cut the torte horizontally into 3 even layers, invert the top layer onto a small rack and spread it with about 2/3 cup of the jam.
• Top the first layer with the middle layer, spread it with about 1/2 cup of the jam, and invert the third layer onto the middle layer.
• Spread the top and sides of the torte with the remaining jam and chill the torte for at least 2 hours, or until it is very cold.
• Make the glaze: In a saucepan bring the cream to a boil, put the chocolate in a bowl, and pour the hot cream over it.
• Stir the mixture until the chocolate is melted and it forms a smooth glaze and let it cool until it is lukewarm and thickened but still pourable.
• Put the torte on the rack over a jelly-roll pan and pour the glaze over it, spreading the glaze to coat the top and sides evenly.
• Chill the torte for 1 hour, or until the glaze is set, and serve it with whipped cream.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Combine apricots and amaretto; let stand 15 minutes. In another bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, water, oil and apricot mixture. Beat on low speed 30 seconds; beat on medium 2 minutes. , Pour into 2 greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 22-27 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely., For filling, heat apricot preserves and amaretto on low in a small saucepan, stirring occasionally, until preserves are melted; set aside. , For glaze, combine cream and corn syrup in a small saucepan. Bring just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; whisk until smooth. Stir in vanilla., Using a long serrated knife, cut each cake horizontally in half. Place 1 layer on a serving plate; spread with half of the filling. Top with another layer; spread with a third of the glaze. Cover with third layer and remaining filling. Top with remaining layer; spread top and sides of torte with remaining glaze. If desired, spread toasted almonds on edges or sides of torte. Refrigerate several hours before slicing.