Sachertorte
Vienna's legendary chocolate cake: a thin sponge layer filled with apricot jam and glazed with dark chocolate ganache. Rich, elegant, and more achievable than you'd think.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Servings
- 12
- Calories
- 385
- Protein
- 6g
Ingredients
- 5.5 ounces unsalted butter
- 5 ounces dark chocolate (70% cocoa)
- 6 whole large eggs, separated
- 5 ounces granulated sugar
- 3.5 ounces all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup apricot jam
- 7 ounces dark chocolate (70% cocoa), chopped
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Instructions
- 1
Set the oven to 350°F and wait for the indicator light to go out, about 10 minutes, telling you it has fully heated.
- 2
Line the bottom of a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper, then grease the parchment and the sides with butter.
- 3
Chop the 5 ounces of dark chocolate into small, irregular pieces about the size of lentils so it will melt evenly.
- 4
Cut the 5.5 ounces of butter into 1-tablespoon chunks so it melts quickly and smoothly when heated.
- 5
Measure the 3.5 ounces of flour into a small bowl, then use a whisk to stir it for 30 seconds, breaking up any small clumps.
- 6
Separate the 6 eggs, placing each white into a medium bowl and each yolk into a separate small bowl so you can combine yolks later without any white.
- 7
Set a small bowl over a pot of simmering water (the bottom should not touch the water), then add the 5.5 ounces of butter chunks and the chopped chocolate.
- 8
Let the chocolate and butter sit on the heat without stirring until they look completely melted and glossy, about 2 minutes, then stir once with a spoon until uniform.
- 9
Remove the bowl from the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes until it is warm but not hot to the touch, then add all 6 egg yolks and stir until no streaks remain.
- 10
Pour the melted chocolate mixture into the bowl with the flour and stir with a spatula using 30 circular motions until no flour specks are visible.
- 11
Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the 6 egg whites in the medium bowl for 3 to 4 minutes until stiff peaks form — the whites should look glossy and hold their shape when you lift the beaters.
- 12
Spoon one-third of the beaten egg whites on top of the chocolate batter, then use a rubber spatula to scoop from the bottom of the bowl up and over the whites; rotate the bowl one-quarter turn and repeat until no white streaks remain.
- 13
Add the remaining egg whites to the same bowl and repeat the folding motion — lifting from the bottom and over the top — for 15 seconds until the mixture looks uniform but still light.
- 14
Pour the batter into the prepared 9-inch cake pan and use a spatula to smooth the top into an even layer.
- 15
Place the pan in the center of the preheated 350°F oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it.
- 16
Remove the pan from the oven and let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes — it will still feel warm but should pull away slightly from the sides.
- 17
Turn the pan upside down onto a wire cooling rack so the cake slides out, then peel off the parchment paper from the bottom and flip the cake right-side up onto a second cooling rack.
- 18
Let the cake cool completely at room temperature for at least 45 minutes — it should feel cool to the touch before adding the glaze.
- 19
Using a small offset spatula or a table knife, spread the 0.75 cup of apricot jam in an even 1/8-inch-thick layer across the top of the cooled cake.
- 20
Set a small bowl over a pot of simmering water (bottom should not touch the water), then add the 7 ounces of chopped chocolate, 0.5 cup of cream, and 1 tablespoon of butter.
- 21
Let the chocolate, cream, and butter sit without stirring until they look mostly melted, about 1 minute, then stir with a spoon until the ganache looks glossy and uniform with no streaks.
- 22
Remove the bowl from the heat and let it cool for 2 minutes until it is warm but no longer hot, then pour the ganache onto the center of the jammed cake.
- 23
Tilt the cake back and forth, rotating it if needed, so the ganache spreads into an even layer that covers the top and drips slightly down the sides, about 20 to 30 seconds of tilting.
- 24
Let the glaze set at room temperature for 30 minutes until it no longer feels sticky to a light touch, then slice with a warm, dry knife — wipe the knife between cuts for clean edges.
Tools you’ll need
- 9-inch round cake pan
- parchment paper
- small mixing bowl
- medium mixing bowl
- whisk
- small heatproof bowl
- wooden spoon
- rubber spatula
- electric mixer
- wooden toothpick
- two wire cooling racks
- small offset spatula or table knife
- pot for simmering water
- chef's knife
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