SD says: July 2010

The World-famous Viennese Delicacy.

This delightful cake can be described as the all-time favorite of chocolate lovers and, mind you, it's not as difficult to make as you might feel after eating it! Nor is it as time-consuming as some of my earlier gateaux/ desserts have been. If you like baking at home, this is a must for you to try.

Ingredients-

A- For Cake:
(1) 140 gm flour (one standard tea-cup full); (2) 1 tsp. baking powder;   (3) 110 ml.oil (1/2cup);     (4) 6 eggs, separated; (5) 130 gm. semisweet chocolate, chopped; (6) 150 gm. powdered sugar, (7) 1 tsp. vanilla essence; (8) 1/5 cup(40 to45 ml) water.
B- For Glazing and Icing:
  (1) 180 gm. Apricot jam; (2) 130 gm. semisweet chocolate, chopped; (3) 100 gm. heavy cream or 'malai'; (4) 30 gm. unsalted butter

Method-
   1. Prepare a 9inch x 9inch cake tin. (I made a 7 x 9 inch cake and three small cup cakes), and preheat oven to 160 deg C.
   2. Melt chopped chocolate with water over gentle heat, in a double boiler. If you don't have a double boiler then the chocolate+ water, in a saucepan, on the mouth of another pan containing lightly simmering water, stirring occasionally till chocolate is melted and you get a smooth mixture. Do not melt the chocolate over high heat as it may seize. Let cool
.3. Beat egg yolks and 50gm. sugar in a bowl, till pale yellow. Add oil, a little at a time, beating nicely after each addition. Beat continuously till it becomes thick, then add melted chocolate and mix nicely. cover
   and keep aside till you prepare egg whites


   4. Beat egg-whites with remaining 100 gm. sugar, on high speed, till stiff. Stop the beater and, with the help of a spatula, gently mix-in the chocolate mixture.Lastly fold-in the flour, with gentle hands, so as not to deflate egg-whites, to get a smooth batter.

5. Pour this batter in the prepare pan and bake. It should take 40-45 minutes. Test by inserting a clean skewer in the center of the cake. If it comes out without any crumbs attached, it is done and, if not, keep baking , checking every 6-7 minutes. When done, take out of the oven and keep aside to cool.

6. Loosen the cake from the pan with a sharp knife and unmold the cake.Remove the crust, which is very flaky. Wrap it in a plastic wrap and put in the fridge for two hrs. to make slicing it easier. Take out and cut it into two layers.

7. Put the lower layer on a platter and spread apricot jam over it. You will have to warm the jam with a little water to make it smooth and spreadable. Cover with the second layer and then cover the whole cake with a thin layer of apricot jam. Mind you, 'Apricot jam' and 'Only Apricot jam' is acceptable to the admirers of this delicate-tasting specialty! So, if you want to use any other jam, feel free to do so from my side but, don't call it 'Sacher Torte' in front of any baking bigwigs!

Wrap the whole thing in plastic wrap and refrigerate till next day.
8. Next day, take the cake out and prepare 'ganache'. Put chopped chocolate pieces in a bowl.Add butter.
Bring the cream to a boil and pour over the the chocolate pieces, cover and leave for 2 minutes. In 2 minutes the cream would've warmed the chocolate to melting point and the butter would've melted. Stir with a spoon briskly to get a smooth, thick sauce. Let it come down to slightly warm. Pour this sauce on top of the cake, smoothen with a knife and apply on the sides also. Some of it will drip on the platter which you'll have to clean later with the help of a knife and wet kitchen towel. Let this cake sit in the fridge again for 1/2 hr. or so, to let the icing 'set'.