7. Sachertorte
Isn't it annoying when you have a full weekend planned and then everything gets cancelled last minute? No, not really. Gave me more time to bake!
When I have a long weekend or any large amount of time looming ahead of me, I like to make something new, try out a new recipe. I just need to decide what to make first. A few facebook messages later, a friend suggested I make a sachertorte. It ticked a lot of boxes, something new, something a bit different and choc full of chocolate. Where was the downside? They'd even made it on Bake Off before, so it must be good.
And seeing as it had been made on Bake Off, Queen of baking Mary Berry had a recipe. What a hero.
Baking the sachertorte actually wasn't as hard as I was expecting it to be. The difficulty of sachertorte comes in the form of no raising agent. The only "rise" on this cake comes from well whisked egg whites, but once you get over that, there's very little difference from a normal chocolate cake. Oh, and that it traditionally uses ground almonds as a substitute for some of the flour, but who has ground almonds in their cupboard? (not me, but I probably should). I also added a little pinch of coffee to the icing to enhance the flavour. It oesn't taste of coffee at all, it just makes the icing taste a little rich, even a little bit boozy.
So, for Mary Berry's original recipe with ground almonds and apricot jam, click here, or continue for my slightly altered recipe below.
Makes one 8" cake
Ingredients
8oz (225g) dark chocolate
3oz (85g) milk chocolate
5oz (140g) butter
4oz (115g) caster sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
5 eggs, separated into yolks and whites
4.5oz (130g) plain flour
250ml double cream
Pinch of coffee
Strawberries for decoration (optional)
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C and grease/line two 8" sandwich tins.
Break 5oz of the dark chocolate into small pieces and melt in the microwave or in a bain marie. Let it cool slightly.
Cream your butter and sugar together until fluffy, then add in the melted chocolate and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined. Then add in the egg yolks and mix.
Fold in the plain flour until well combined.
In another bowl whisk the egg whites until they just form stiff peaks. Add one third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and beat well. This will loosen the mixture some. Fold the remaining two thirds in carefully until just combined.
Pour into the prepared tins and bake for 40-45 minutes "until well risen at the top" (what does this mean Mary??)
Let the cakes cool on a wire rack.
Break the rest of the chocolate into small pieces.
Heat the cream in a pan until piping hot and remove from the heat. Add in the chocolate a bit at a time, mixing until the chocolate is melted and well combined. Add in a pinch of coffee. Allow to cool until the icing is a coating consistency. (Still slightly warm, but pretty thick.
Place a plate under the cooling rack to catch drips.
Pour half the icing onto the centre of your bottom cake and spread across the top and down the sides evenly. Then place the top cake on top and repeat so the cake is completely covered.
Leave to set.
If you have strawberries, cut them in half and place on top of cake.
This cake is easier to slice the day after baking. If you can wait that long.
