LINZERTORTE with BUCKWHEAT FLOUR
Did you know that for a long time the LINZERTORTE or Linzer Torte was considered the oldest cake in the world to appear in cookbooks? I didn’t!
Curiosities aside, my discovery of the Linzer Torte is very recent and I add unfortunately because it is truly spectacular.
For those who do not know it, the LINZERTORTE has Austrian origins, more precisely from the city of Linz from which it takes its name, and it is a kind of jam tart but with a richer dough.
In fact, to prepare the base of the Linzer Torte, in addition to regular flour, hazelnut (or almond) flour and buckwheat are used, and then it is enriched with a jam, usually of Red Currant or Blueberries.
The peculiarity of this dessert is its texture because it is crumbly like a tart but soft like an almond (or hazelnut) cake, and it literally melts in your mouth. Believe me, if I tell you that it is absolutely one of the best cakes I have ever eaten.
Preparing the Linzer Torte is not difficult at all, in fact, it is very easy because the dough is soft and can be spread directly with your hands in the pan without having to use a rolling pin, and to create the typical lattice, you just need to make thin rolls.
A perfect sweet both for breakfast and as a delicious snack that will conquer everyone both for its texture and its particular taste.
Now all that’s left is to get to work and prepare the LINZERTORTE with Buckwheat Flour. If you are looking for other typical recipes from South Tyrol, check out
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 8
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 417.97 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 45.14 (g) of which sugars 26.24 (g)
- Proteins 5.50 (g)
- Fat 24.56 (g) of which saturated 9.30 (g)of which unsaturated 5.34 (g)
- Fibers 2.98 (g)
- Sodium 86.27 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 75 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup hazelnut flour
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup buckwheat flour
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 cup butter (at room temperature)
- egg (1 whole)
- 1/2 packet baking powder (about 8 g)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 ground cloves (optional)
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 lemon zest (grated)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups red currant jam (or blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, mixed berries)
Tools
- Bowl
- Springform pan
INSTRUCTIONS
If you don’t have almond and/or hazelnut flour available, you can make it at home simply by grinding the nuts in a blender with 2 tablespoons of sugar taken from the total amount in the recipe.
Put all the dry ingredients in a bowl (or a mixer): all-purpose flour, buckwheat flour, hazelnut flour, almond flour, sugar, baking powder, ground cinnamon, crushed cloves, grated lemon zest, and vanilla, and mix with a spoon.
At this point, add the soft cubed butter and the egg and work by hand (or in the mixer) for about 2 minutes until you get a well-blended dough. Form a loaf, wrap it in plastic wrap, and let it rest in the fridge for about 1 hour.
In a springform pan with a diameter of 8.6 inches (max 9.4 inches) greased and floured, spread 3/4 of the dough inside, the base thickness will be about 0.6 inches, and also create the edges by slightly raising the dough with the pressure of your fingers. Pour the red currant jam (or other choice) in the center, leaving about 0.4 inches free from the edge. Close the dough edges towards the inside. With the remaining dough, create strips and place them in a grid pattern on the cake.
Once the cake is ready, put it in the fridge just until the oven reaches temperature. Bake the Linzer Torte with Buckwheat Flour in a preheated static oven at 320°F for about 40-45 minutes. The times are indicative and depend on the type of oven and the thickness you have rolled the dough. It should become lightly golden. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before taking it out of the mold.
NOTES AND TIPS
GLUTEN-FREE VERSION: To make the Linzer Torte gluten-free, replace the all-purpose flour with the same amount of buckwheat flour.
HAZELNUTS and ALMONDS: This cake is made with both hazelnut and almond flour, but you can use just one of the two or replace them with walnuts as long as the total amount remains the same (total 200 g of nut flour).
JAM/MARMALADE: The original recipe requires red currant jam, but since it is not easy to find, you can replace it with Red Currant Jam, Blueberry Jam, Raspberry Jam, or Mixed Berry Jam.
SPICES: The spices usually used to make the Linzer Torte are cloves and cinnamon, but you can use just cinnamon if you don’t like or don’t have cloves available.
GLUTEN-FREE VERSION: To make the Linzer Torte gluten-free, replace the all-purpose flour with the same amount of buckwheat flour.
HAZELNUTS and ALMONDS: This cake is made with both hazelnut and almond flour, but you can use just one of the two or replace them with walnuts as long as the total amount remains the same (total 200 g of nut flour).
JAM/MARMALADE: The original recipe requires red currant jam, but since it is not easy to find, you can replace it with Red Currant Jam, Blueberry Jam, Raspberry Jam, or Mixed Berry Jam.
SPICES: The spices usually used to make the Linzer Torte are cloves and cinnamon, but you can use just cinnamon if you don’t like or don’t have cloves available.
STORAGE
Once the Linzer Torte is ready, it can be stored at room temperature under a glass dome or closed in an airtight container for up to a week. I assure you that it is even better the day after you prepare it!
HISTORY AND CURIOSITIES
The Linzer Torte is the typical Austrian dessert from the city of Linz, a true classic of the Christmas holidays along with Linzer cookies. It is said that this Linzer Torte is the oldest known cake in recipe annals. Its origins are debated, but the most accredited one traces this dessert back to a pastry chef named Linz from the namesake city. Then, given its great success, in 1823, an Austrian entrepreneur (Johann Konrad Vogel) began its production and commercialization.
