LINZER TORTE
The Linzer Torte (also known as Linz Torte, Linzer Tart, Linzer Torta, or Linzertorte) is, along with the Sacher, the most well-known Austrian dessert boasting ancient origins. It is said to be one of the oldest cakes in the world, originating from the city of Linz.
This delightful dessert can now be found everywhere, especially in Italy in the Trentino and South Tyrol region, where it has become one of the typical Christmas desserts, though it is made all year round.
The Linzer Torte, for those who don’t know it, is a kind of tart, thick, soft, and spicy, made with a shortcrust pastry base prepared with hazelnut flour and flavored with cloves and cinnamon, filled with red fruit jam (or raspberry or currant) which, with its tart taste, perfectly complements the sweetness of the base and is decorated with almond flakes.
An ideal cake for the winter months when we feel even more the need for comfort food and some sweetness.
The Linzer Torte, although it might look like a tart, differs from the classic one because it is much thicker and softer, almost resembling a leavened cake, and the notes of cloves and cinnamon make it truly special.
As with all traditional recipes, there are several versions. The one we will make today, like other recipes from Alto Adige found on my blog, was given to me by a pastry chef from Alta Badia. The Linzer Torte is very popular in Alto Adige, alongside the Buckwheat Cake with which it should not be confused because, unlike the latter, it is made with almond and hazelnut shortcrust pastry and not with wheat flour, although both are filled with red currant jam.
A tip: If you want to present it for a snack, use a rectangular pan and present it in squares just like they do in the hotels of Trentino when guests return from a day of skiing!
Try this wonderful Austrian tart, which I am sure will win you over with its softness and mix of aromas and flavors.
If you love the recipes of Trentino Alto Adige, you can’t miss these as well.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: pan diameter 9-10 inches
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Austrian
- Energy 604.04 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 70.08 (g) of which sugars 39.56 (g)
- Proteins 8.87 (g)
- Fat 32.96 (g) of which saturated 12.56 (g)of which unsaturated 7.12 (g)
- Fibers 4.66 (g)
- Sodium 34.39 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 80 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
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/8 cups butter
- 1 1/2 cups almond flour
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup hazelnut pieces
- 2 eggs (medium)
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- lemon zest (1 tsp)
- 1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 cups red currant jam
- almond flakes (optional)
Tools
- Mixer
- Plastic wrap
- Springform pan
- Parchment paper
Steps
As previously mentioned, the procedure for making the Linzer Torte is very simple because it is identical to that of a normal tart. You can proceed with either a stand mixer or manually. First, put the sifted flour mixed with baking powder and cocoa in a large bowl, then add the sugar, butter in pieces, almond flour, hazelnut pieces, eggs, ground cloves, cinnamon, and grated lemon zest. Knead all the ingredients well until you obtain a smooth and homogeneous mixture.
Form a ball with the dough, wrap it in plastic wrap, and let it rest in the fridge for about 1 hour. Once the time has elapsed, quickly work the dough for 1 – 2 minutes to make it soft again. Line a 9-10 inch springform pan with parchment paper and spread 2/3 of the dough inside, pressing it slightly with your fingertips and trying to slightly lift the edges. Fill with red currant jam, staying about 1/2 inch from the edge.
At this point, take the remaining dough and form cords that you will arrange in a lattice pattern on the surface of the cake. Finish by creating a thicker cord that you will put around the circumference to create the edge of the cake. You can decide before baking whether to decorate with almond flakes or not. Bake the Linzer Torte in a preheated static oven at 350°F for about 40 – 45 minutes. Once ready, remove from the oven and wait until it is completely cooled before removing it from the pan. Serve sliced accompanied by a good cup of tea or herbal tea.
NOTES
If you can’t find red currant jam, which is not very easy to get outside of South Tyrol, you can easily use raspberry, red currant, or mixed berries jam. It won’t be the original one, but it is still delicious.
STORAGE
The Linzer Torte keeps well in a cake container or under a glass dome in a cool and dry environment for up to 4 days. In reality, this dessert is even better the day after its preparation, so if you can, wait before enjoying it.
CURIOSITY
The Linzer Torte is a sort of tart, higher and softer than the classic one, and boasts ancient origins. Some attribute its creation to a pastry chef named Linz, while others say it is the work of a certain Johann Konrad Vogel, who began its production in 1823 in the town of Linz. What matters, however, is that this delicious cake, with its aromas and unique consistency, is wonderful and has become, along with the Sacher, the most well-known dessert in Austria. Then, as often happens in Italy, it became popular, especially in Trentino Alto Adige and in Alta Badia, where it has long been prepared as a traditional Christmas dessert, as well as throughout the rest of the year.
