The Sacher Cake or Sachertorte is the queen of cakes, the most famous in the world, the most imitated, the most fragrant, and also the most delicious!
The Sachertorte is typical of Viennese pastry. The original recipe is secret and jealously guarded in the pastry shop of the Hotel Sacher in Vienna and protected by a trademark. I had the honor of tasting it at the Sacher Café, where it is prepared according to the original recipe of 1832, when the young pastry assistant, Franz Sacher, who at that time was substituting for the ill court pastry chef, prepared for Prince Von Metternich a dessert where, on his own initiative, he combined dark chocolate with jam, thus creating the Sacher Cake, which became one of the world’s most famous desserts, taking its name: SACHER.
For those who love chocolate like me, it is the ultimate happiness, and I am particularly attached to it because it was the cake of my pastry exam, and thanks to it, I fulfilled my dream!
This wonderful and delectable delicacy is a chocolate cake filled with apricot jam, perfect for creating that delicious contrast, covered with a mirror chocolate glaze and the famous handwritten “Sacher” with a simple parchment paper cone. The recipe I replicated is from Pastry Chef Ernst Knam, the “King of Chocolate,” so it’s a guarantee!
Let’s prepare it together, chocoholics!
See you soon, Susy
Try also:
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 1 Hour
- Portions: 12
- Cooking methods: Electric oven
- Cuisine: Austrian
- Energy 407.87 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 46.63 (g) of which sugars 33.46 (g)
- Proteins 5.86 (g)
- Fat 22.68 (g) of which saturated 10.54 (g)of which unsaturated 6.75 (g)
- Fibers 1.97 (g)
- Sodium 80.89 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 100 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 for the Sacher Cake
- 4.4 oz 55% dark chocolate
- 5 Egg yolks
- 5 Egg whites
- 0.88 cup all-purpose flour
- 0.5 cup butter
- 2 tbsps powdered sugar with vanilla
- 0.65 cup sugar
- 1 vanilla bean (seeds)
- 1 pinch salt
- 7 oz apricot jam
- 5.3 oz 55% dark chocolate
- 0.63 cup heavy cream
To make the Sacher Cake you will need:
- Baking pan 9.5 inch (24 cm) springform
- Electric whisk
- 2 Bowls (large)
- Thermometer pastry
Prepare the Sacher Cake
In a bowl, melt the chocolate in a double boiler and set aside to cool. Meanwhile, with the electric whisk, beat the softened butter (creamed) with the powdered sugar, vanilla seeds, and a pinch of salt.
Subsequently, add the egg yolks and the now cooled dark chocolate to the creamed butter. Beat the egg whites with the sugar until stiff peaks form and gently fold them into the mixture by hand.
Finally, add the sifted flour.
Pour everything into a greased and floured 9.5 inch (24 cm) pan. Bake at 347°F (175°C) for about 30/35 minutes.
The base for the Sacher Cake is ready, I remove it from the oven and let it cool completely. Meanwhile, I strain the apricot jam through a sieve to make it smoother. I cut the cake in half to obtain two layers. I fill the first layer with apricot jam, close the cake with the other layer, and cover the entire cake, including the sides, with more jam. I place it in the fridge for a couple of hours to set the jam well, and in the meantime, I prepare the dark chocolate glaze.
I chop the dark chocolate into pieces and set aside. Meanwhile, I pour the cream into a saucepan and heat it over moderate heat until it almost boils. Then I turn off the heat and add the chocolate, gently stirring with a pastry spatula to mix it well. The ganache is ready, I let it cool; the temperature for it to be shiny should be 104°F (40°C).
I remove the cake from the fridge and place it on a wire rack with a larger plate underneath. I pour the glaze over the cake, covering it completely.
I grab the edges of the rack and tap the cake gently but firmly to let the chocolate flow evenly over the edges. This avoids using spatulas and knives, keeping it as natural as possible.
I let the chocolate dry, and finally, with a parchment paper cone, I obviously write on the cake…Sacher.
The ganache will remain very shiny only if we keep the cake at room temperature and serve it immediately.
Once refrigerated, the ganache will dry and become dull, but the taste and its aroma will always remain heavenly.
This is the Sacher Cake I made for my pastry exam❤️
Storage
The Sacher Cake can be stored in the fridge for up to 2/3 days maximum.
The Sacher Cake can be stored in the fridge for up to 2/3 days maximum.
Susy’s Tip
Want to know where and how the Sacher Cake is served in the famous cafes in Vienna? Well, then I leave you the link to my article, click HERE
Want to know where and how the Sacher Cake is served in the famous cafes in Vienna? Well, then I leave you the link to my article, click HERE
Also, I look forward to seeing you on my Facebook page, on my Instagram profile, TikTok on Pinterest, and on my YouTube channel with my videos for a greeting and a comment.
See you soon, Susy
