A long time ago my Mom and Dad went to Austria on holiday and came back with a sugar free sachertorte for me in a wooden box. I can clearly remember that first wooden box more than I could remember the torte as I kept it full of love letters from my then boyfriend. When I got engaged I decided to read through all of the letters for one last time and then throw them all away – but I kept the box. I was lucky enough to get a second sachertorte and Dave and I shared it, slice by slice and night by night until it was finished. Since then I have dreamt about the sachertorte but sadly I have never had the occasion to visit Austria and have a slice at the Hotel Sacher. I have previously made sachertorte for my blog but I could not post the recipe due to publishing constraints. I however found a recipe for sachertorte in my Larousse and this one I am sharing. It is not 100% the same as the original, but that could just be my taste memory romanticising the gift. And, in case you were wondering, I no longer have the boxes they came in – these were left behind in our last move when I needed to conserve space.
Have you visited the Hotel Sacher?
Sachertorte
Ingredients
for the cake
- 100 g dark chocolate roughly chopped
- 4 egg yolks
- 62 g butter melted
- 5 egg white
- pinch of salt
- 75 g vanilla caster sugar - I used fructose
- 63 g flour sifted
for the icing
- 75 g dark chocolate roughly chopped
- 125 mls cream
- 100 g vanilla sugar - I used fructose
- 1 egg lightly beaten
Instructions
for the cake
- Preheat the oven to 180° Celsius
- Melt the chocolate in a bain-marie
- Place the egg yolks into a large bowl and lightly beat
- Whisk in the melted butter
- Add the melted chocolate and mix in thoroughly
- Place the egg whites and the salt into a stand mixer and whisk until the egg whites are stiff
- Add the caster sugar a but at a time and continue to whisk until you have incorporated all of the sugar, and the egg whites have formed stiff peaks
- Fold a third of the egg whites into the chocolate and mix in
- Fold the rest of the egg whites in, a bit at a time, making sure you cannot see a trace of the egg whites
- Sprinkle the flour around the edges of your bowl and gently mix in
- Pour into a lined baking tin
- Place into the oven and bake for 45 minutes
- Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out and leaving the cake to cool completely
for the icing
- Place the chocolate and the cream into a small saucepan
- Add the sugar and place onto a medium heat
- Stir continuously until the sugar has dissolved
- Leave on the heat for 5 minutes
- Place 30mls of the mixture into your egg and mix in well
- Pour this back into the saucepan and stir continuously for 1 minute
- Remove from the heat and leave to cool and thicken at room temperature
to assemble
- Place the cake onto a serving plate
- Pour the icing over the cake, allowing it to drip down the edges
- Place into the fridge for 3 hours to allow the icing to set
- Remove 30 minutes before serving
Notes
Click on the links for conversions and notes.
What I blogged:
- one year ago – Fyndraai
- four years ago – Bake A Savoury Tart
Oh, Tandy! I’ve heard about this one. Never made it though. Thanks for a tasty and beautiful remainder!
ela h.
It is my pleasure Ela and thank you for the compliment 🙂
Oh this looks lovely – one of my favourite desserts – haven’t made it for ages – need to find an excuse:)
I hope just reading this post gives you the excuse you need 🙂
I have been to the Hotel Sacher for the Sacher torte and it is delicious! I also really liked the mini version they have a Sacher Punsch, a smaller individual version of cake with a bit more rum 😀 The box sounds so pretty!
My folks would love the smaller version as they are both rum drinkers 🙂
You know, I think I need to go through your blog and make a list of all the yummy desserts I want to make and then schedule one every few weekends. Otherwise I’ll just never get round to it! YUM!! I remember my dad bringing us home this Italian cake he got from his boss who went to Italy every year. It tasted so good – different to what we’re used to. This cake looks delicious!
Ooh, I wish I knew the name of the Italian cake so that I could make it 🙂
love the tale behind the recipe and box. It seems like it is wonderful cake
Thank you for reading my tale Usha 🙂
Off to Vienna in about two weeks. Missed the torte on the previous visits—hope to take the time this time around! If not, perhaps I’ll have to give your recipe a go when we get back. 🙂
xo
I hope you manage a visit to the hotel, if only for the torte 🙂
I love dark chocolate and this looks delicious! I’ll have to look up vanilla caster sugar, I’m sure what that is.
To make the vanilla sugar you can just place your left over vanilla bean pods into your sugar container 🙂
Have never made this as am not a chocolate fan…but I know plenty of people who would love it if I dare to give it a go!
How could you not love chocolate? I hope you make it for your friends Tanya 🙂
I had my first Sachertorte in Vienna. 🙂 Such a happy memory in a beautiful cafe. 🙂
I have not been to Vienna but it is on my list!
Yum, looks decadent.
Thank you Amy 🙂
I don’t think I’ve ever tried sachertorte, let alone in Austria at the famous hotel … which seems like a crime now that I’ve read your description of how beautiful it is! Your story of eating it out of a box with your fiance is beautiful, too!
Thank you so much Helen 🙂
I love a good sachertorte! It’s such a great mix of chocolate and fruit!
I must try a version with fruit in it 🙂
Hi Tandy! Happy Friday to you from the Niagara Falls area. I’m unfamiliar with the sugar you used to sweeten this cake but I’m eager to learn more it.
This torte is exactly the type of cake my mom was asking for, for her Birthday, but I ended up making a flourless chocolate cake because I couldn’t find the “right” one. I know, this is what she was asking for now. It’s stunningly beautiful.
Fructose is a fruit based sugar substitute which contains no sucrose. I hope your mom loved the cake you made for her 🙂
Love letters are a nice tickler looking back during those days, lol! I love the tip on freezing egg yolks for future use which will be handy for newbie and seasoned foodies alike!
Julie
Gourmet Getaways
Love letters can be something quite special!
I too have eaten this in Vienna – so good with coffee. Yours looks beautiful
Thank you Sally, and lucky you 🙂
Hi Tandy, this looks wonderful, looks very decadent! Pinned!
Thank you Cheri, it is quite decadent 🙂
what a wonderful memory to share Tandy. And I’m printing this recipe off for a day I fancy a chocolate torte and have an excuse to make one! And thank you fo rthe tip about freezing egg yolks, I had no idea that was possible.
My pleasure, and I hope you enjoy the torte 🙂
A great home-made sachet torte! 🙂 beautiful!
Thank you Sophie 🙂