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Prep Time: 1 Minutes Cook Time: 480 Minutes |
Ready In: 481 Minutes Servings: 6 |
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This is an American version of the Hungarian Dobos Torte. Six thin cake layers filled and frosted with dark chocolate cream, then topped with shattery caramel candy. I used to request this as my birthday cake as a kid because it looks so impressive and I loved to crack the candy topping. It really is more of a grown up cake though, not very sweet. I haven’t had it in ages but it is well worth the work if you want to impress someone. Ingredients:
6 eggs, divided |
1 teaspoon cream of tartar |
1 cup sugar |
1/4 cup water |
1/2 cup sugar |
1 teaspoon vanilla extract |
1 teaspoon lemon extract |
1 1/2 cups cake flour |
1/2 teaspoon baking powder |
1/2 teaspoon salt |
3 egg yolks (from cake eggs) |
2 tablespoons water |
1/2 cup sugar |
4 unsweetened chocolate squares |
1 tablespoon rum extract or 1 tablespoon flavoring |
1 teaspoon vanilla extract |
1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks) |
1 cup whipping cream |
3/4 cup sugar |
walnuts, halved |
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F Grease bottoms of three 9-inch cake pans, line with wax paper and grease paper.
2. Separate eggs, placing whites in a large bowl, 3 egg yolks in another large bowl, and set aside 3 yolks in a cup to make the frosting later.
3. Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until foamy white and double in volume. While beating, sprinkle in 1 cup of sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it forms soft peaks.
4. Stir water into the 3 egg yolks in large bowl, beat until thick. Beat in remaining 1/2 cup of sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, until fluffy, then beat in vanilla and lemon extract.
5. Sift flour, baking powder and salt over egg mixture and fold into it.
6. Fold in meringue until no streaks remain.
7. Measure 3/4 cup (original says 1 1/3 cups but my Mother’s note is 3/4 cup) of batter into each of the prepared pans, spread to edges to make thin layers. (Cover remaining batter to make 3 more layers after these are done.).
8. Bake layers 20 minutes, or until golden and centers spring back when lightly pressed with fingertip.
9. Remove from pans, peel off wax paper and cool on racks.
10. Wash pans, grease bottom, line with wax paper and grease paper. Make 3 more layers like the previous ones.
11. Make Chocolate Cream:.
12. In a medium bowl, beat egg yolks with water until thick. Beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until fluffy.
13. Melt chocolate in top of a double boiler over simmering water, stir in egg mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, about 1 minute, or until mixture thickens. Remove from heat.
14. Beat in rum extract and vanilla, cool slightly.
15. In a medium size bowl, cream butter or margarine. Beat in chocolate mixture very slowly. (Mixture will be thin but will thicken as cream is folded in.).
16. Beat cream until stiff in a small bowl; fold into chocolate mixture until no streaks of white remain.
17. Assemble cake:.
18. On a serving plate, put layers of cake together by spreading 1/2 cup chocolate cream between each. Chill cake and keep chocolate cream at room temperature while you make the brittle.
19. Make Caramel Brittle:.
20. Melt 3/4 cup sugar over low heat in a small heavy saucepan, stirring often with a wooden spoon; just until golden. (Watch it, for sugar will turn brown quickly.).
21. Pour slowly over cake at once, spreading quickly to the edge. (It hardens fast so be speedy.).
22. Frost sides of cake with remaining chocolate cream, making deep swirls with the knife.
23. Decorate top and bottom edges with walnut halves.
24. Chill until serving time. Torte is best and cuts more neatly, if chilled overnight.
25. When ready to serve, crack candy topping by tapping along cutting lines with a sharp heavy blade knife, then slice into serving size wedges.
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