Chocolate Orange Dobostorte Recipe

Directions:

1. Make torte layers: Preheat oven to 350°F. Invert three 8-inch round cake pans (do not use dark metal or non-stick pans) onto a work surface and butter bottoms (now on top) and rounded edges well. Dust pans with flour, knocking off excess.
2. Separate whites and yolks of eggs into 2 large bowls. With an electric mixer beat together yolks and 1/2 cup sugar until thick and pale and mixture forms a ribbon when beater is lifted, about 5 minutes. Beat in vanilla until just combined. Sift together flour and salt over yolk mixture and fold in gently but thoroughly. With cleaned beaters beat whites with a pinch salt until foamy. Add cream of tartar and beat whites until they just hold soft peaks. Gradually beat in remaining 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating whites until they just hold stiff peaks. Stir one third whites into yolk mixture until just combined and fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly.
3. Spread 1/2 cup batter with a rubber spatula or a knife on each of the 3 pan outside bottoms (now the tops) just to edges and bake on same rack in middle of oven until just cooked through and just turning pale golden at edges, about 6 1/2 minutes. Cool layers on pans on racks 1 minute and loosen layers with a long, thin-bladed knife. Carefully transfer layers to racks to cool completely. Cool pans completely and wipe clean with paper towels. Make 6 more layers in same manner, buttering and flouring pans for each batch. (Batter should not stand any longer than necessary because it will begin to lose volume.) (Layers may be made 1 day before assembling torte and kept at room temperature, stacked between sheets of wax paper and wrapped in plastic wrap. Carefully remove wax paper before assembling torte.)
4. Make orange glaze: In a small saucepan heat marmalade over moderate heat, stirring, until melted and pour through a sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on solids. Stir in liqueur. (Glaze may be made 1 day before assembling torte and chilled, covered.)
5. Preheat oven to 350°F.
6. In a baking pan toast hazelnuts in one layer in middle of oven 10 to 15 minutes, or until lightly colored and skins are blistered. Wrap nuts in a kitchen towel and let steam 1 minute. Rub nuts in towel to remove loose skins (do not worry about skins that do not come off) and cool. Finely chop nuts.
7. Assemble torte: Trim edges of torte layers if necessary so that layers are all the same size and reserve best layer, wrapped in plastic wrap, for caramel top. On a cake stand arrange 1 layer, using a small dab buttercream to anchor it to cake stand, and spread with 3 heaping tablespoons buttercream. Spread a second layer with 2 tablespoons orange glaze and put layer, orange side down, on buttercream-spread layer. Spread top with 3 heaping tablespoons buttercream. Continue to layer remaining torte layers (except reserved layer) in same manner. After spreading eighth layer with buttercream, spread some remaining buttercream around side of torte to coat and chill torte 5 minutes to firm buttercream slightly. Press some hazelnuts on side of torte to cover it and reserve remaining buttercream and nuts. (Torte may be made up to this point 1 day ahead and chilled, covered with an inverted bowl or a cake keeper. Chill reserved torte layer, wrapped in plastic wrap; chill reserved buttercream, covered; keep reserved nuts, covered, at room temperature. Bring torte, reserved torte layer, and buttercream to room temperature before proceeding.)
8. Put reserved torte layer on a buttered rack set over a sheet of foil and have ready a buttered knife.
9. Make caramel: In a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan cook water, sugar, and cream of tartar over moderate heat, stirring and washing down sugar crystals clinging to side of pan with a brush dipped in cold water, until sugar is dissolved. Boil syrup, without stirring, until it just turns pale golden and continue to cook, without stirring, swirling pan, until syrup is a deep golden caramel.
10. Remove pan from heat and when caramel stops boiling immediately pour enough over torte layer to thinly coat. Working very quickly, draw knife through caramel down to torte, marking off 8 wedges, but not cutting through torte. (The lines will make it easier to cut torte without shattering hardened caramel; if caramel becomes too hard, heat knife blade on top of stove to facilitate marking.) Carefully loosen caramel-coated torte layer from rack using knife and transfer to a clean rack to cool completely.
11. Finish torte: Arrange caramel-coated layer on top of torte. Fill gap between top 2 torte layers with some reserved buttercream using a small icing spatula or a dinner knife, smoothing it, and press some reserved nuts up around side of torte near top. (Torte may be fully assembled 4 hours ahead and chilled, covered with inverted bowl or cake keeper. Bring torte to room temperature before serving.)