Created in 1832 by apprentice baker Franz Sacher for an Austrian prince, this chocolate cake soon gained popularity. Sacher’s descendants later built and operated the Sacher Hotel in Vienna and made the cake their specialty. When a popular Viennese pastry shop copied the recipe, the Sachers took them to court. In the court decision, the Sachers retained the right to use the name “Original Sacher torte.”
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Cake:
5 1/3 oz. bittersweet chocolate
1 stick plus 3 tbsp. butter, melted
1/2 c. sugar
6 eggs, separated*
1 tbsp. powdered sugar
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 c. flour
12 oz. apricot jam at room temperature
Chocolate icing:
7 oz. bittersweet chocolate
1 c. powdered sugar
2 tbsp. butter
A few drops fresh lemon juice
8 to 10 tbsp. hot water
METHOD:
1. Prepare a 9-inch spring form pan by cutting waxed paper the exact size of the base of the pan, plus a 29 x 2 1/4-inch strip for the sides. (Measure the circle for the base by putting the pan on top of the waxed paper and drawing a circle around it.) Insert waxed paper in pan.
2. Preheat oven to 325°F.
3. In a double boiler, heat chocolate until melted.
4. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar temperature using an electric mixer. Add melted chocolate. Then add egg yolks, one at a time, beating continuously to make a creamy mixture.
5. In another bowl, using clean beaters, beat egg whites and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.
6. Add egg whites to chocolate mixture, then sift baking powder and flour together onto egg whites, a little at a time. Fold egg whites and flour carefully into chocolate mixture.
7. Pour batter into prepared pan, using a spatula to spread it evenly. Bake for about 50 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into cake. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is done.
8. Remove cake from oven, remove spring form rim, carefully peel off side paper, and allow cake to cool slightly.
9. Turn cake onto a cake plate and remove base of pan and waxed paper. Slice cake horizontally into two halves. Spread bottom layer
10. To make icing, melt chocolate in a double boiler. Add powdered sugar, butter, lemon juice, and 1 tbsp. of hot water at a time to get right consistency for spreading on cake.
11. While icing is still hot, spread over top and sides of cake and allow icing to cool completely.
12. Serve cake with whipped cream, if desired.
Preparation time: 30 to 45 minutes
Baking time: about 50 minutes
Serves 12
*To separate an egg, crack it cleanly on the edge of a non-plastic bowl. Holding the two
halves of the eggshell over the bowl, gently pour the egg yolk back and forth between the two halves, letting the egg white drip into the bowl and being careful not to break the yolk.
