Sachertorte Recipe

Ingredients : Makes one 23cm round cake

115 g

90 g

50 g

4

1.5 ml

65 g

For the topping

75 ml

250 ml

15 ml

175 g

75 g

Plain chocolate

Unsalted butter, at room temperature

Sugar

Eggs, separated, plus 1 egg white

Salt

Plain flour, sifted

Apricot jam

Water

Unsalted butter

Plain chocolate

Sugar

Ready-made chocolate decorating icing

• Preheat the oven to 160^oC/325^oF/Gas 3. Line and grease a 23cm cake tin.
• Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler and set aside.
• Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the chocolate, then beat in the egg yolks, one at a time.
• Beat the egg whites with the salt until stiff. Fold a dollop of whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in the remaining whites in three batches, alternating with the sifted flour. Pour into the tin and bake until a skewer comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Turn out on to a wire rack.
• Meanwhile, melt the jam with 15 ml of the water, then strain for a smooth consistency. For the frosting, melt the butter and chocolate in the top of a double boiler. In a heavy saucepan, dissolve the sugar in the remaining water, then boil until it reaches 107^oC/225^oF (thread stage) on a sugar thermometer.
• Plunge the base of the pan into cold water for 1 minute. Stir into the chocolate. Cool for a few minutes.
• Brush the warm jam over the cake. Pour over the frosting and spread over the top and sides. Leave to set overnight. Decorate with chocolate icing.