Dobos Torte

The Dobos Torte is a many-layered cake, with a chocolate cream filling and icing, and a glaze of caramelised sugar.It is delicious, and it takes time to make. My best friend and I made one for my birthday, and it was super yummy - well worth the effort. This recipe lasts well - it was better the day after it was cooked, and still moist and yummy two days after that. Then it was all gone, so I can't tell you how long it might have lasted!!

Dobos torte, with slightly wonky layers and oozy chocolate filling,
served with cream and walnut toffee

I'm going to post this in stages, as it will help you better with the flow of what needs to happen.

Firstly make the chocolate cream filling/icing.

150g semi-sweet chocolate melted
6 eggs
1 cup of sugar
1 cup butter

Beat the eggs and 1 cup of sugar in the top of a double-boiler until the mixture thickens into a custard - it will have the consistency of a slightly thick creme anglaise. Remove from heat and beat in the melted chocolate and the butter (the heat should melt the butter into the mixture for you).

Set aside to completely cool. This is very important. We actually filled the cake when it was not completely cool, and it did ooze a little - as you can see in the picture. Had we waited we would have slightly thicker and more even filling.

Make the cake

5 eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup sifted plain flour

Beat the eggwhites until stiff.
Using the unwashed beater, beat the egg-yolks, sugar and salt, until the mixture thickens.
Fold the egg yolk mixture into the eggwhites.
Fold the flour into the batter.

Bake 6-8 layers - your batter should be 1/4 inch thick in a pan that is lined with baking paper - for 10 minutes each in a hot oven (400F or 200C) - they should only be lightly browned.
Turn out and remove the paper immediately.

Make the caramel glaze

3/4 cup of sugar
1 tbs of butter

put the sugar and butter into a pan. Over a low heat let the butter and sugar melt into a caramel. If it is heating unevenly shake the pan, rather than stirring, as stirring can sometimes make the caramel cystallise.

Put a layer of your cake on a piece of baking paper in a baking tray. Pour the caramel over the top and QUICKLY - before it cools - cut the caramel into as many slices/wedges you want the cake to have. You must do this, or you'll find it hard/impossible to cut the cake later. In between each cut you can run your knife through a pat of butter to help with any issues with stickiness. We had a fair amount of caramel run-off - which we then quickly added some crumbed walnuts to & used to snack on and garnish our finished dessert.

Assemble the cake.

place a layer of cake on a board/plate. Cover with filling, Repeat till you get to the last layer which is already covered in caramel. Ice the sides of the cake with the chocolate cream

Sit down and admire your creation. Then enjoy!