BAKE of the week
Sebastian Kobelt has a dream job. As a pastry chef, chocolatier and consultant, he’s a renowned expert on, well, goodies. Sebastian supplies some of Scotland’s most lovely hotels with chocolate. Sacher torte is a famous Viennese recipe. It’s so popular th
You’ll need
For the torte 75g plain flour 75g spelt flour Half a vanilla pod 150g 70% dark chocolate 7 eggs, separated 210g caster sugar 150g butter, softened 45g icing sugar Apricot jam
For the ganache 150g whipping cream 260g 70% dark chocolate, chopped 20g butter (room temp)
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 165C/145C fan/gas mark 3/330F and line a 22cm cake tin with baking paper.
2. Sieve the flours together in a bowl and set aside.
3. Scrape out the vanilla pod. Gently melt dark chocolate and keep warm. Whisk the egg whites with sugar to form stiff peaks. Cream the butter, a pinch of salt, vanilla and icing sugar until it forms a light mixture then slowly add the egg yolks until incorporated.
4. Add the chocolate swiftly, until fully combined. Carefully fold in the meringue mixture, followed by flour.
5. Pour mixture into cake tin and bake for about 40 mins. To test if it’s ready, pierce the cake with a small knife. If nothing sticks to the blade it’s cooked.
6. Leave the cake to cool, then unmold. Spread with apricot jam.
7. For the ganache, bring cream to the boil and remove from heat. Add chopped chocolate and leave for 2 mins until melted.
8. With a handheld blender combine until smooth and silky. Cover with clingfilm, set aside and leave until the ganache has cooled to about 35C.
9. Mix in butter, then spoon on to the sponge and decorate.