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German Tree Cake | Baumtorte / Baumkuchen

This is my favorite cake. All 21 layers of it. It has been since my mitten-wearing years. My mom used this intricately layered almond and chocolate cake as an activity for us kids – something to keep us busy on rainy mornings, when crayons had lost their interest. It is single-handedly responsible for my obsession with almond paste (and it’s sweeter counterpart, marzipan). The original recipe might as well be called “the dance of dirty bowls.” I took a hacksaw to the method, removing five extra bowls. Your baby soft hands will thank you. The best part? No cake goodness was harmed in the streamlining of this recipe. NOTE: You need two days to make this cake because the cake needs to chill in the fridge overnight. Serves 12 Ingredients: All ingredients should be room temperature 1 1/2 cups almond paste, tightly packed (12 oz) 6 Tbsp half & half 1 1/2 sticks butter (12 tbsp), softened 1 cup sugar 10 eggs, separated (put the whites in a bowl big enough to whip them up to …

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Austrian Chocolate Tart with Apricot Jam | Sacher-torte

Serves 8-10 When made properly, Sacher-torte is enrobed in a silky, smooth layer of chocolate ganache. This cake will satisfy any sweet tooth. I made sure to make enough glaze that even the novice decorator will be able to coat the entire cake. Please note: This is *not* the same recipe as published in my upcoming article in AFAR Magazine. The technique is totally different. Ingredients: For the cake: 1/2 stick butter, melted 3/4 cup flour 1/4 cup dutch-processed cocoa 1/4 tsp salt 6 large eggs 1 cup sugar 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1 1/2 cup apricot preserves (chunk-free, or strained) For the glaze: 1 cup heavy cream 4 Tbsp light corn syrup 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate 1 tsp vanilla extract Method: For the Cake: 1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a 10″ round springform pan. Add a circle of parchment paper to the bottom. 2. In a small bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, and salt. NOTE: You really need to sift them together, making them light and fluffy. Sponge cakes rely …

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