Sachertorte de Violette

By littlejordan

The finished cake is delicious served with whipped cream and fresh raspberries or a raspberry coulis.

Ingredients

• Frosting & Filling:
• 6 oz/175g semisweet chocolate
• 2/3 cup unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup superfine sugar
• 6 eggs, separated
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 6 oz/175g semisweet chocolate
• 5 tbsp strong black coffee
• 1 cup frosting powdered sugar
• 6 tbsp good-quality apricot jelly
• 1 3/4 ounce/50g semisweet chocolate, melted, to decorate

Details

Servings 10

Preparation

Step 1

Grease a 9-inch springform cake pan and line the bottom with baking parchment. Melt the chocolate. Beat the butter and 1/3 cup of the sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the egg yolks and beat well. Add the chocolate in a thin stream, beating well. Sift the flour and fold it into the mixture. Whisk the egg whites until standing in soft peaks. Add the remaining sugar and whisk for 2 minutes by hand or 45-60 seconds if using a electric mixer, until glossy. Fold half into the chocolate mixture, then fold in the remainder.

Spoon into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake in a preheated oven, 300'F for 1-1 1/4 hours until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cook completely.

To make the frosting, melt the chocolate and beat in the coffee until smooth. Strain the powdered sugar into a bowl. Whisk in the melted chocolate mixture to give a thick frosting. Halve the cake. Warm the apricot jelly, spread over one half of the cake and sandwich together. Invert the cake onto a wire rack. Spoon the frosting over the cake and, using a spatula, spread as smoothly and evenly as possible, to cot the top and sides. Let the frosting set for 5 minutes, allowing any excess to drip through the rack. Transfer to a serving plate and let set for at least 2 hours.

To decorate, spoon the melted chocolate into a small pastry bag and pipe the words "Sacher de Violette" or "Sachetorte de Violette" on the top of the cake. Let it harden before serving.