If you missed last week, you can catch up on my Pistachio Cherry Tart before moving on to this week! This week I finally partook in a showstopper challenge with the other contestants. We all made dobos torte. Mine was a two tiered cake, with each tier consisting of 8 layers. It really was challenging and I completely believed when some people said things like “I hate this challenge.” It was a long, intricate, delicate process. In short, dobos torte was my Everest.
Ingredients:
(For sponge cake)
8 large eggs
350 g caster sugar
300 g self-raising flour
(For Chocolate Swiss Merengue buttercream)
3 egg whites
1 cup of caster sugar
1 cup of unsalted butter
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
4 oz os semisweet chocolate (melted)
(For almond praline topping and caramel topping *optional*)
75 g flaked almonds
300 g caster sugar
6 tablespoons of water
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 200 C (390 F) Trace out the shape of your torte onto baking paper.
Add the eggs to a large bowl, then add the sugar and whisk until it is foamy and just leaves a trail when the whisk is lifted out. Then gently fold in the flour, a little at a time. Divide the batter between how many layers you are making. Dollop it onto your baking paper and spread it out evenly. (Push don’t pull the batter.) Unless you have an enormous oven, you’ll probably have to bake in several batches. Bake for 8-10 minutes of until the sponge is a light golden colour and springy to the touch. Trim the sponge to neaten it to the exact shape of your torte, gently peel off the baking paper and remove the sponge to a wire rack to cool.
While your cakes are cooling make your buttercream. Place your egg whites and sugar in a large glass or metal bowl. Set that bowl over a pot of simmering water, and whisk continuously until the sugar has completely dissolved and the mixture is opaque. Remove the bowl from the heat, add the vanilla and whip the mixture until it has completely cooled. Then mix in the butter a tablespoon at a time until it is thick and fluffy. (If it starts to look curdled, continue to whip it until it comes back together before continuing to add the rest of the butter.) Lastly, fold in the melted chocolate.
To make your almond praline, spread the flaked almonds over a sheet of baking paper. Dissolve the sugar in water in a small pan over low heat and then increase the heat and boil the syrup until it turns a deep golden colour. Allow the caramel to cool slightly and then pour 3/4 ths of it over the almonds to make your praline. Allow it to cool and set.
Alternate sponge cakes with piped buttercream layers until you’ve reached your desired height. Then top with a drizzling of the leftover caramel and the almond praline.
This was the first time I’ve ever done any sugar work!
Some of my layers were a bit overdone so the decision makes sense. But I still wasn’t particularly impressed.
I was so nervous carrying him. Real nervous.
See you next week for eclairs, Mrs. Berry.
