My First Daring Baker's Challenge - Dobos Torte

Dear All,

This is my first Daring Bakers Challenge and i am very much excited about it. I wanted to join the Daring Baker's league from a very long time but never got enough courage to do so. Last month finally i convinced myself to give it a try and here i am with my very first challenge. The challenge was to make this exquisite 6 layered Dobos Torte. The August 2009 Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Angela of A Spoonful of Sugar and Lorraine of Not Quite Nigella. They chose the spectacular Dobos Torte based on a recipe from Rick Rodgers' cookbook Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Caffés of Vienna, Budapest, and Prague. The Dobos Torta is a five-layer sponge cake, filled with a rich chocolate buttercream and topped with thin wedges of caramel. (You may come across recipes which have anywhere between six and 12 layers of cake; there are numerous family variations!). It was invented in 1885 by József C. Dobos, a Hungarian baker, and it rapidly became famous throughout Europe for both its extraordinary taste and its keeping properties.

I used half of the recipe given as i had used an 7inch baking pan instead of 9 and still managed to get 6 layers. Making the cake wasnt difficult just a little time consuming with lots of patience. I wasnt too keen on using the butter cream as the filling as personally I am not fond of buttercream but as this was my first challenge i did stick to the recipe, only that i didnt use any eggs in the butter cream, just butter, icing sugar and dark melted chocolate did the trick! I used powdered halzelnuts and some chocolate sprinkles to decorate the sides of the cake.

My Recipe for the Dobos Torte Sponge Layer: 3 large eggs seperated 90 gms of icing sugar, divided 60 gms sifted cake flour 1 tsp vanilla essence Chocolate Buttercream: 100 gms dark chocolate chopped 1/3 cup of softened butter 1 cup confectioner's sugar 1/2 tsp vanilla essence Caramel Topping: 1/2 cups of super fine sugar 6 tbsp of water 4 tsp of lemon juice Finishing Touches: Finely chopped or powdered hazelnuts Chocolate sprinkles
Directions for the sponge layers:

NB. The sponge layers can be prepared in advance and stored interleaved with parchment and well-wrapped in the fridge overnight.

• Position the racks in the top and centre thirds of the oven and heat to 400F (200C).
• Cut six pieces of parchment paper to fit the baking sheets. Using the bottom of a 9" (23cm) springform tin as a template and a dark pencil or a pen, trace a circle on each of the papers, and turn them over (the circle should be visible from the other side, so that the graphite or ink doesn't touch the cake batter.)
• Beat the egg yolks, 45gm of the confectioner's (icing) sugar, and the vanilla in a medium bowl with a mixer on high speed until the mixture is thick, pale yellow and forms a thick ribbon when the beaters are lifted a few inches above the batter, about 3 minutes. (You can do this step with a balloon whisk if you don't have a mixer.)
• In another bowl, using clean beaters, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the remaining 45 gms of confectioner's (icing)sugar until the whites form stiff, shiny peaks. Using a large rubber spatula, stir about 1/4 of the beaten whites into the egg yolk mixture, then fold in the remainder, leaving a few wisps of white visible. Combine the flour and salt. Sift half the flour over the eggs, and fold in; repeat with the remaining flour.
• Line one of the baking sheets with a circle-marked paper. Using a small offset spatula, spread about the batter in an even layer, filling in the traced circle on one baking sheet.
• Bake on the top rack for 5 minutes, until the cake springs back when pressed gently in the centre and the edges are lightly browned. While this cake bakes, repeat the process on the other baking sheet, placing it on the centre rack. When the first cake is done, move the second cake to the top rack.
• Invert the first cake onto a flat surface and carefully peel off the paper. Slide the cake layer back onto the paper and let stand until cool. Rinse the baking sheet under cold running water to cool, and dry it before lining with another parchment. Continue with the remaining papers and batter to make a total of 7 layers (6 for the cake and 1 for the top caramel one).

Directions for the chocolate buttercream:

NB. This can be prepared in advance and kept chilled until required

• On a double boiler, melt the dark chocolate until smooth. Set aside to cool completely.
• Once the chocolate is cooled, add in the softened butter and beat together until smooth.
• Slowly add in the icing sugar, little by little and beat together to form creamy icing.
• Finally add in the vanilla essence and once again give a quick beat.

For Caramel Topping:

• Choose the best-looking cake layer for the caramel top. To make the caramel topping: Line a jellyroll pan with parchment paper and butter the paper. Place the reserved cake layer on the paper. Score the cake into equal 6 to 7 wedges, this would depend upon the size of your cake.
• Heat together sugar , water and lime on medium heat until sugar is dissolved.
• Now turn the heat at high and let it boil for few mins until a dark caramel color is obtained
• Immediately pour the caramel on the wedges and with lightly greased spoon or spatula cover all sides of the wedges with caramel.
• Remove them to a seperate sheet and cool completely.

Assembling the Dobos Torte:

• Divide the buttercream into six equal parts.
• Place a dab of chocolate buttercream on the middle of a 7 inch cardboard round or a plate and top with one cake layer. Spread the layer with one part of the chocolate icing. Repeat with 5 more cake layers. Spread the remaining icing on the sides of the cake.
• Arrange the caramel wedges on top of the cake.
• Decorate the sides of the cake with chopped hazelnuts and chocolate sprinkles.