Dobos Torte

Dobos Torte

from Ellen's kitchen thanks to Smitten Kitchen  (stock up on eggs!)

Ingredients:

• Cake:
• 7 large eggs, separated
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 pound powdered sugar
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tbs lemon juice
• 1/8 tsp salt
• Frosting and filling:
• 1/2 lb unsweetened or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 lb unsalted butter, cut into chunks, at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 large egg yolks
• 2 tbs powdered sugar

Thoughts on layers:

• I personally think you need a minimum of 7 layers in this cake.  The last time I made it, I made 11.  It is quite easy to bake them on parchment on cookie sheets.  I also like the rectangular shape, but may make them in whatever shape you like.  If possible, make a few more layers than you need, as sometimes your thin layers have trouble maintaining their shape during assembly.

Trace:

•  Your cake shape of choice onto the parchment the desired number of times, flip the parchment over, and butter inside those shapes.  Flour and then shake off the excess.

Preheat:

• oven to 450.  

In:

• bowl of mixer, beat 10 egg yolks for a few minutes on high speed, until pale and lemon colored.  Reduce speed and add sugar, increase speed and beat until thick and glossy.  Add lemon juice.  Scrape down the bowl.  Move to another bowl and clean mixing bowl.

In:

• bowl of mixer, 7 egg whites with whisk until formed stiff peaks.  Add a few spoonfuls of the whites into the yolks and mix to loosen up yolks.  Then, fold in the remainder of the whites, in three additions.  Your batter should now be a spreadable, foamy batter.  

Spread:

• your batter onto your stenciled parchment with offset spatula (push batter, don't pull).  Go for an even, thin layer, slightly larger than your shapes.   

Bake:

• each layer for about 5 minutes, until layers are golden with some brown spots.   Immediately upon removal from oven, flip layers onto cooking racks, lightly dusted with powdered sugar.  Carefully removed parchment and flip layers back over onto dusted racks, as tops of layers are stickiest.  

Repeat:

• with remainining layers.  Fill empty batter bowl with water, to ease cleaning.  

Layers:

• will cool quickly.  Trim edges as needed, to stack nicely.  

Make filling and frosting:

• Melt chocolate until smooth.  Set aside to cool just to room temperature.  In bowl of electric mixer, beat butter until smooth, scraping frequently.  Add vanilla and 3 egg yolks, beating until thoroughly mixed, scraping as needed.  

Assembly:

• Protect your serving plate with strips of parchment around shape of cake in center.  Place first layer on plate and spread filling on top with offset spatula.  Filling will have to be spread thinly if have many layers.  Repeat with remaining layers, stacking as neatly as possible.  Once fully stacked and filled, may trim edges again if necessary. 
• Thinly spread remaining frosting on outside of cake, just to cover and adhere crumbs.  Put in fridge for 30 minutes prior to serving.  Remove paper strips.