Dobos Torte

This traditionally is a Hungarian seven-layer cake, we made it a six layer cake in class, that is generally made in a rectangle or strip shape. The cake is covered with chocolate butter cream and then topped with caramelized cake wedges, and traditionally had toasted almond halves around the sides of the cake. The cake is usually made with Dobos cake layers, which is just a hazelnut cake. The cake pictured below is made with a swiss roll.

Dobos Torte*: yields 1, 8" cake
Ingredients:
1 sheet, Swiss roll cake (or 4, 8" cakes of sponge consistency)
1 lb 11 oz. Italian Chocolate Meringue Butter Cream**
7.5 oz Sugar, cooked to a light caramel stage with 1.5 oz water
Pralines, or other kind of toasted nuts for garnish

Tools: Stainless steel bowls, burner, mixer, offset spatula, serrated knife, chefs knife, piping bag, small star (or circle) tip, bowl scraper, spatula or wooden spoon, brush , 8" cake card, 9" cake card, 8" cutting template, cutting board

*This formula is modified from Gisslen, Professional Baking, Ed. 5, Pg. 460
**When we made this cake in class we needed about 6 oz of extra buttercream


MOP: assemble a six layer Dobos Torte
(If you are making a traditional seven layer torte, add one layer to the stack)
If frozen, take the swill roll cake out of the freezer before you use it so it is easier to cut. Remember you don't have to freeze or chill cakes before assembling them, the more frozen the cake is the easier it should be to cut and you will get less crumbs when cutting it. Cut the cake into seven 8" circles that are roughly 1/2" thick.
In class we baked roughly a 1" thick sheet tray so we used a 8" template to cut 6 cakes out of the sheet. We then cut each 8" circle in half. If you want to make it easier for you you can just bake a 1/2" thick sheet tray (half of the swiss roll recipe). Whatever works best for you.

Take one layer, the thinnest one, and set it aside to use for the garnish.

The remaining six layers are for assembling the cake. Take one bottom piece and place it cut side up on the 8" cake card. Dab with simple syrup to moist the cake. Apply a thin layer of buttercream on the cake layer, roughly 2 oz. Place another layer of cake on top of the buttercream, try to get it as even as possible with the previous layer. Dab with simple syrup, apply thin layer of buttercream. Repeat this until all six layers are used. If you start to see that its getting uneven at the top compensate with your layers, because chances are some of them will be a little uneven.

Dab the top with simple syrup and then frost the top of the cake with buttercream. Straighten the buttercream at the top out before frosting sides. You don't have to frost the sides heavily or too smoothly because you will cover it with nuts. Clean up or smooth out the sides and top to look flat. Line the side of the cake with Pralines. Using the back of your knife score the top of the cake in 10 pieces. See image for visual aide in cutting.

The first score you want to do right down the middle.
The second score you want to do at a "bow tie" distance from the first cut.
The third cut you want to halve the larger section.
The fourth cut you want to halve the larger section.
The fifth cut you want to halve the larger section.

Use your small star tip or circle tip and make small dime size rosettes around the edge of the cake. You don't have to have the same number of rosettes in each slice, just make sure the rosettes are contained in the area marked out for slices. Then, using the same star tip but with more pressure applied, pip a large rosette in the center of each slice. Set the cake aside in the refrigerator to help the buttercream harden slightly.

Heat 7 1/2 oz. sugar with 1.5 oz water in a saucepan. Heat this until it reaches a light golden caramelized colour. While the caramel is heating up lightly oil a cutting board and a chefs knife, place the layer of cake that you set aside for garnish on the cutting board.
A note about caramel. This method of making caramel is a wet caramel, which means you slowly cook the sugar in the water. When you are making such a small amount of caramel, like this batch, the caramel doesn't take too long to make in the wet method. If you are making large batches or are in a hurry you can make a dry caramel which is where you alternate portions of sugar and water until you get a smooth caramel consistency. With this method you have to keep stirring it the entire time to avoid burning.

When the caramel is set up pour over the cake. Use a off set spatula or a brush to help you get the caramel to coat the cake entirely and evenly/smoothly. The faster you work and the less you work it the prettier your garnish will look. Don't let the caramel sit too long, but when it feels firm score the caramel coated cake into 10 pieces and then cut it into 10 pieces. If you wait too long the caramel will harden and crack when you cut into it.


Take the cake out and arrange each piece of caramel coated cake on top of each slice on a slant, resting on the large rosette in the center of the cake.