Dobos Torte- Hungary #61

The word "dobos" means like a drum in Hungarian. This layered cake is named after its inventor, Hungarian chef Jozsef Dobos. Dobos Torte is a thin 6-layered, sponge cake with chocolate buttercream and a brittle caramel top.

Ingredients:

9 egg whites
8 egg yolks
2 c. sugar, separated
1/4 c. milk
1 T. lemon zest
1 pinch salt
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1-1/2 c. sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 T. shortening

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:

4T unsalted butter, softened
2 c. confectioners' sugar
4 T. unsweetened cocoa
2 T. milk (may need more)
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 400F. Have ready 2- 10" cardboard circles. Generously grease a 9" springform pan with soft butter, and dust with flour.
Beat the egg whites until frothy, and gradually add 1 c. sugar. Beat just to soft peaks. In another bowl, beat the yolks with the milk, lemon peel, vanilla, and salt. Fold this into the egg whites.
Sift the flour over the egg mixture and fold in.
Spread 1-1/3 c. batter into the prepared pan. Bake for about 5-9 minutes, or until small brown spots begin to appear on cake. Remove the cake from the oven, and remove layer from pan with a spatula. Dust the cake lightly with flour, and place on a rack to cool.
Grease pan again, and repeat this process until all of the batter is used, about 6 times more. Place the layers between wax paper, and cover with towel. Chill layers for a few hours.
Make the Chocolate Buttercream frosting: Combine the butter and sugar in a small bowl and beat until smooth. Sift 4 T, unsweetened cocoa over the butter and sugar. Add the milk and vanilla and continue beating until smooth and well blended.
Layer the chilled layers on one of the cardboard rounds with the buttercream. Start with one layer; cover with the buttercream, and then press down with another layer to make a good seal. Repeat this with the remaining layers, but reserve one layer. Wrap the cake in plastic, and chill for at least 6 hours along with the remaining buttercream.
Grease the other cardboard round with the shortening and place the last layer on it.
Place 1 c. sugar into a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Allow sugar to cook until the edges look melted and brown. Begin stirring with a wooden spoon. Cook until the sugar becomes an amber color and is smooth.
Carefully pour the caramel over the top of the last layer, and spread to the edges with an oiled knife.
Quickly, using an oiled knife, indent the caramel into 16wedges. Allow to cool slightly, and then retouch the indents with the knife again.
Place layer onto a counter top dusted with sugar and allow the caramel to cool completely.
PLace some more buttercream on top of the chilled torte, and top with the caramel round.
Frost the sides with the remaining butter cream.
Chill the torte before serving.

Results: First, I had a 10" springform pan, not a 9". Therefore, I could only make 5 layers, not 6. Second, this takes awhile, (8-10 mins. per layer) because each layer is baked individually and you have to re-butter and flour the pan each time. I used an easy Buttercream frosting recipe. It was delicious and took no time to make. Third, you definitely need the cardboard rounds. I got them at Michael's Craft store. Fourth, and most important, is making the hard caramel. You need to work very quickly when spreading the caramel onto the the top layer. So, have everything ready to go, including the well oiled knife. Cutting the 16 wedges before the caramel cooled was a challenge. I couldn't cut them a second time. The caramel started sticking to the oiled knife. Serving slices was also a challenge because the caramel was hard to cut through. Having said all this, the presentation was impressive.
Bottom Line:I thought the cake was a bit dry. Serving it with ice cream helped. I seem to serve a lot of cakes with ice cream. LOL It was good and looked impressive. I might try it again.

A-Z Cakes with Linda

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