Ingredients
Sponge layers
- 6eggs, separated, at room temperature
- 150 gcaster sugar
- 150 gplain flour, sifted
- 1 tspvanilla sugar
- pinch of salt
- 20 gbutter, melted, for the tins
Chocolate buttercream
- 4eggs
- 200 gcaster sugar
- 200 gdark chocolate (60 percent), melted and cooled
- 300 gunsalted butter, very soft
- 1 tbspcocoa powder
Caramel top
- 150 gcaster sugar
- 2 tbspwater
- 1 tsplemon juice
- 10 gbutter
- flavourless oil, for the knife
To finish
- 100 ghazelnuts, toasted and chopped
Directions
- Draw six 22 cm circles on baking paper. Whisk the yolks with half the sugar until pale and ribboning, about 4 minutes.
- Whip the whites with the salt to soft peaks, rain in the remaining sugar and whisk to a firm, glossy meringue. Fold a third into the yolks, then alternate the rest with the sifted flour, working quickly and lightly.
- Spread the batter into thin 3 mm discs inside the drawn circles and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 5–7 minutes each, until the edges are golden and the centre springs back. Peel off the paper while warm and cool flat.
- For the buttercream, whisk the eggs and sugar in a bowl over simmering water to 75°C (165°F), until thick and holding a trail, about 8 minutes. Beat off the heat until completely cold.
- Beat in the soft butter a spoonful at a time, then the melted chocolate and cocoa, until the cream is silky and holds a peak. If it splits, warm the bowl briefly and beat again.
- Choose the flattest, most perfect layer and set it aside for the top. Stack the remaining five with buttercream between, pressing gently level.
- Boil the sugar, water and lemon juice without stirring to a mid-amber caramel, 165–170°C (325–350°F), swirl in the butter, and pour immediately over the reserved layer set on oiled paper.
- Working within 30 seconds, before the caramel sets hard, mark 12 wedges with a hot oiled knife and cut right through. Trim the drips.
- Coat the sides of the cake with buttercream, press the chopped hazelnuts around it, pipe 12 buttercream rosettes on top and rest each caramel wedge against a rosette at an angle. Rest 2 hours in a cool room, not the refrigerator.
Technique
- Jozsef C. Dobos created the cake in 1885; the caramel lid was a preservation device, sealing the buttercream in an age before refrigeration.
- The caramel wedges must be cut the instant the caramel loses its shine. Wait and it shatters; cut too early and it smears.
- This is a French-style cooked-egg buttercream, not icing sugar and butter. Anything else is too sweet against the caramel and reads as a different cake.
Substitutions
- No hazelnuts: finely chopped toasted walnuts are used in many Budapest confectioneries.
- If you cannot bake six identical discs, bake two large sheets, cool, and cut six circles with a plate as a template.
Variations
- The original Dobos had no cocoa in the buttercream, only chocolate; some pastry chefs still make it that way.
- Modern Budapest versions sometimes add a spoon of strong coffee to the buttercream for depth.
History
Created in 1885 by József C. Dobos in Budapest; the caramel top helped the sponge-and-buttercream cake survive travel before refrigeration.
Frequently asked questions
What is Dobos torte?
Dobos torte is a dessert from Hungary: sponge layers, chocolate buttercream, glassy caramel top. Created in 1885 by József C. Dobos in Budapest; the caramel top helped the sponge-and-buttercream cake survive travel before refrigeration.
How long does Dobos torte take to make?
Dobos torte takes 1 hr of preparation and 45 min baking + 2 hr setting of cooking. The recipe makes 12 slices. It is rated hard to make.
What can I substitute in Dobos torte?
Yes, within limits. No hazelnuts: finely chopped toasted walnuts are used in many Budapest confectioneries. If you cannot bake six identical discs, bake two large sheets, cool, and cut six circles with a plate as a template.
What is the most important thing to get right in Dobos torte?
The caramel wedges must be cut the instant the caramel loses its shine. Wait and it shatters; cut too early and it smears.
