- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total time
- 50 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- EASY
- Calories
- 1360 kcal
Quick summary
“The Dobos Torta is the pinnacle of traditional Hungarian confectionery, invented by master pastry chef József Dobos in 1885. The cake is composed of the rigorous superposition of thin layers of light and airy sponge cake, interspersed by a velvety buttercream enriched with semi-sweet chocolate. The dish's unmistakable signature is its top crown: a slice of sponge cake covered with crispy amber caramel, previously fanned out with a buttered knife. The masterful contrast between the crunchy caramel and the soft buttery cream turned the pie into a world classic.”
What you need to know
- Bake the sponge cake discs individually in very thin layers until lightly golden and flexible.
- Beat the butter at room temperature with powdered sugar until you get a fluffy cream before mixing in the melted chocolate.
- Pour the caramel while still hot over the last sheet of dough and slice quickly before it crystallizes and breaks.
Ingredients
Main
- For the dough:
- 6 eggs
- 150g of sugar
- 120g of wheat flour
- 50g of cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- For the filling:
- 200g of semisweet chocolate
- 200g butter
- 150g of powdered sugar
- For the topping:
- 200g of sugar
- 50ml of water
- Use good quality chocolate for a tastier filling.
- The caramel should be served as soon as it is ready to prevent it from hardening.
- Cut the layers with a hot knife to get clean cuts.
- If you prefer, replace the bittersweet chocolate with milk chocolate.
- Keep the pie refrigerated to preserve the texture.
Instructions
Principal
- In a bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until you get a light and fluffy mixture.
- Add the wheat flour and cornstarch, mixing delicately with a whisk.
- Add the vanilla essence and mix well.
- Pour the batter into the greased baking pan and bake for approximately 25-30 minutes.
- While the dough bakes, melt the semi-sweet chocolate and set aside.
- In another bowl, beat the butter with the powdered sugar until creamy.
- Incorporate the melted chocolate into the butter mixture, stirring well until homogeneous.
- After the dough cools, cut it into equal layers.
- Assemble the pie alternating layers of dough and chocolate filling until the ingredients are finished.
- For the topping, in a saucepan, mix the sugar and water and bring to a boil until it forms a caramel. Pour over the pie.
- Let cool before serving.
Chef's tips
- Grease the blade of a large chef's knife with solid butter to cut the caramel top into uniform slices without sticking.
- Let the melted chocolate cool until it reaches room temperature before beating with the butter so as not to soften the cream.
- Assemble the pie inside an adjustable round ring to keep the walls vertical and the layers symmetrical during cooling.
Variations
- Dobos Torte with walnuts: sprinkle finely ground walnuts on the outer sides covered with chocolate cream.
- Dobos in rectangular shape: bake the dough in long trays and assemble in a bar shape for cutting into straight slices.
- Coffee drops: add a teaspoon of concentrated instant coffee to the buttercream and chocolate to create mocha notes.
Substitutions
- Semi-sweet chocolate can be replaced by 70% cocoa dark chocolate to reduce the sweetness of the buttercream.
- The cornstarch in the dough can be replaced by fine potato starch to ensure the lightness of the aerated structure.
- Vanilla essence can be swapped for fresh vanilla bean seeds or concentrated natural extract.
How to store
Store in the refrigerator in a covered container for up to 5 days. The caramel can absorb moisture from the refrigerator after 48 hours; remove from the refrigerator 20 minutes before consuming to soften the butter.
Can it be frozen?
The assembled pie without the caramel topping can be frozen for up to 60 days at -18°C. The caramel disc should not be frozen, as it becomes sticky and melts when thawing.
What to serve with
Serve in slices accompanied by the classic Viennese coffee with whipped cream on top, Earl Grey black tea, or fresh sparkling water.
Frequently asked questions
Can I bake a tall cake and then slice it with thread or a knife?
It is not ideal. The Dobos batter is very thin and delicate; baking the discs individually in shallow pans or on drawn parchment paper ensures the correct density and standardized thickness.
What is the secret to keeping the buttercream and chocolate from curdling?
The butter and melted chocolate must be strictly at the same temperature (room temperature, about 22°C to 24°C). Hot chocolate melts butter and cold chocolate hardens into lumps.
How to cut the caramel top without it shattering or sticking to the knife?
Spread butter generously on the blade of a sharp knife and cut the caramel while still warm, right after spreading it over the dough disk. If you wait for it to cool completely, it hardens like glass and breaks.
How many layers of cake traditionally make up the Dobos torte?
The traditional Austro-Hungarian recipe is composed strictly of 5 to 6 very thin layers of sponge cake with a thickness of about 5 millimeters each, interspersed by the chocolate cream.
