Sachertorte from Ore Monogatari - Recipe

Learn how to make one of the sweets that Yamato made for her beloved! The Sachertorte (in Japanese, ザッハトルテ) is a chocolate cake from Vienna, and in Ore Monogatari!! Rinko Yamato bakes it in small molds for Takeo Gouda.

Japanese pastry shops sell the cake as a chocolate gift as well, including around Valentine's Day, when chocolate is the usual present.

The cake is familiar enough in Japan that McCafé by Barista put Sachertorte on selected McDonald's Japan menus in December 2015, after a year of food-safety scandals had driven customers away. The chain presented it as a European-style cake, and it stayed on that limited winter McCafé list in later years.

Contents 5

Considerations before starting the recipe

In Ore Monogatari, Yamato made this dessert in small portions and wrapped them in molds. You can make it in a single larger pan.
The following recipe is an adapted version of the recipe found in the Japanese manga. This version follows the manga's home method. Hotel Sacher still keeps its own formula unpublished.

The original Sachertorte uses apricot jam as filling. If you don't like apricot, you can choose another jam, or brush on extra chocolate glaze.

The glaze is the liquid chocolate coating that is added last. Make the glaze only when the cake is completely ready, because it should be used while still warm.

Sachertorte

Yield: 1 cake of 18 cm or 6 small cakes of 5 cm

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F)
• Grease the molds with butter and place parchment paper at the bottom of the pans

For the cake batter

Ingredients

• 70g chopped bittersweet chocolate
• 70g unsalted butter
• 70g sugar
• 3 eggs (whites and yolks separated)
• 40g all-purpose flour, sifted

Instructions

1. Separate the sugar into 2 parts.
2. With one part of the sugar, mix it with the egg whites and place in a double boiler. Stir constantly to avoid cooking the egg whites. When the sugar is dissolved, transfer the egg white mixture to a mixer.
3. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Be careful not to overbeat, as the cake may dry out. Set aside.
4. Melt the chocolate and butter together in a double boiler in the same bowl. Set aside.
5. In another bowl, beat the egg yolks and the remaining sugar until it becomes a lighter and slightly fluffy cream.
6. Add the all-purpose flour to the egg yolk mixture.
7. Add the melted chocolate to the egg yolk mixture. Mix well until everything is well combined.
8. Finally, gently fold the beaten egg whites into the chocolate egg yolk cream.
9. Pour into molds until ⅔ full (or in a larger pan).
10. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cake is firm. (Just do the famous toothpick test: if it comes out dry, it's ready).
11. Let it cool completely and unmold.

For the topping

Ingredients

• 100g apricot jam, or the jam of your choice
• 40 ml boiling water

Instructions

1. Dissolve the jam in the boiling water. Use while still warm.
2. Cut the small cakes in half and fill them.
3. With the help of a brush, spread the jam on the outside of the small cake. Let it cool.
4. Place the small cakes in the freezer for 10 minutes.

For the glaze

With the small cakes ready in the freezer, make the glaze. It is separated into 2 parts, then everything is combined for use.

Part 1 - Syrup

Ingredients

• 25g cocoa powder
• 50 ml water
• 15g sugar
• 25g cream

Instructions

1. Place all the ingredients in a saucepan.
2. Heat until the mixture is smooth and looks velvety. Turn off the heat and set aside.

Part 2 - Ganache

Ingredients

• 100g chopped bittersweet chocolate
• 80g cream
• 20g unsalted butter

Instructions

1. In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a boil. Turn off the heat and add the chocolate. Let it cool a bit.
2. Add the butter.

Now just combine part 1 with part 2 and use. Remove the small cakes from the freezer and pour the glaze over the small cakes. Refrigerate for 20 minutes and serve.

Once the glaze has set, the small cakes match the portion size Yamato packed for Takeo. If you used the 18 cm pan, wait those 20 minutes in the fridge before slicing so the chocolate shell stays intact. In Vienna the cake is often served with unsweetened whipped cream. The apricot layer is what cuts through the chocolate and keeps the crumb moist.