Sachertorte

I have been missing on daring the challenges at the Daring Bakers but have never failed to check on them every month. For the month of October we were challenged to put our hands on an Austrian Sachertorte by Korena. The moment I saw the challenge I knew I had to kick my off late lazy self and make this beauty. After all who can ever say a no to a chocolate cake.

Sachertorte is one elegant cake which is filled with apricot jam and is covered with a fudge like chocolate glaze and has the word 'Sacher' written across it. Ideally served with a generous dollop of schlag (unsweetened whipped cream), this cake is on every baker's must-try list. 

The Sachertorte was first created in Austria when Prince Metternich requested for a fancy dessert for his guests. With the pastry chef being ill that night, the task fell on an apprentice called Franz Sacher who created the historical cake. Franz's son later opened the Sacher hotel in Vienna where the closely guarded secret recipe of the cake is served to this day. 

With its amazing history and world wide repertoire, there was no way I could miss attempting this cake in my humble kitchen and there was no other occasion befitting for it than my Sweet day today. Vaanya turns 3 1/2 years today. This month had also blessed us with a baby boy in my brothers house. There is someone smaller than Vaanya now :) It is such a joy to relive those moments and cherish the time when she was this small and would fit in our arms. A time when every piece of clothing was still big for her. A time when she had no hair on her head and I would wait for them to grow. A time when I would wait for her to speak to me and demand little things from me. 

Time flies and today I have a new set of wishes for her. Parenting is such a never ending thing and such a joy. 

Recipe source : Korena from Korena in the kitchen

Ingredients : 

Cake : 

• 60 gms butter, softened
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 3 eggs, separated
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 90 gms dark chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour

Apricot glaze : 

• 15 dried apricots, soaked in water overnight
• 3 tbsp sugar

Chocolate glaze : 

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 50 gms chopped dark chocolate

Writing chocolate : 

• 2 tbsp chopped chocolate
• 1/2 tsp vegetable oil

Procedure : 

Cake : 

Preheat oven to 190 degree Celsius.

Grease and line a 7" square baking tray.

Melt chocolate on a double boiler or in the microwave and set aside to cool.

Take butter in a large bowl and beat till creamy and light.

Add powdered sugar and beat.

Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time.

Add in the cooled chocolate and vanilla extract.

In another clean bowl, beat the egg whites with a tbsp of granulated sugar. Gradually add in the rest of the sugar and continue beating till they form shiny peaks. 

Now stir in 1/3 of the egg whites mixture into the chocolate mixture. Gradually mix in the remaining. 

Sift flour and add in the mixture in two additions with gentle hands.

Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake for 35-45 minutes or till a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Cool completely and cut in two even layers.

Apricot glaze : 

Deseed the apricots that have plumped with overnight soaking and reserve the flesh.

Put the apricots in a pan and cook over medium heat with sugar till it thickens. 

Keep mashing the mixture with a spoon and add a little water in between. 

In about 20-25 minutes you will have a thick jam consistency.

Remove from heat and cool.

Strain the mixture through a sieve to achieve a smooth consistency.

Spread this glaze in between the cake layer and spread on top and sides too.

Chocolate glaze : 

Place sugar and water in a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Cook for 5 minutes or till you get a one string consistency i.e. when you take a drop of the sugar in between your thumb and index finger and pull apart, it should make a single thread.

Remove from heat and whisk in the chopped chocolate.

Pour immediately over the cake which should be placed on a wire mesh to collect all the excess chocolate glaze.

Allow to set.

Writing chocolate : 

Melt chocolate and mix in the vegetable oil.

Put in a piping bag and snip of the end.

Write the word Sacher on the cake or decorate as you like.

Slice and serve.

Notes : 

• If you have apricot jam or preserve, boil 1 cup of it with 2 tbsp of rum or water over medium heat and cook till mixture thickens for about 2-3 minutes.
• You may use a round shaped pan which is how ideally this cake is served.
• You can substitute this recipe of chocolate glaze with a simple chocolate ganache recipe if you do not like very sweet frostings. 

Gajar-mewa-nu-achaar(Carrot and dried fruit sweet pickle)-my Irani connection

It was August 1999.

I remember noticing a thin, short, fair bespectacled girl become the pick of our seniors to rag in hostel.

Yes, ragging in college and hostel was normal in those days and we as dutiful juniors were supposed to sing songs, dance on their tunes, make them laugh and describe embarrassing words that they asked us. 

Now when I think back, we were asked some very silly questions like 'Do you have a boyfriend' or 'What is a chumma'. 

Let me remind you it was 1999 and not like today where such words are commonly spoken by everyone and is not considered any deal at all. In those days (and for my generation even till date) it was nothing short of blasphemy to utter such words in front of elders or share our love lives with them. 

Well as for 'Chumma', we soon learnt that it is a Kannada word for the expression 'just like that'. 

I was asked to sing songs for my seniors every now and then as part of my ragging. No one ever dared say no to the seniors. No one but Afsana K. Meherbani-that same fair Irani girl who was the favourite amongst the seniors because she would lash back at them with her answers. She once threw a seniors plate full of food as retaliation and that really angered everyone. That was true blasphemy in the hostel world.

I remember telling myself never to befriend that girl as it would mean getting in more trouble. 

Ragging soon got over or perhaps the seniors got bored of us. I really do not remember how it happened, but very soon that same Irani girl became an integral part of our group. And in no time Afsana, me and Veena became the best of friends. Years passed and we became more closer, much more than just friends. We were like sisters. We cried while leaving that same hostel, that place we spent four years of our most beautiful and carefree days. 

Our hostel food was usually made palatable by some goodies from home. Afsana used to bring this delectable Gajar-mewa-nu-achaar that was the only way I could relish mess food. Afsana introduced us to this amazing pickle which is usually made in Pasrsi/Irani weddings.

A few days back when I put my hands on this pickle at home, I kept thinking of those wonderful and carefree  hostel days.

Sweet memories with this sweet pickle. 

Recipe source : Parsi cookbook by the very famous Katy Dalal

Ingredients : I reduced the recipe by one fourth

• 1 cup grated Carrots
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/4 cup Sugarcane vinegar(I used Apple cider vinegar)
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup dried dates
• 1/4 cup dried apricots
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• salt to taste  

Procedure : 

Soak raisins, dried dates and dried apricots in 1/4 cup vinegar overnight.

Place carrots in a heavy pan and add sugar. 

Strain the overnight soaked dried fruit and keep aside. Use the same vinegar and pour in the pan over the carrots and sugar. Let it cook on slow fire. 

Add chopped garlic. 

If required add more vinegar to soften the carrots 

(I did not require) 

When carrots have softened in about 4-5 minutes, add the soaked dried fruits and bring the mixture to a boil. 

Add garam masala, turmeric powder,red chilli powder and salt and mix well. 

Remove from heat when the pickle has thickened to required consistency and allow to cool.

Sending this recipe to Kolkata Food Bloggers ongoing event 'East or West, Food is best'.

Happy Pickle relishing

Amrita