Esterhazy Torte
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This Esterhazy Torte a.k.a the Hungarian dream takes some time to put together, but I’ll guarantee you will not regret it after your first bite. It’s definitely what sweet dreams are made of.
As a part of my new years’ resolutions, I wanted to learn more about cooking. I know how to cook, but I wanted to push myself to learn some new techniques. I’d heard about a website called The Daring Kitchen that issues monthly challenges and joined immediately. This Esterhazy Torte taught me some new techniques and then some!
For the month of January, Jelena from A Kingdom for a Cake invited us to start this year with a dreamy celebration cake. She challenged us to make the Esterhazy cake a.k.a the Hungarian dream. What better way to start the year than with a sweet dream?
Being my first challenge, I was a bit nervous about how this torte would come out. I even did something totally crazy, I made it so we could share it with two other couples that weekend. What was I thinking? Talk about pressure!
This is a very involved recipe. Make sure you have time to devote to it before starting it. Once you finish it, it has to rest in the refrigerator for 24 hours before you cut it. The great thing about it is you can spread out the steps over more than one day.
Don’t have time to make it now? Pin it for later!
Esterhazy Torte
Ingredients
Hazelnut Cream
- 12 large egg yolks
- 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon 250 gm caster (superfine) sugar
- 2 tablespoons 20 gm vanilla sugar
- 1-1/3 cups 300 gm butter at room temperature
- 1-1/2 cups 150 gm toasted ground hazelnuts
Apricot Jam Glaze
- 3 tablespoons 45 gm apricot jam
- 1 teaspoon 5 ml water
White Icing
- 3-1/4 cups 400 gm powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons 10 ml neutral oil (sunflower, vegetable or canola)
- 3-4 teaspoons 15-20 ml lemon juice around
- 4 tablespoons hot water 60 ml
Chocolate Decoration
- 1/4 cup 50 gm dark chocolate
- 1 teaspoon 5 ml oil
- 3/4 100 gm roughly chopped hazelnuts
Hazelnut Sponge Layers
- 12 Egg whites
- 250 grams Caster sugar superfine, 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon
- 2 tbsp Vanilla Sugar
- 2 1/2 cups Ground Hazelnuts
- 2/3 cup All Purpose Flour
Instructions
Hazelnuts
- Roast hazelnuts on a baking sheet at 350° F until darkened and aromatic. Meat will become a caramel color. Watch carefully to prevent burning. Cook 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool.
- Roughly chop 3/4 cup (100 gm). These will go around the cake at the end.
- Grind remaining hazelnuts into 2 batches of 2-1/2 cups (250 gm) and 1-1/2 cups (150 gm) for the sponge layers and the filling. Don't turn them into nut butter just grind finely.
Hazelnut Layers (Dacquoise layers)
- Preheat the oven to325° F. Don't use convection (fan).
- With an electric mixer beat egg whites while gradually add the sugar and vanilla sugar for about 5 minutes until stiff peaks form.
- Turn the mixer to the lowest speed and add in the hazelnuts mixture with the flour and beat until just combined. I split the mixture into 5 bowls because (I didn't trust my eye to do it evenly.)
- Cut parchment paper into five squares large enough to draw a 10-inch circle (25 cm) in diameter on each of the squares.
- Turn the paper over and place the paper onto an upside down baking sheet and delicately spoon inside the circle one-fifth of the beaten egg white mixture.
- Bake for 14 minutes. It will look soft but you know it is done when it is no longer sticky to touch.
- Remove from oven and slide paper to an even surface. Allow pan to cool before baking the next layer or use another baking sheet. Repeat for all 5 layers.
- At this point, you can cover them with a linen towel and continue the next day or continue onto making the filling.
Hazelnut Filing
- The filling is cooked in a double boiler. Fill the bottom of the double boiler with 1 inch (2 cm) of water and bring the water to a slow boil. Don't allow the water to touch the bottom of the top pan.
- Beat the egg yolk and the sugar with an electric mixer in the top pan. Place over the top of the boiling water and cook for 14-15 minutes. Stir every 2-3 minutes for a short time with a wooden spoon, scraping the sides and bottom. Stir constantly near the end.
- Let the filling cool.
- Beat the cooked yolk mixture for 30 seconds with an electric mixer.
- Beat the room temperature butter for 2 minutes until light and fluffy and then beat into the cooked yolks.
- Add the ground hazelnuts and beat again until combined.
- Set aside 3 tablespoons of the filling to spread around the torte at the end. Divide the rest of the filling into 4 bowls.
- Line a large tray with some parchment paper.
- Remove the parchment paper from one of the dacquoise and place it onto the upside down baking sheet. Spread filling evenly over the dacquoise. Place another layer on the top and repeat. Make sure that the last dacquoise is placed upside down and do not place filling on this surface.
- Place parchment paper over the torte. Press evenly to smooth with your hands. Put another tray over the top of the torte and then place something heavy on top to allow the torte to level up. I used a pan filled half-full of water. Place the torte in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Apricot Jam Glaze
- Heat the apricot jam and water on the stove.
- Remove the parchment paper from the top of the torte and spread the jam on top very thinly. Place the torte back in the fridge for 30 minutes to cool.
- After 30 minutes, spread the reserved hazelnut filling around the torte.
White Icing and Decorative Chocolate Design
- The chocolate needs to be prepared first so it is ready to go onto the icing while the icing is still wet.
- Melt the chocolate with a teaspoon of oil. Mix until smooth. Allow to cool and spoon it into a piping bag with a small round tip or use a resealable plastic bag with the corner cut. Set aside.
- By hand, mix the powdered sugar, oil, lemon juice while adding teaspoon by teaspoon of hot water, until the mixture is creamy, but not runny. Mix vigorously for a couple of minutes. You will have some icing left over, but it is better to have too much than not enough. If it spreads uneven, just turn on a hair dryer and heat the icing so it will smooth out a bit.
- With a hot wet large knife, quickly spread the icing over the apricot layer.
- Pipe 4 chocolate circles onto the cake, starting with the middle. Using a knife (not the sharp side) or a wooden skewer, run the knife or skewer toward yourself, turning the cake each time for a total of six lines.
- Press the remaining crushed hazelnuts around the cake to complete the decoration.
- Cover and let rest in the fridge for at least 24 hours before cutting
Notes
Recipe adapted from Jelena, A Kingdom for a Cake
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.
This cake gets better the longer that it sits. Jelena stated that it will last covered in the refrigerator for 7 days. Ours didn’t last that long, but it was definitely delicious on the 5th day after I had first cut it.
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Wow! This looks amazing, Julie! I really admire you for trying it and challenging yourself. Your company was very fortunate they got to sample it! So perfect for Fiesta Friday anniversary celebration, too.
Thanks Shari! I crossed my fingers that it would be good and told my guests that they were my guinea pigs. It worked out great.
Oh my Julie your dessert is just stunning! Good for you to make something so challenging – I have not done that in awhile. Your torte will not last long with all of the party goers at FF – a job well done 🙂
Thanks Judi! I enjoyed this endeavor and happy with the way it came out.
Your torte is so beautiful and looks very tasty. My mouth is watering since desserts are my downfall.
Thank you! I have a sweet tooth myself!
Looks lovely! You’ve inspired me to give it a go too and eat a few non-virtual slices. Thanks! 🙂
Thanks Lili! I enjoyed the process and it did taste pretty darned good!
This is the embodiment of posh Julie, posh on a plate, a plate with grace……..just so elegant and beautiful, I’d hate to be the first to cut off a piece for fear of ruining the look. It’s quite wonderful and brave of you to take on such challenges and I applaud you for it. I would probably be feasting on it for days (just by myself) :). Great job!
Thank you Loretta! I can usually resist some of these dishes after I have a piece. I was weak with this one. My hubby would ask if I wanted a piece and in one sentence I would say no just a small piece. Thank you for your lovely comment.
Stunning!! Worth all of the work! 🙂 My mother-in-law is the master of making nut cakes- tortes. She always finishes them with a chocolate ganache. Your glaze is beautiful! 🙂
Thank you! I hope you are a recipient of your mother-in-laws cakes and tortes? I am a weakling when it comes to chocolate. I love it all.
My mother-in-law thankfully is very generous and not only serves us tortes in her home but sends us home with goody bags!! 🙂
Very generous!
Nice work, Julie. Your cake is impressive! I had to smile at your reference to finding this “web”site–and noticed the design looks like a woven web on the frosting.
Ha! I didn’t even catch that. Thank you Patti!
Julie, this dessert is amazing and the icing is just gorgeous. Superb 🙂
Thank you so much! I think I held my breath a lot during this project. 🙂
This looks amazing! 😀 I missed another Daring Baker challenge and seeing your beautiful cake, I am regretting that I did miss it! Wow 🙂
I’m anxious to see what we get next month!
Let me tell you that this cake is amazing! It looks like just came out from a pastry shop! It’s stunning!
Woah, that’s such an impressive torte!
Thank you!
It looks fab! I’m glad you enjoyed your first challenge 🙂 you definitely managed to do a neater job on your chocolate decoration than I did, my piping went quite wibbly…
You are too critical! I thought your cake looked like a work of art! Thank you Hanna. I appreciate your comments.
This recipe looks SOOOO good, lets have a cooking class when I’m back there in March??
This one wont be on the menu. I have another one up my sleeve. How about we just have a pot luck? I’m sure Jessica wont mind. Glad you will be back soon! Hopefully our weather will be nice.
You must feel immeasurable pride in yourself, Julie. This torte is stunning! From the flavors to the decorating and everything in between…Bravo to you for learning a new (and delicious) skill! Thank you for sharing this with the Anniversary Party for Fiesta Friday…I know I’m late, but I desperately hope there’s a slice left for me. 🙂
Thank you Nancy, It was pretty involved and I really enjoyed the experience and the culture behind it! Never to late for FF!
oooh when i saw the inside i think i fell in love x
I ate it layer by later which made it last at least 30 seconds. 🙂 Thanks for visiting!
haha lol, good on you x
Sure hope you have more stashed somewhere, Julie! This is disappearing really fast!! What a beauty! 😀
My hubby and I had dueling forks over the last piece. 🙂 Thanks Julianna!
Definitely a special cake for this week’s celebrations Julie, I adore hazelnut too! Looks so good!
Thanks Michelle!
This is a wonderful addition to the Fiesta Friday table, Julie – very, very special indeed. I can see that there is a lot of work involved but it’s absolutely worth it. Thanks so much for sharing all your hard work with us too – you are hostess with the mostess now!! I had forgotten about Daring Bakers and must take another look! Have a wonderful Fiesta Friday!
Thank you Selma! Happy FF to you even though you are working it!
VERY impressive Julie- I’ll be sure to get myself a slice before it’s all gone 😉 Happy Fiesta Friday!
This looks great, and once I then read the ingredients I liked the sound of it even more! I love hazelnut flavors and apricot jam mixed in is also a bonus. I will see if I can build the courage to give it a try, meanwhile can I take a slice of yours? 🙂 Happy FF!
Ha Caroline! That is what I had to do. I would never have made it but am very glad that I did. Happy FF to you!
Congratulations dear! It is really very nice! 🙂
Thank you so much! Happy Friday to you.
Incredible Julie, so beautiful it’s perfections. Really I am blown away. What a great addition to Fiesta Friday.
Thank you Suzanne! I haven’t cooked this far out of my comfort zone in a long time, and I couldn’t be more pleased with the way it came out. Happy FF!
Amazing work there Julie! It indeed is an involved recipe. Lot of patience and precision required. Wow! Must have tasted divine with all the hazelnut cake n filling!
Thank you! It was a great experience Sonal and it did taste great.
I bet 🙂
Looks delicious 🙂
Thank you Rebecca! Happy FF!
This is so beautiful, Julie. I also promised myself to bake challenging stuff. I have to visit Daring Kitchen and I will see. 🙂 Happy FF to you!
Thanks Jhuls! I enjoy these challenges because they are from people all over the world. I get to explore other cultures and stories. Happy FF!