Request #18: Sacher Torte

I can’t tell you how many requests I’ve received for this classic, but it seems only fitting that it should come up right around the Christmas holiday, when most home bakers are thinking about whipping up something special. Sacher torte is an excellent holiday pastry for several reasons. It’s challenging without being overly so, it’s satisfying without being over-the-top rich, and it can be made up to five days ahead of time and stored in the fridge without any noticeable sacrifice in quality. A winner all the way around.

I should insert here that this project, while it will be welcomed by many, is being dreaded by some, notably regular reader and contributor Gerhard. I don’t think I’m giving too much away by disclosing that Gerhard is an employee of the city of Vienna. When I happened to mention this week’s project to him in a friendly email last week, he had a small anxiety attack. Fortunately he’s on vacation this week, traveling to a distant locale where he won’t have access to the internet. I was deeply flattered that he regarded my attempt at Sacher torte to be a PR crisis of a scale that he momentarily considered staying home. Kinda makes a guy proud.

Anyway, with Gerhard safely out of the way it should be smooth sailing from here. Let’s do it!