Authentic Dobostorta Recipe Hungary, Europe

For the sponge, first, separate the yolks from the whites. Beat the yolks with half of the powdered sugar until so thick it drops off the whisk in a ribbon. Beat the yolks with the other half of powdered sugar until stiff peaks. Carefully fold the meringue into the egg yolks, taking care not to lose much on volume. Sift the flour directly into the batter, then add the melted butter, and gently fold to combine.

Divide the batter between greased and floured 23cm (9-inch) baking tins for a total of six layers — if you do not have that many tins, bake in batches.

Bake in 200°C/400°F oven for 8-10 minutes until lightly golden, then transfer onto a wire rack to cool.

For the buttercream, first, whisk the eggs and powdered sugar in a double boiler until the mixture reaches a temperature of 85°C/185°F, then whisk with an electric mixer until cooled completely.

Cream the butter and the vanilla sugar until pale and frothy.

Melt the chocolate, the cocoa butter, and the cocoa mass in a double broiler. Let it cool to room temperature.

Fold the creamed butter into the egg mixture, then blend in the melted chocolate.

To assemble, spread the five sponge layers with the chocolate buttercream and stack them together to make a cake. Cover the top and the sides of the cake with buttercream. Then, with the help of a patterned scraper, scrape the sides of the cake to get a decorative pattern.

For the caramel, add the sugar to a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over low heat without stirring, shaking the saucepan to distribute the sugar evenly as it melts. Once completely dissolved and amber-colored, quickly pour it over the remaining sponge layer. Before it hardens, cut it, with a knife previously dipped into butter, into 20 triangle pieces. Arrange them on top of the cake. Alternatively, position the pieces of caramel at an angle, each supported with a dab of buttercream.

Refrigerate the torte for a few hours so the cream can set and the cake layers soften.