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Authentic Linzer Torte Recipe
Linz, Austria
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We strongly advise you to read the cooking tips before jumping to the recipe though
Introduction & history
With its instantly recognizable elaborate lattice top and delectable jam filling, the Austrian Linzer torte is deemed the oldest torte with a geographical designation in the world. It consists of two layers of shortcrust dough flavored with nuts and spices – one layer serving as the bottom and sides of the cake and the other as a decorative latticework top — and a layer of tart preserves as filling, which provides contrast and balance to the mellow flavor of the dough. The original recipe calls for redcurrant jam, but raspberry or even apricot jam can be used in its place. The assembled cake is brushed with an egg wash for color and sprinkled with almond flakes for extra crunchiness.
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Cooking tips
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pastry
Today the dough is typically flavored with ground hazelnuts and spices, but you can use almonds, which were more common in the past, and walnuts instead. -
jam
While early versions of the recipe called for sweeter types of jams and fruits, like peach and quince ones, once spices were added to the dough, they clashed with the sweetness of the fruit. Consequently, sweet fruits were replaced with tart red fruits like cherries, redcurrant, and raspberries. The original recipe for Linzer torte strictly calls for redcurrant jam, but plum, apricot, or strawberry ... Read more -
serving
Although the original recipe suggests leaving the torte to rest for a full day before serving, for best results, resting it for up to two days is ideal.
Recipe variations
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Linzer Torte
Ready in 1d 2hPublished by the Austrian Tourist Board, the recipe consists of hazelnut and spice flavored shortcrust pastry in two layers, one as a bottom, and the other as a decorative top layer. With redcurrant jam in the middle and the optional wafers, the torte is finished off with a coating of a beaten egg and almond flakes sprinkled over the top. When baked and cooled, the torte should be dusted with confectioners' sugar.
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Original Linzer Torte from 1653
Ready in 3hAdapted from the 1653 manuscript of Countess Anna Margarita Sagramosa this is the earliest known Linzer torte recipe. The pastry is flavored with almonds, and the spices are put only in a third of the dough which used as a decorative top layer. Sweeter versions of jam are used, unlike today when tart fruit jams predominate. When baked, the torte should be left to mature for two days.
Linzer Torte
PREP 1h
COOK 50min
RESTING 24h 30min
READY IN 1d 2h
Published by the Austrian Tourist Board, the recipe consists of hazelnut and spice flavored shortcrust pastry in two layers, one as a bottom, and the other as a decorative top layer. With redcurrant jam in the middle and the optional wafers, the torte is finished off with a coating of a beaten egg and almond flakes sprinkled over the top. When baked and cooled, the torte should be dusted with confectioners' sugar.
Ingredients
250g (8.8 oz) butter
250g (8.8 oz) flour
125g (4.4 oz) confectioners' sugar
150g (5.3 oz) ground hazelnuts (or almonds)
2 tbsp breadcrumbs
1 egg
1 egg yolk
a generous quantity of cinnamon powder
a pinch of ground cloves
grated lemon rind or lemon juice
wafers for layering, to taste
egg for coating
redcurrant jam for coating
butter for the mold
flaked almonds, to taste
Preparation
Step 1/8
Combine flour with cubes of butter and lightly rub the mixture between fingers to create crumbs, then add in cinnamon, ground cloves, nuts, a little salt, and lemon juice or lemon rind; for more colorful pastry add an extra egg yolk with the egg.
Step 2/8
Quickly knead all the ingredients to achieve a smooth, shortcrust pastry. Shape the dough into a ball, cover with film and let rest in a cool place for approx. 30 minutes.
Step 3/8
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F and prepare a suitably sized springform cake pan (23cm/9-inch) for baking by greasing its bottom and edges, then dusting it with some breadcrumbs.
Step 4/8
Take a little over half of the dough and, using your knuckles, press the dough into the base of the tin.
Step 5/8
From the remaining dough, create several smaller rolls for the lattice decoration and one big one to go around the edge of the torte.
Step 6/8
If you prefer, cover the base of the pastry with wafers, then spread it with smoothly stirred jam while leaving a 1cm/1/2-inch border all around the cake uncovered. Next, take the big roll you’ve prepared beforehand, place onto the uncovered pastry on the edge of the cake, and press gently.
Step 7/8
From the thinner rolls form a lattice design on top of the cake. Sprinkle with flakes of almonds to taste and coat with a beaten egg.
Step 8/8
Bake for 50-60 minutes in a preheated oven, take out, leave to cool and ideally, leave to stand for a day wrapped in film. Dust with icing sugar.
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