Merry Christmas Eve!!

Christmas time is always so busy! I'm back home from university and feeling cozy in my house, enjoying sleeping in my own bed and seeing my family. And baking some Christmas goodies of course, like this Sachertorte.

This dark, deep chocolate cake was invented in Vienna by the chef Franz Sacher in 1832 (so my mum tells me). It is a very intensely chocolatey cake with a fruity bite because of the apricot jam layer in the topping. It's not exactly a health recipe, but it is delicious!

Sachertorte

adapted from the BBC's Great British Bake Off


For the torte...

140g/5oz plain chocolate

140g/5oz unsalted butter, softened

115/4oz caster sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

5 eggs, separated into whites and yolks

85g/3oz ground almonds

55g/2oz plain flour

For the topping and icing

6 tbsp apricot jam

140g/5oz plain chocolate

200ml/7 fl oz double cream

25g/1oz milk chocolate

Preheat your oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Lightly grease or line a 23cm/9in round cake tin.

Break the chocolate up and melt gently in a bowl set over a pan of hot water. Leave to cool slightly. Beat the butter in a bowl until really soft, then gradually beat in the sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the cooled chocolate and the vanilla extract and beat again. Add the egg yolks, then fold in the ground almonds and sieved flour - the mixture will be quite thick at this stage.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until they are stiff. Add about one-third to the chocolate mixture and stir in vigorously, before gently folding in the remaining egg whites. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and level the surface.

Bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes, or until well risen - the cake should spring back when lightly pressed with a finger. Leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes then turn out and finish cooling on a wire rack.

For the topping, heat the apricot jam in a small pan and then brush evenly over the top and sides of the cold cake. Allow to set.

Make the icing by breaking the plain chocolate into pieces. Heat the cream until piping hot, remove from the heat and add the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has melted, then cool till a coating consistency. Then pour the icing on to the centre of the cake. Spread it gently over the top and down the sides, and leave to set. The best thing is this cake tastes even better left in the fridge for a few days!

I'm off to bed now, or Santa might not visit - but I'm leaving out a nice big slice for when he comes down the chimney!

What's your favourite thing about Christmas? Are you doing any festive baking?