Esterhazy Cake

The Esterhazy Cake is considered one of the finest desserts in the world. It is renowned as one of the highlights of Central European confectionery tradition, consisting of layers of hazelnut (or almond) sponge cake and rich buttercream. Today, Esterhazy slices are more commonly known and pair excellently with a cup of strong black coffee.

Details

  • Preparation Time: 120 minutes
  • Cooking Time: 70 minutes
  • Difficulty: 3
  • Spiciness: 0
  • Number of Servings: 12

Ingredients

Apricot glaze

  • 3 spoons Marmalade, orange

  • 1 spoon Water

Cream

  • 12 pieces Egg, egg yolk, fresh

  • 200 g Sugar, white

  • 300 g Butter, unsalted

  • 50 g Powdered sugar

  • 3 spoons Alcohol, Whisky

Decoration

  • 80 g Nuts, hazelnuts

Wafers

  • 12 pieces Egg, egg white, fresh

  • 250 g Sugar, white

  • 2 spoons Sugar, white

  • 250 g Nuts, hazelnuts, roasted without oil, without salt

  • 100 g Wheat flour, white, multi-purpose

chocolate glaze

  • 150 g chocolate, dark

  • 80 g chocolate, dark

  • 1 teaspoon Butter, unsalted

Steps

  1. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees Celsius. Cut baking paper into five pieces, large enough to cover the bottom of a round cake pan with a removable rim (25 cm in diameter). Mix ground hazelnuts with flour.

  2. Place the egg whites in a large bowl and start whisking with an electric mixer. When soft peaks begin to form, gradually add granulated sugar and vanilla sugar while continuously whisking. Once all the sugar is added, continue whisking for 4 to 5 minutes until the meringue is stiff and glossy. Reduce the mixer speed to the lowest setting and gently fold in the mixture of ground hazelnuts and flour.

  3. Divide the meringue mixture into five parts. Line the bottom of the cake pan with a piece of baking paper, then spread one part of the meringue mixture evenly over it. Bake in the preheated oven for 14 minutes until the hazelnut meringue layer is cooked. Once baked, remove the pan from the oven and carefully remove the rim. Place the baked layer with the baking paper on a flat surface and let it cool. Wait until the pan is completely cool, then repeat the process to bake a new layer. Repeat until all five layers are baked.

  4. While the layers are baking or cooling, prepare the cream. In a heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks and granulated sugar until frothy (whisk on high speed for about 30 seconds). Place the bowl over a water bath and continue whisking with an electric mixer until the yolk mixture thickens slightly. Remove the bowl from the heat and let the cream cool.

  5. In another bowl, cream the softened butter and powdered sugar. First, mix the cooled yolk cream into the butter mixture, then add cherry liqueur or cognac. Reserve about 2 to 3 tablespoons of the cream for decorating the cake, and divide the rest into four parts.

  6. Take the most beautiful layer and place it upside down on a wire rack, with a piece of baking paper underneath. Heat apricot marmalade mixed with water in a small pot. Spread a very thin layer of the hot mixture over the layer. Let it set for about 15 minutes.

  7. For the chocolate glaze, place two small pots on the stove with a few inches of hot water in each. Place another pot or small metal bowl on top of each. In one bowl, place white chocolate, and in the other, place dark chocolate with butter. Melt both chocolates.

  8. Pour the melted white chocolate evenly over the layer coated with apricot marmalade. While the white glaze is still liquid, make parallel lines with a stream of melted dark chocolate. Use a toothpick or wooden skewer to drag lines across the striped glaze, creating a characteristic marbled pattern.

  9. Finally, assemble the cake. Take one layer and place it on a large plate or platter. Spread 1/4 of the cream evenly over it. Place another layer on top and spread with 1/4 of the cream. Repeat the process until all the cream and layers are used. Carefully place the decorated layer on top of the last layer of cream. Spread the reserved cream around the sides of the cake and decorate with coarsely ground roasted hazelnuts (or almond flakes). Refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour.

Nutrition Information (Per 100g)

  • Calories: 385.23 kcal
  • Fat: 23.88 g
    • Saturated Fat: 9.58 g
  • Carbohydrates: 36.53 g
    • Sugars: 30.23 g
  • Protein: 6.14 g
  • Fiber: 1.27 g