Vasa’s Torte – Vasina Torta
Traditional torte with rich chocolate buttercream and ground walnuts, flavoured with orange.
Servings Prep Time
12slices 2hours
Cook Time Passive Time
20minutes 1hour
Servings Prep Time
12slices 2hours
Cook Time Passive Time
20minutes 1hour
Ingredients
Cake
Buttercream
Italian Meringue
Decoration
Instructions
Cake
  1. Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 200°C (390°F).
  2. Butter a 23 cm (9″) spring-form pan and line the bottom with round of parchment paper. Dust the sides with flour and tap out the excess.
  3. In a medium size bowl, using a hand held mixer at high speed, beat together egg yolks and sugar until light and fluffy.
  4. In a medium size bowl, using a hand held mixer at medium speed, beat egg whites to stiff peaks.
  5. In a small bowl mix together flour and ground almonds.
  6. Using a large silicone spatula transfer about 1/4 of beaten egg whites to the egg yolk mixture and mix well until the mixture is thin and flowing.
  7. Transfer the rest of the egg whites to the yolk mixture, add to it ground almonds with flour. Gently fold it all together without deflating the mixture.
  8. Spread batter evenly in the cake pan. Bake about 20 minutes or until the top springs back when pressed lightly in the middle.
  9. Transfer to wire rack and cool for 5 minutes.
  10. Release the cake by running a sharp knife around the pan’s side. Invert the cake onto cardboard and peel off the parchment paper from the bottom. Turn the cake right side up on the rack and let it cool completely.
Buttercream
  1. Pour milk in a medium size sauce pan, add and dissolve 2 tbsp of sugar, bring it to boil over the medium heat (5 out of 10).
  2. Stir in ground walnuts, remove from heat. Stir little longer until it is slightly cooled off. Put plastic film tight to the walnut mixture to prevent forming a crust, let cool to room temperature or cool off by using a water bath.
  3. Melt the chocolate over low heat (2 out of 10).
  4. Bring water to boil, reduce heat to low, and over a double boiler while whisking constantly, heat up the mixture of egg yolks and granulated sugar. It will take about 10-15 minutes until the yolk mixture thickens up. Put it aside and let it cool to room temperature or quickly cool off in a cold water bath. Stir occasionally to prevent crust forming.
  5. Add cooled walnut mixture, melted chocolate, orange zest and orange juice to the cooled egg yolks, mix until fully unified.
  6. In a medium size mixing bowl mix butter at high speed until soft and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
  7. Fold the walnut/egg yolk mixture to the bowl and mix for another few minutes until everything is fully incorporated and smooth. Set aside.
Assembly
  1. Place the cake on a cake stand and using an offset spatula, spread the buttercream over it in one even layer. Cover the cake stand and put it in the refrigerator.
  2. To make the meringue, add sugar and water to a small sauce pan. Bring to boil over high heat (10 out of 10). Stir constantly until all the sugar is dissolved. Cook until instant read thermometer or candy thermometer shows 115ºC (240ºF). At the same time add egg whites, vanilla extract and cream of tartar to medium size mixing bowl. Beat at the medium speed and time it to reach soft peak stage at about the same time as sugar solution reaches set temperature.
  3. Increase mixer speed to high and pour sugar solution slowly in a thin stream to the egg whites. Keep mixing until the meringue is stiff and shiny.
  4. Using an offset spatula add the meringue layer on top and the side of the cake. Try to make the same layer thickness as is the buttercream. Ecstatically it looks the most pleasing if all three layers: cake, buttercream and meringue are the same thickness.
  5. Sprinkle top of the cake with candied orange peel cut in thin strips.
  6. Refrigerate overnight, serve cold.