Dobos Cake
Dobos Cake - A Classic Delicacy with Many Layers
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Baking time: 40 minutes
Total time: 1 hour and 10 minutes
Number of servings: 12
The Dobos cake is a quick and elegant dessert recipe, perfect for special occasions or simply to indulge the family. This masterpiece of Hungarian pastry, with its fine layers and delicious chocolate cream, will surely win a place in the hearts of dessert lovers. Let's see together how we can achieve a perfect result!
Ingredients:
For the layers:
- 6 large eggs
- 200 g sugar
- 150 g flour
- 30 g cocoa (optional, for a chocolate flavor)
- 1 pinch of salt
For the cream:
- 250 g butter at room temperature
- 200 g powdered sugar
- 100 g dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa)
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For decoration:
- 100 g sugar (for caramelizing the topping)
- 1-2 slices of orange or lemon (optional, for flavor)
Step by step:
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Prepare a baking tray (30x40 cm) with parchment paper, ensuring it is well spread.
2. In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar until you obtain a frothy and light-colored mixture. This step is essential to ensure an airy texture of the layers.
3. Sift the flour and cocoa (if using) over the egg mixture and gently fold with a spatula, being careful not to deflate the mixture.
4. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions (or as many layers as you want) and bake each portion in the tray for about 8-10 minutes or until the layers become lightly golden. Repeat the process for all layers. Allow them to cool on a rack.
5. While the layers are cooling, prepare the cream. Melt the chocolate over a double boiler and let it cool slightly. In another bowl, beat the butter with the powdered sugar until creamy and fluffy.
6. Add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Then, incorporate the melted chocolate and vanilla extract. Your cream is now ready!
7. Assemble the cake: place the first layer of cake on a platter, spread it with a generous layer of cream. Repeat this process until you have finished all the layers, culminating with a final layer on top.
8. To create the caramelized topping, place the sugar in a pan over medium heat until it melts and turns golden. Carefully pour it over the last layer, allowing it to spread evenly. This step not only gives a spectacular appearance but also a crunchy texture.
9. Allow the Dobos cake to cool and set in the fridge for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight, to let the flavors develop.
Practical tips:
- Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature for a perfect emulsion.
- If you want to vary the recipe, you can add ground nuts to the cream or use white chocolate for a sweeter version.
- The Dobos cake is excellent served with a garnish of fresh fruits, such as raspberries or strawberries, which will add a touch of freshness.
This Dobos cake will surely become the star of any festive meal. Serve it with a smile and let it win everyone's hearts!
1. Both the cake layers and the cream can be prepared in advance a few days ahead and then assembled. The layers are kept in the pantry or refrigerator, with a sheet of baking paper placed between them, covered with a plastic bag. 2. Separate the eggs into whites and yolks. Whisk the yolks with sugar until they turn pale, then incorporate the vanilla. 3. Whip the egg whites until stiff, together with a pinch of salt, then gradually fold them into the yolks, starting with one tablespoon at a time, by folding. Finally, incorporate the flour in several stages, by folding. 4. The layers can be baked in a round or rectangular pan. To make my work easier and avoid baking 8 layers separately, I bake 4 layers in a large rectangular baking tray and then cut them in half. It is essential to use baking paper. The cake layers are baked in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 5 minutes each. The most beautiful (flat) layer is kept for the caramel layer. 5. The cream is prepared in a bain-marie, so place a pot of water on the stove over which you can place the bowl in which you will whisk the eggs. Whisk the eggs with the sugar until they turn pale and double in volume, then place the bowl in the bain-marie and mix for 3-4 minutes until the cream starts to thicken slightly. Add the chopped chocolate and mix until the chocolate melts and is incorporated, about 3-4 minutes. 6. Then remove the bowl from the steam and let it cool (to cool it faster, you can place it bottom down in a bowl of cold water). The resulting cream should be thick and sticky. 7. The butter, at room temperature, is beaten well until creamy, then the cold chocolate cream is gradually incorporated. Place it in the refrigerator for about 1/3 of an hour to firm up. 8. In the meantime, prepare the caramel mirror from the listed ingredients. This is the centerpiece of the Dobos cake. The layer kept for this purpose is placed on a baking paper greased with a little butter and cut into 12 pieces. 9. Water, sugar, and lemon juice are placed in a pan (preferably non-stick) and left on low heat, stirring occasionally, until the syrup turns golden. Remove from heat, let it clarify a bit, and pour over the layer; the glaze is spread towards the edges with a spatula. Let it harden for a few minutes, and then, using a heated knife dipped in oil, cut the caramel along the previously cut lines. 10. And now the assembly of the Dobos cake. One layer, one portion of cream, and so on; be careful how you distribute the cream so that it lasts for the final coating of the cake. When you finish the layers, trim the edges to make them even and coat the cake with cream. Finally, place the caramel. You can place the caramel sheets directly on the surface of the cake or support them with pieces of nuts. For a perfect culinary experience, it is advisable to take the cake out of the refrigerator about 10-15 minutes before serving to reach room temperature. This way, the buttercream softens slightly and is INCREDIBLY GOOD! Enjoy your meal! The Dobos Cake recipe was proposed by KikenHana on the recipe forum.
Ingredients: For 7+1 sheets: 9 eggs, 225 g powdered sugar, 150 g flour (I replace 1/3 of the flour with starch), salt, vanilla. For the 7+1 cream: 6 large eggs, 250 g sugar, 200 g dark chocolate, 300 g butter. For the caramel mirror: 200 g sugar, 8 tablespoons water, 4 tablespoons lemon juice.
