Austrian Esterházy Torte

About This Recipe

Esterházy Torte is Vienna's most aristocratic cake, named for the Hungarian Prince Esterházy. Five impossibly delicate hazelnut-almond meringue layers are sandwiched with a rich rum and vanilla buttercream, then glazed with white fondant and decorated with the signature chocolate feathering pattern. It is a technical masterpiece and a visual marvel, served in the finest Viennese cafés.

Ingredients

Serves 12

• 6 largeegg whites
• 200 gsugar
• 200 ghazelnuts, toasted and ground
• 50 galmond flour
• 1 tbspflour
• 250 gbutter, softened
• 150 gpowdered sugar
• 4 largeegg yolks
• 2 tbsprum
• 1 tspvanilla extract
• 200 gwhite fondant or white chocolate
• 30 gdark chocolate (for decoration)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the meringue layers

   Whip egg whites to stiff peaks. Gradually add sugar. Fold in hazelnuts, almond flour, and flour. Spread into 5 equal rounds (22cm each) on parchment paper. Bake at 160°C (320°F) for 20–25 minutes each until light golden and dry.

2. 2

   Make rum buttercream

   Beat butter until fluffy. Beat in powdered sugar, then egg yolks, rum, and vanilla until smooth and pale.

3. 3

   Assemble

   Stack the 5 meringue layers, spreading a thin layer of buttercream between each. Press gently. Coat the sides with buttercream.

4. 4

   Glaze the top

   Warm white fondant until fluid. Pour over the top of the torte and spread smoothly.

5. 5

   Decorate

   Melt dark chocolate and drizzle in concentric circles. Using a toothpick, draw lines from center to edges to create the feathered pattern. Refrigerate until set.

Variations

• •

  Use pistachios instead of hazelnuts

• •

  Add a thin marzipan layer in the center

• •

  Make individual portions in mini versions

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 5 days. The layers soften beautifully after 24 hours in the fridge.

Frequently Asked Questions