Recipe: 4 Vienna Torte Recipes

Those recipes are undoubtedly lost. However, differences between recipes that have popped up in old cookbooks, newspaper articles and messages for Vienna tortes are few, leading me to suspect that trial and error is the best way to tweak them to your tastebud's memories.

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SQUARE VIENNA TORTE
Makes 1 (9-inch, 2-layer) cake

1 cup cake flour less 3 tablespoons
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
6 egg whites
4 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1 tsp lemon or vanilla extract
Filling (recipe follows)
Almond Brittle (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two (9-inch) square baking pans.

Have ingredients at room temperature. Sift flour three times with cornstarch, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

Beat egg whites until stiff, set aside.

Beat yolks on medium until thick and yellow, reduce speed and gradually add sugar. Add extract. Gently fold in whites and dry mixture. Pour in prepared pans.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes. Cool completely.

When cool, split each layer. Spread Filling between layers and cover the cake. Top torte with crushed Almond Brittle.

FILLING

2 cups milk
1/3 cup flour
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla

Scald milk. Add flour, 1/3 cup sugar, and salt, cook until thick then cool completely.

Cream butter and remaining 1 cup sugar well; add cooled cooked mixture and beat until fluffy. Add vanilla.

ALMOND BRITTLE

1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup sugar

Place the almonds and sugar in a skillet and brown together. Pour onto greased cookie sheet to cool, then crush fine.

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VIENNA TORTE
Makes 1 (4-layer) cake

7 eggs, separated
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided use
1 cup flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 tsp. baking powder
Pinch of salt
Filling (recipe follows)
Chopped nuts (for decorating

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 4 (8-inch) layer cake pans.

Beat whites until frothy. Add 1/2 cup sugar gradually; beat until stiff; set aside.

Beat yolks until thick. Add remaining sugar gradually and beat. Combine the two mixtures.

Sift the flour with cornstarch, baking powder and salt and fold into the egg mixture carefully. Pour into prepared cake pans.

Bake at 350 degrees F about 20 minutes. Cool.

Spread the Filling between the four layers and on top and sides. Cover well with chopped nuts.

FILLING

1 1/4 cups milk
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cold milk
1 cup butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup confectioners' sugar

Heat 1 1/4 cups milk in double boiler.

Mix flour, sugar and the 1/4 cup cold milk. Add to heated milk and stir until thick, then cover and cook 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.

When cool, add melted butter; mix well. Add vanilla extract and confectioners' sugar.

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KAY'S VIENNA TORTE
Makes 12 servings

10 eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
Pinch of salt
1 cup four (sifted three times)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Filling/Frosting (recipe follows)
1 cup toasted coconut (for decorating)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line bottom of an angel food pan with waxed paper.

In medium bowl, beat egg yolks with sugar until lemon-colored.

In large bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar and salt and continue beating until whites are stiff but not dry. Fold egg yolks into whites mixture, then add flour a little at a time. Mix in vanilla. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake in preheated oven 1 hour or until golden. While cake bakes, make filling/frosting. When cake is done, remove from oven and invert pan to let cake cool. When cool, remove from pan.

Cut cake into 4 layers using a long, serrated knife. Fill each layer with the filling/frosting mixture, then frost sides and top of torte. Sprinkle coconut over sides and top of cake.

CHOCOLATE FILLING/FROSTING

2 cups milk, divided use
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ounce bitter chocolate, melted and cooled
 
In double boiler, heat 1 3/4 cups milk until hot.

In medium bowl, mix remaining 1/4 cup milk with the flour and granulated sugar until well combined. Add to hot milk and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 3 minutes. Cover, reduce heat and cook an additional 15 minutes, stirring regularly until mixture reaches a custard consistency. Remove from heat and cool.

In large bowl, beat butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Add butter mixture to cooled milk mixture, then beat in cooled chocolate.

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VIENNA TORTE
Makes 1 (9-inch, 2-layer) cake

1/4 cup cornstarch
3/4 cup bread flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
6 eggs, separated
1 cup white granulated sugar, divided use
Filling (recipe follows)
Ground or chopped toffee bar bits (for decorating)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease 2 (9-inch) layer cake pans.

Sift cornstarch, flour, baking powder and salt together. Set aside.

Beat egg whites until stiff. Add 1/2 cup sugar, 2 tbsp at a time. Set aside.

Beat yolks until thick. Add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Combine whites and yolks and fold in dry ingredients. Divide into prepared layer pans.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Cool.

Cut each cooled layer in half. Spread chocolate mixture on first layer and third layer, spread white mixture and toffee bits on second and fourth layer and sides. Refrigerate until served.

FILLING

2 cups milk, scalded
1/2 cup flour
6 tbsp. white granulated sugar
Pinch salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 ounces (1 1/2 squares) bitter chocolate, melted
8 oz. heavy (whipping) cream, whipped

Add flour, granulated sugar and salt to scalded milk. Cook until thick. Cool.

Beat the butter until creamy; beat in powdered sugar. Combine with cooled milk mixture. Divide the mixture in half. To half add melted bitter chocolate. To other half add whipped cream.