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Many bakers who have recently started to make sugary delights often think that torte and torting are the same. These are two baking terms with different meanings that every baker must know about. Torte is derived from a German word that means cake. It refers to the complexity of layers in a cake that adds the element of sponge to it.
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Traditionally tortes had layers with dried fruits, nuts, ganache creams, and fruit fillings. These layers made the dessert more enriching and flavourful. This article will tell you the difference between tortes and torting and the art of layering a cake to make a delicious dessert every bite of which will be a surprise for your taste buds.
History Of Tortes
If you trace the origins of tortes, you will land in countries like Hungary and Austria where bakers started adding rich and creamy layers to cakes. In 1832, Austrian Franz Sacher created Sarchertorte, which is among the most famous kinds of torte. It is a chocolate cake featuring a layer of chocolate glaze and apricot jam (Is your mouth already watering?). Sarchertorte is now the most iconic Viennese dessert.
Dobos Torte is another famous kind of torte that was baked by Hungarian chef Jozsef C. Dobos in the 19th century. The dessert had multiple layers of chocolate buttercream, and the topmost layer was made of caramel. Each bite of it was a step closer to gastronomic heaven.
Torting: The Art Of Layering
Torting is a specific technique of creating layers in a cake while levelling each one of them. It teaches how to perfectly stack one layer over the other to add height to a cake. First, you have to use a serrated knife to level each layer of the cake so that when you stack one upon the other, it looks uniform and levelled.
Torting helps to achieve precision when you are baking a cake featuring multiple layers. Following the technique, a baker can ensure that each layer, whether it is of ganache or buttercream, is precise.
Torting not only adds height to a cake but it also allows a baker to infuse multiple flavours. Every tier of the cake can be different, allowing pastry chefs to experiment with traditional desserts and add a modern twist to each one of them.
Torte Vs Torting
Torting can be applied while baking tortes to add unique flavour palates to each layer. However, not all tortes require torting. For example, if you are making a cassata-flavoured cake, you can make the best use of the layering technique to add precision to each tier and make the dessert aesthetically appealing and irresistible.
If you are baking a chocolate or vanilla cake, you can use techniques of torting to create a plain and uniform canvas. You can even add volume to each layer with frosting. Similarly, you can even create layers of sponge in a strawberry cake and fill each tier with whipped cream and fresh strawberries.
