TORTES

LET THEM EAT TORTE

A torte is a cake; the name comes from the Italian word torta which means round bread or cake. In Europe, most cakes are called tortes (the German word for a layered cake is torte), and most tortes come from central European recipes. (Think of the most famous: the Sachertorte, invented in 1832 by Viennese hotelier Franc Sacher, the Dobostorte, a Hungarian cake invented by Josef Dobos in 1887, or the Linzertorte, also Viennese, a latticed nut crust with a raspberry jam filling more like a tart – the French word for pie.) Like other cakes, tortes can have layers, and can be iced, but often they are a single, dense layer.

Not all cakes are tortes. Many cakes are lighter than tortes because of the gluten content of cake flour; low gluten content results from use of soft wheat flour that is low in protein and, as a result, has a soft, smooth texture and a pure white color. Tortes are denser because cake flour has been replaced by something heavier, such as ground nuts, bread crumbs, or all-purpose flour. Cakes are usually taller than tortes because lighter flour rises higher (most cakes are at least four inches high, while tortes may only reach 2-1/2 inches).

Tortes are often soaked in liqueurs or simple syrups flavored with citrus, extracts or liqueur. Tortes are European, cakes American.

Desserts, cakes, tortes, almond and chocolate torte (Black Forest torte) 1BLACK FOREST TORTE
Desserts, cakes, tortes, almond and chocolate torte (Black Forest torte), sour cherry compote 4SOUR CHERRY COMPOTE
Desserts, cakes, tortes, cornmeal cake with sweet rosemary syrup 1CORNMEAL CAKE WITH SWEET ROSEMARY SYRUP AND BLACKBERRIES
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERALEMON ALMOND BUTTER CAKE
MADAME’S ORANGE ALMOND CAKE
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAMEXICAN CHOCOLATE TORTE
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAPEACH ALMOND TORTE
Desserts, cakes, tortes, purple plum torte 1PURPLE PLUM TORTE
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERATARTA DE ALMENDRAS
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERATORTA DI CAROTE
Desserts, cakes, tortes, torta di cioccolata alle mandorle 1TORTA DI CIOCCOLATA ALLE MANDORLE
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERATORTA DI MELE AL BURRO
Desserts, cakes, tortes, torta di nocciola 1TORTA DI NOCCIOLA