Sweet Hungary Workshop Series #4 // 'Hungarian Dobos Cake'

The Liszt Institute London and The Rosemary restaurant have organised a workshop series to introduce Hungary’s sweet side to you! Our guest chef Szabolcs Böszörményi returns to a special episode, to guide you through the secrets of the well-known Hungarian dessert, the Dobos cake.

Ingredients
Cake Layers
6 eggs (separated into yolks and whites)
100g caster sugar
100g flour
35g melted butter
A pinch of salt

Cream
4 eggs
200g caster sugar
235g unsalted butter
17g vanilla sugar
35g cocoa powder
50g cocoa butter
220g dark chocolate

Cake layers - instructions

1. Begin by beating the six egg yolks with half of the sugar until they form a creamy consistency.
2. Whisk the six egg whites with the remaining sugar and a pinch of salt in a separate bowl until they form stiff peaks.
3. Gently combine the two egg foams, then fold the melted butter and flour into the mixture, creating a smooth batter.
4. Divide the sponge batter into six equal portions and spread them into 22 cm diameter, 1 cm thick layers on baking parchment.
5. Bake these layers in a preheated oven at 180°C for approximately 10 minutes or until they turn a light brown colour.
6. If you require more layers, use the following measurements for each additional layer: 1 egg white, 1 egg yolk, 17g sugar, 6g butter, 17g flour, and a pinch of salt.

Cream - instructions

1. Begin by melting the cocoa butter and dark chocolate, ensuring not to overheat them; keep the temperature below 45°C-50°C.
2. Whip the butter with the vanilla sugar and cocoa powder to create a smooth butter foam.
3. Heat the eggs with 200g of caster sugar while continuously stirring. The temperature should reach a maximum of 55°C-65°C (ensure the egg whites do not exceed 67°C).
4. Once heated, whip the egg foam until it cools down.
5. Mix the cold butter foam and egg foam while gradually incorporating the melted, not too hot, cocoa butter and chocolate (maintain it at 45°C-50°C).
6. Combine the cream smoothly and use it to fill five of the cold sponge sheets.
7. For the final layer, pull the sixth sheet and divide it into 12 equal portions. Place these pieces on top of the cake after melting sugar (200g) to create a caramelised topping.
Bon Appetite!