Sacher Torte (individual chocolate cakes)

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I show you how to make mini Sacher Tortes, the simple way.
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INSTAGRAM: @__tri_
22x30 cm (swiss roll) baking tin (3cm depth)
6.5cm(diameter) round cutter
Makes 12 individual sacher tortes:
CHOCOLATE SPONGE:
6 egg whites, room temperature
pinch of salt
105g caster (superfine) sugar (3oz or 1/2 cup)
135g butter, room temperature (4 3/4 oz or 1/2 cup + tbsp)
90g icing (powdered) sugar, sifted (3.5 oz / 3/4 cup)
6 egg yolks, room temperature
135g chocolate (40-50%), melted (4.75 oz)
135g plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted (1 cup + 2tbsp)
KIRSCH SYRUP:
75g caster (superfine) sugar (2 1/4 oz / 1/3 cup)
75g water (2.5 fl oz)
6g kirsch liqueur (0.2 fl oz)
(or for non-alcoholic version: add 1/2 tsp cocoa powder to sugar and water at outset)
APRICOT LAYER:
300g apricot jam (11oz / just under 1 cup)
30g water (1 fl oz)
GANACHE:
300g 50% chocolate (best quality you can!) (just under 2 cups)
300g whipping (pouring) cream (1/2 pint / 11/4 cups / 10 fl oz)
Melted Chocolate for piping decoration
1. Whisk room temperature egg whites + pinch salt on low speed until foamy and thick. Sprinkle in caster sugar, 1/3 at a time, whisking for a minute or so between each addition. Once all added, turn speed up to high and continue whisking until firm peaks.
2. Whisk butter + powdered sugar until smooth. Add egg yolks, a couple at a time, whisking well between each addition. Then drizzle in melted chocolate (which must be just warm to touch before adding.
3. Fold 1/3 of meringue into chocolate mixture. Then fold in a couple of spoons of flour. Repeat, alternating between meringue and flour until all folded in.
4. Pour into baking tin, lined with a piece of baking paper. Level out.
5. Bake in pre-heated oven at 150 degrees C fan / 300 degrees F fan (if not using fan oven: 160-170 C / 320-340 F).
Bake with door wedged slightly open for 15 mins.
Then close door fully and bake for further 25 mins.
6. Remove and leave to cool in tin.
7. Stir sugar + water over medium heat until sugar dissolved. Allow to boil for 1 minute before removing from the heat, pouring into a bowl and leaving to cool. Once cool, stir in kirsch liqueur.
8. Once sponge is completely cool, flip baking tin over and peel off paper. Cut out 12 discs of sponge.
9. Brush tops and sides of each disc with syrup.
10. stir apricot jam and water over medium heat. Once comes to the boil, allow to boil for 1 minute then strain through sieve into a bowl. Use spatula to ensure most goes through the sieve and only large pieces of fruit remain in sieve. Then stir with spatula whilst it cools to ensure it stays smooth.
As soon as it feels just warm to touch, brush it generously over tops and sides of each sacher. Once finished applying the jam, smooth slightly with your brush.
Optionally you can then go back and apply a second layer of jam. Note, the more smoothly you apply the jam layer, the better. If the jam begins to solidify during the application phase, heat it slightly and stir to make it smooth again.
11. Leave to set for half and hour or so.
12. Once ready to coat sachers, make chocolate ganache by finely chopping chocolate and putting into a large bowl.
Pour cream into pan and heat over medium heat until just before it boils (small bubbles start to form around edges of pan). Then pour it straight over chocolate, ensuring chocolate is fully submerged.
14. Using small whisk, make small circular motions, beginning in centre of bowl and gradually working your way around the bowl.
15. As soon as ganache is smooth, pour it over each sacher (sac hers should be sitting on wire cooling rack over a tray of some kind). Don't pour too quickly otherwise the ganache will run off too quickly and the finish won't be as smooth as it ought to be!
16. Tap wire cooling rack against work surface a few times. Then after a couple of minutes transfer them to desired serving plate using long thin knife and carefully sliding it underneath each one. (Note, there will be a fair bit of excess ganache in the tray beneath - you can scrape this into a bowl and either use it to fill a small pre-baked tart shell (for a Tarte au Chocolat!) and leave it to set in the fridge. Or you can pour it over profiteroles or over ice-cream)
17. Pipe an 'S' onto each one in melted chocolate.
18. Leave to set at room temperature for at least a couple of hours for the ganache to firm up and then enjoy!
I like to keep these at room temperature - they will keep perfectly for up to a few days.
If you prefer a firmer ganache, you can refrigerate them but the ganache will lose it's shine. In such case, remove from fridge for 15 mins or so before eating!
I would LOVE to see if you make these - please post a picture to my Facebook page / tri-1772076983008397