Classic Sugar-Glazed Sachertorte with Rum Apricot Coat

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C (fan 10 °C lower) for 15 min. Bring the butter and eggs to room temperature and separate the eggs; the bowl for the whites must be free of grease and yolk.

   oven

2. Line the base of a 12 cm round springform tin with paper, butter the sides, dust with flour and tap out the excess. Chop the couverture, melt it in a bowl over barely simmering water on low heat for 4 min, stirring, then cool to about 35 °C (it should feel just warm on your lip).

   Add in this stepDark couverture chocolate (70% cocoa) 55 g

   low heat

3. Beat the butter, icing sugar and vanilla for 3 min until white and light, add the yolks one at a time to make a smooth, creamy emulsion, then mix in the cooled chocolate. If it splits, the chocolate was too cold: hold the bowl over warm water for a moment while mixing.

   Add in this stepUnsalted butter, softened 45 gIcing sugar 30 gVanilla extract (or seeds from a pod) ¾ tspEggs, room temperature 1

4. Whisk the whites with the salt until foamy, add the sugar in three additions and whisk for 3 min to a glossy meringue whose tips just bend. Sift the flour and ground almonds together. Loosen the chocolate mixture with a third of the meringue, then fold in the rest alternately with the flour mixture in big, lifting strokes.

   Add in this stepEggs, room temperature 1Salt 1 pinchCaster sugar 30 gPlain flour 35 gGround almonds 15 g

5. Pour into the tin, make the centre slightly lower than the edge and bake in the oven at 170°C for 33 min. When a skewer comes out clean, turn the tin upside down onto a rack so the top flattens. After 10 minutes, unmould and cool completely for 1 h, then split horizontally with a bread knife.

   oven

6. Apricot coat: boil the jam with the rum in a small pan on medium heat for 2 min, stirring, until it drops heavily from the spoon, then sieve it. While hot, spread it on the bottom layer, replace the top and brush a thin, even coat over the top and sides. Leave for 20 min, until no longer sticky.

   Add in this stepSmooth apricot jam 90 gDark rum (optional) 2 tsp

   medium heat

7. Glaze: dissolve the sugar in the water, then boil on medium-high heat for 5 min without stirring until the syrup reaches 110 °C (it forms a thread between your fingertips; test a cooled drop). Take off the heat, wait 1 minute, add the chopped chocolate and stir, scraping the bottom, until thick, glossy and coating a spoon heavily, about 40 °C. Pour it over the cake on a rack in one go, sweep the top just 2 or 3 times with a palette knife so it runs down the sides, and leave untouched for 1 h.

   Add in this stepSugar for the glaze 90 gWater for the glaze 55 mlDark chocolate for the glaze (60–70%) 70 g

   medium-high heat

8. Whip the cream without sugar for 2 min until softly spoonable. Slice with a knife warmed in hot water and serve with plenty of cream.

   Add in this stepCream for serving (whipped, unsweetened) 100 ml