Linzer Torte

When I am in Salzburg, I often wonder what it would be like to live in Baroque times? I would sit properly in my many hooped skirt on an ornate gilded chair. My friends and I would laugh quietly while sharing tasteful stories over a cup of coffee and a delicious piece of cake eaten with a silver fork. Likely a piece of Linzer Torte. First mentioned in a cookbook over 350 years ago, the Linzer Torte is considered to be the oldest known cake in the world. For us the Linzer Torte is simply an Austrian family favorite. Omi always sends one to Peter for his birthday, the Fed X box arriving just in time for his celebration. Any family gathering surely involves at least two Linzer Torte on the table. Although primarily a winter treat, we don’t hesitate to eat Linzer Torte the whole year round and it is requisite for everyone to learn how to make it.

The dough is simple, lots of ground almonds, sugar and butter. If you make it today it is good tomorrow and really good in a couple of days. Whip up a dollop of fresh cream and sit back in your hooped skirt and enjoy!

250 grams of ground almonds
250 grams of firm unsalted butter
170 grams of flour
125 grams of sugar
2 egg yolks
2 ground cloves
cinnamon to taste
1 can of whole cranberries or tart currant jam

 

Start by grinding the almonds. Omi has this wonderful old nut grinder but if you don’t have an antique nut grinder in your attic, Cuisinart will sell you a fancy electric version today. You can also use pre-ground almonds readily available at many markets.

 

Cube the butter and mix with the flour until crumbled. Mix  in the ground almonds, sugar and spices.

 

Pile the dough into a mound with a well in the middle.  Knead in the egg yolks.  If the dough seems too wet, add more ground almond. Roll into a ball and chill for an hour.

Lightly grease a 8″ spring form pan. I use the wrapper from the butter to grease the pan. Dust with flour.

Roll out an 8″ circle of dough and press into the bottom of the pan. Roll a “snake” of dough and line the edge of the pan, pressing gently on the sides. Spread a layer of cranberries or jam on top of the dough, not too thick, maybe just 3/4 cup. Roll the remaining dough into snakes about the diameter of your pinky and make a grid pattern on top of the cake.