-
Preheat oven to 180C, grease two 23cm
square cake tins, line with greaseproof paper and grease paper.
-
Beat egg whites in a large bowl until soft
peaks form.
-
Sprinkle in 3 tbsp sugar, a tbsp at a
time, beating well after each addition.
-
Continue beating until meringue is stiff
and glossy, then fold in vanilla.
-
With same beaters, beat egg yolks and
remaining sugar in another bowl until thick and fluffy. Sift flour over
the top and fold in, then fold in about a third of the meringue.
-
Fold this mixture into remaining meringue
and spoon evenly into prepared tins.
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Bake for 12-15 minutes or until centers
spring back lightly when touched with fingertips.
-
turn out and allow to cool on wire racks.
-
Cut each cake in half crossways then split
the four pieces in 2 to make 8 layers altogether.
-
To prepare filling: melt 60g butter in the
top of a double boiler or a bowl set over simmering water.
-
Add cocoa and mix well, remove from heat,
and beat in remaining butter and egg yolks.
-
Add icing sugar alternately with cream,
beating well between each addition.
-
Stir in vanilla, chill for 10 minutes
before using.
-
Trim any crusts from cake and make sure
layers are even in size.
-
Sandwich layers together with filling,
using a slightly rounded 1/4 cup of filling between each layer.
-
Smooth remaining filling over sides and
top.
-
chill for several hours or overnight.
-
When ready to serve, pipe cream into both
ends of brandy snaps and arrange on top of torte.
-
Pipe remaining cream in small rosettes
around base and top edge.
