Dobos Torte

Prepare your cake pans: Choose a cake size and shape option. Assemble either the cake pans you will need or sheets of parchment paper if you don’t have all the necessary pans. Line the bottom of each with a sheet of fitted parchment paper, and butter and flour (or use a butter-flour spray) the parchment and sides of the pan. Tap out excess flour, if needed.

Preheat oven to 450°F and place a rack in the center of your oven.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat 10 egg yolks for a few minutes at high speed, until pale and lemon-colored. Reduce speed and gradually add sugar, then increase the speed and beat the yolks and sugar until thick and glossy. Scrape bowl occasionally with rubber spatula. Reduce speed again and gradually add flour and salt; increase speed mix for 5 minutes more, then mix in lemon juice. Scrape bowl again with a rubber spatula.

In a separate bowl with cleaned beaters, beat the 7 egg whites with a whisk attachment until they hold stiff peaks. Stir a few heaping spoonfuls of the whites into the yolk mixture to loosen it, before folding in the rest of the whites in three additions.

Spread your batter in prepared pans or within their stenciled shapes on parchment paper. Try to push the batter rather than pull it with an offset spatula to keep the parchment from rolling up. Spread batter to about 1/4-inch thickness in each circle.

Bake each layer for 5 minutes, or until golden with some dark brown spots. When the layer is baked, remove it from the oven and flip it out onto a cooling rack dusted with a small amount of confectioners’ sugar. Carefully remove parchment paper, then flip the cake back onto another lightly dusted cooling rack to finish cooling.

Repeat with remaining layers.

To make the filling and frosting, melt chocolate until smooth. Set aside to cool to room temperature, but not so cool that it hardens again. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter until soft and smooth, scraping frequently. Add vanilla and 3 egg yolks. Add sugar and cooled chocolate, beating until thoroughly mixed and scraping as needed.

Assemble the cake: Place four strips of parchment or waxed paper around the outer edges of your cake plate. Place the first cake layer on the plate and spread chocolate on top and to the edges with an offset spatula. Repeat with remaining layers, stacking cake as evenly as possible.

Spread chocolate on the outside of the cake in a thin coat to cover and adhere the crumbs. Place cake in the fridge for 30 minutes to set the chocolate. Spread chocolate more thickly and smoothly to make a final exterior coat of frosting. Remove paper strips.

For the caramel topping, if using, lightly grease a sheet of parchment paper. Place the last cake layer on this sheet. Lightly oil a large chef’s knife or sharp cookie cutter of your choice. Combine the sugar and water in a small, heavy saucepan and swirl it until the sugar melts and begins to turn a pale amber color. Quickly and carefully, pour this over the prepared cake layer and spread it evenly with an offset spatula. Using the prepared knife or cutter, quickly cut the layer as you wish. Cool completely.

Arrange caramel pieces or wedges over the cake, propping them up decoratively with hazelnuts.

Chill cake until needed.