Vienna, Austria (The Joy of Food) — In Austria, one cannot live on strudel alone. To mix it up a little, there’s Sachertorte.
Sachertorte is a chocolatey little sponge cake, or torte, with thin layers of apricot jam. Those who love fruity flavors mixed with chocolate will love this classic Austrian specialty. Unfortunately, I am not one of these people, but you do you.
From the outside, it’s everything a chocolate lover could want in a dessert, a perfect little slice that comes with unsweetened whipped cream on the side. It’s coated with dark chocolate icing on the top and sides, reaffirming a Death by Chocolate experience in every bite. The biggest oddity is the grainy mouthfeel of the cake that veers dangerously into dry territory, but I’m told it’s supposed to be like that. I asked.
Pastry chef Franz Sacher gets credited with creating the Sachertorte in 1832 at the request of the Austrian government. It was first sold publicly at the Demel pastry shop and later at the Hotel Sacher in Vienna, where to this day you can sit at the Café Sacher Wien within the hotel and enjoy a slice for a small fortune.
You can find Sachertorte in just a few locations in Austria, including a second branch of the Hotel Sacher in Salzburg. To me, however, Vienna is the one and only place to have a slice, right where it was born.
Written by Joy
Thanks for reading. The Joy of Food blog celebrates eating well, traveling often, and living la dolce vita. San Diego, California is home base, but thoughts are from all over. Reviews and photos help to highlight wonderful (or not) food experiences from around the world.
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