Linzer Torte

We bake this Linzer Torte every year in November as it is one of my husband's favourite cakes and is a must on his birthday table. The cake usually tastes even better the day after baking, as all the flavours and the jam can soak in.

Method:

  1. Place the flour, butter, sugar, nuts, eggs, spices and cherry brandy in a bowl and knead into a short-crust pastry.
  2. Shape the dough into a ball and chill it in the fridge for an hour.
  3. Grease a baking tray, roll out half to 3/4 of the dough on a floured baking board, place on the tray, press up one edge and prick several times with a fork.
  4. Brush the dough with the redcurrant jelly.
  5. Roll out the remaining dough with a rolling pin, cut into even strips and place in a lattice on the cake with the redcurrant jelly.
  6. Whisk the egg yolk and brush the pastry with it.
  7. Bake in an oven heated to 160-180°C for about 50 minutes.
  8. Heat the apricot or wild yellow plum jam in a bain-marie to make it spreadable and brush the cake with it.

Tip: This cake will keep fresh for up to three weeks if not eaten beforehand. This is also a great way to prepare it for the Christmas season without any stress.