126 CultureShock! Austrialess sweet and has a delicious yet
distinct flavour. A dash of lemon
is sometimes added to heighten
the flavour.
Sachertorte is Austria’s most
famous dessert. Sampled
by practically every tourist,
Sachertorte is chocolate cake
covered in chocolate icing with
apricot jam. Although it sounds
heavy, it actually has a very delicate flavour. Herr Sacher,
Prince Metternich’s personal pastry chef, baked the first
Sachertorte in the mid-19th century. The chef’s son opened
the Hotel Sacher in 1876, and the son’s wife built up the
hotel’s reputation. This hotel claims to have the original secret
recipe and legally won the right to spell it as one word. All
other restaurants, coffeehouses and pastry shops must spell
it as two words—Sacher Torte.
Linzertorte is made with apricot jam and almonds.
Esterhazytorte is a delicious cake consisting of many
very thin layers of dough with vanilla cream between the
layers. Mohntorte is a poppy seed cake, and Nusstorte is
walnut cake.
As you’ve probably guessed by now, Torte means cake.
Schnitte—cut or slice—refers to a piece of pastry cut from a large
sheet, the most famous being the Kardinalschnitte or Cardinal’s
cut. This rich but light dessert consists of meringue, yellow
cake and either chocolate, strawberry or raspberry mousse. If
you are lucky enough to find homemade Kardinalschnitte, you
are in for a big treat. Imperialschnitte is a personal favourite of
ours, and consists of chocolate and marzipan.More Desserts
Kaiserschmarrn is an omelette/soufflé made from eggs and
raisins. Mohr im Hemd, which means ‘Moor in a shirt’, is a
must for any chocolate lover: it is chocolate cake covered
in warm chocolate sauce and topped with whipped cream.
Gugelhupf is reminiscent of a bunt cake, but smaller. Krapfen
are fried donuts filled with jam (often apricot jam).Whipped Cream
If you love rich desserts, all of the
above can and should be ordered
with Schlagobers, or fresh
whipped cream, on the side. No
self-respecting Austrian would
eat the light and airy pre-made
whipped cream. Schlagobers^
is heavy unsweetened whipped
cream that, in our opinion, is
one of the advantages of living
in Austria.