The most famous dessert in “the Land of 10 Million Pastry Lovers.” Hungarian sponge cake layered with chocolate espresso buttercream and topped with crispy caramel. This traditional coffeehouse torte [pronounced doh-bosh] was created in 1887 by renowned Hungarian chef and confectioner, József C. Dobos (1847–1924), a delicatessen owner in Budapest, at the height of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. This classic Hungarian torta has five thin layers of light vanilla sponge cake each separated with chocolate espresso buttercream that also cloaks its exterior. The torta has a very distinctive garnish; the top of the cake is covered in a layer of crisp dark caramel that is cut to use as a garnish for each triangular piece. Dobos developed the caramel top to keep the cake fresh for longer during a time when refrigeration was difficult, if not impossible, to come by. Another innovation was his use of buttercream, which was very little known at the time. Capitalizing on the torta’s popularity, Dobos also found a way to package the durable cake so he could ship it to customers all over Europe. Join us for a delicious taste of Hungary’s delectable past.
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