Anyone tried the World famous Viennese Sachar cake?

If you search ubder Sacher Vienna you will find lots of advice. I have never been tempted myself -- but others have and generally report disappointment. Dryness and dullness seem to be besetting failings.

Some recommend alternatives available locally. Some allege curtness by hotel and/or restaurant staff.

BTW: If you rent The Third Man, which everyone should see before visiting Vienna, you will note that the "British Army hotel" in the British Zone is the Sacher.

A lawyer friend of mine reported back from Vienna that they're in dire need of torte reform.

Picture a cake made from sawdust with layers of felt between and icing made from dark chalk. Got the picture? Ok, well, Sacher Torte isn't quite that good.
Make sure you get lots of coffee to wash it down. The coffee will be the best part.

Yes indeed, the SacherTorte may be the most famous of Viennese cakes, but is certainly not the best. I prefer a simple apricot-filled krapfen (donut) or apfelstrudel with strong coffee. I tried the Linzertorte years ago. It was much better than the Sacher.

Don't listen to them, mnss, Sacher tortes are a wonderful dessert. The real torte's cake-like layers are made with finely ground nuts, not flour, and the layers alternate dark, semi-sweet chocolate with a citrus-y apricot. There's little, if any, flour in a real torte. The people who have posted here have described a cake, not the real torte.

And the best Sacher torte EVER was to be had at Friederich's on York Avenue in New York, somewhere in the upper 70's. I had good Sacher Torte in Austria, but nothing to compare to Friederich's.

I think Patrick's description is a written work of art. Nicely done.

I'll never forget my first bite, after much ballyhooed fanfare. From the look on my face, one would have thought I had bitten into a burnt piece of the Sahara Desert.

Given the fact it's very hard to hide my honest feelings and my facial expression always gives me away, it's no surprise the woman who told me "it's the most fabulous dessert on earth" no longer speaks to me.

I've never been fond of dense desserts and I particularly don't enjoy dense, moist-less cake, which explains my unwavering love for alcohol-soaked genoise. When it comes to cake, especially chocolate, I turn to the French each and every time.

The one I'm describing is the one that I was served at the Sacher Hotel, the place where it was "invented". Yes, kswl's physical description of it is right, but I was simply describing its taste -- the dryest thing I ever tasted. Maybe the place in New York has vastly improved on the original which is the one I had -- like maybe they figured a way to make it moist?

I serond the sawdust comment but in the past felt that jet lag may have compromised it. However the coffee in Vienna was so wonderful I have forgotten the vaunted sacher torte. Plus our server was forgiving as we slumped in our chairs....

Thanks you guys!

If the Sacher is not that good then why the hell is there so much publicity about it not only on the web, but also on every Vienna guide book that I've read!(3)

Even Rick Steves said on PBS that he would just go to Vienna to taste it!! Now I know why he never got a raise to the Travel Channel !!

I am kind of disappointed now! and they'd better have some other good chocolate dessrerts in Vienna to make up for this!

yes, I've tried it -- not at the Sacher hotel but at another famous cafe in Vienna.

I agree with Patrick. I didn't much like it at all.

You're probably right about that--there are many wonderful chefs in NYC who specialize in taking tired old standbys and making them fresh. A properly prepared torte is actually quite moist, as nuts are about half oil. You should give it another try, Patrick, maybe somewhere outside Vienna.

I agree, I tried it at the Sacher HOtel and it was dreadful, the torte that is. I thought it was just an old torte that was being pushed on me because I was a tourist. I'll try it again when I am an old tart.

I hate Sacher Torte.
Pick something else--you'll have plenty of choices.

One of my fondest memories of Europe is sitting on the steps of a bridge over the Grand Canal of Venice, eating pastries we'd purchased in Salzburg the afternoon before. (we took the night train) I was definitely in heaven.

I haven't tried Sacher Torte - but I wonder if it isn't best enjoyed in combination with coffee...?

Think about a couple of other famous baked goods: the biscotti and a traditional scone. If you had been reading about how delicious these were and then came upon them and took a big bite, you would probably think about the biscotti, "What is the big deal about this rock-hard cookie?" - and about the scone , "Well, this is just a big, dry biscuit (American) with a few currents." However if you eat these goodies as intended, dunking the biscotti in your espresso to soften it and infuse it with the flavor, and having the scone slathered in clotted cream or butter & preserves with an exceptional cup of tea - then you start to appreciate their popularity.

Just some thoughts...

Hello mn:

I too share the negative views on the Sacher Torte, but I suggest that you try its competitor, the Imperial Torte, which may be had at the Hotel Imperial and its sister, The Bristol. I found it so good that I sent one back to a friend in the U.S. where the shipping turned out to exceed the price of the Torte. Oh well. Gradyghost

I have been served Sacher torte at the Sacher Hotel in Vienna, at Demel's (also Vienna) and in Baden, Austria, where it truly originated. And never liked a single bite. It's arguably the world's most over-rated dessert. But fortunately, there are zillions of other pastries to enjoy in Vienna (or elsewhere in Austria) that are far better and will make you forget all about that dry, nearly tasteless upstart. (If you do insist on eating Sacher torte, make sure you have it with lots of whipped cream and something to drink so you can wash it down.)

Have never had the PLEASURE of eating or tasting the above mentioned, but can only imagine it (and maybe better that way), however last year in Croatia had the most wonderful cake like dessert they say they are famous for and after the first one, each evening called for an encore. Halfpint

Agreed that Sacher torte is to be avoided - dry and tasteless - esp bad at the Sacher. But other pastries are wonderful - make sure you get wwhatever it is mit schlag.

Well, we like it!

Yes, it'd drier and less sweet than American-style cakes. Austrian desserts are meant to be eaten with lots of Schlag and coffee. Doesn't mean anyone is "wrong" if they don't care for it-it's just a matter of personal taste.

BTW- "torte" doesn't always mean nuts are involved, though they often are. The original Sachertorte does't involve nuts.

~Liz

I never had Sacher torte at the Sacher, but I did have Sacher torte sent by the Sacher by air mail in a wooden box to Munich, and I thought it was wonderful. It was very dense, admittedly, but not at all dry.

If you have any doubts (which would not surprise me, given all the comments above), go to Demel where you can choose among dozens of different pastries.

Yes, I've tried it. There's a legend that when Austria was being rebuilt after WW II, the builders in Vienna didn't have to face the national shortage of concrete, they just used ground-up Sacher tortes.

LOL LOL LOL
I thought that my authentic Sacher was dried up only because I brought it all the way from Vienna back to Brazil to eat it with my kids...

Another disappointed and deluded Sacher Torte taster! We had just toured the Belvedere, where we had a terrific view of Vienna, and where we had joyously viewed some Klimt's, including The Kiss. We visited the museum shop and then went to the small restaurant.

What else I thought, the perfect time for a coffee and to sample Sacher Torte. My husband was smarter and had a very nice, moist piece of cake. I haven't read all the above posts so may be duplicating some descriptions, but after my first bite of chocolate sawdust I thought either the Viennese are nuts, or my taste buds died. It was just awful!

My stepmother was from Vienna, so I grew up on Sacher Torte in New York; never had a bad one. In Vienna itself, I found thta Demel's (or Dehmel's) had a version with a thin layer of marzipan (almond paste) under the chocolate icing which sent me to heaven. Buy why quibble about which dessert is best; have them all! It has been a custom in Vienna to go to a coffee shop around 4 PM for "youzer", which is a pastry of your choice with coffee. Again, many kinds of coffee. I always get a "Weisse" which is coffee with milk, but if you want to get chubby, get the delicious "Kaffe mit Schlag" which is black coffee with tons of whipped cream. But, forget my comment about chubby, live life, enjoy food!

The only Sacher Torte I've ever had was one I made many years ago (at least 20) with a recipe from Gourmet Magazine. I think the cake was on the cover. This one was so good that I guess the chef's in Gourmet's kitchen did something to improve the original. I'm sad to hear the origianl is not worth the wait.

To expound a bit on my post:

I had heard about Sacher Torte all of my life so I insisted that we go to the Hotel to finally have some. I was the only one from our table who ordered it so I was all excited. It tasted like dust! I descreetly said "blech" to my friends. I thought they had give me an old dried up piece left over from the lunch crowd, so I dipped it in coffee and it tasted like dust dipped in coffee. The coffee was good though.

I have held it against the hotel for years so I am glad to know that is how it is supposed to taste.

Who made you think "Sacher Torte" would be a world famous cake? Which it really isnt . What made you think so? "The sound of music?" I really am very much interested is your stories.

Sacher Torte is indeed famous, or not so many of us would have even heard of it, let alone tried it. Some famous things are universally loved; others, like Sacher Torte, cheese grits, and Czech dumplings are acquired tastes. Some of us never acquire the taste and still live happy lives.

I have never tried cheese grits, but I cant get any czech dumplings today, because supermarkets are already closed . 9h30 p.m. And there is always the question of the right sauce. But what makes "Sacher Cake" so famous?

it appears regularly in People magazine.

I dont know..I've had Sacher torta numerous time both in Vienna and in Budapest. I actually like it. Like most things...it's a matter of taste. However, my favorite still remains the DOBOS TORTE.

Thanks, its the first time I ever heard of "People magazine", so maybe thats why I dont know that "Sacher Cake" is famous...

Maybe most expect a chocolate layer cake? I tried it in both Demels
ad Hotel Sacher in Vienna (there is a feud as to which invented it) and both were similarly disappointing compared to my preconceived idea. It was DRY, no moistness at all. Beforetrip to Vienna, I made one from an old NYTimes Mag recipe and thought I must have done someting wrong, but no----mine tasted better (th sitll dry) as it turned out, than the ones I later tasted in Vienna.

I think this must be the one and only place in the world where people are talking about cheese grits and Sacher torte in the same sentence LOL
I am never attracted to cakes of this sort, so I am glad to see I was spared sawdust between layers of felt!

Was in Vienna last month and had to try the famous Sacher torte at the Sacher hotel. PATRICK"S description is right on! Very disappointing.

I'm with the Disappointeds. (Even schlag can't save the day in my opinion.) BUT..... let me tell you about the cassata I had in Agrigento in Sicily! -

Schlag, sounds like something one would do after eating too much Sachar Torte!

So is being in Vienna for the very first time enough excuse to try it?

Or is it just so bad that my trip would be better off without it!

Scarlett and elaine and everyone you guys are so funny!

Sacher Torte is totally not worth it!

I had it with coffee, that doesn't make it any better. The cake was still bad. It really wasn't horrendous, just sort of like when you order a dessert that you think is really subpar and you never want to have it again.

I thought it was very well-known, also, I have read about it in lots of places for many years, so I think it is pretty famous.

But, sure, I think as long as you are in Vienna you should give it a try (it looks good) so then you can answer posts like this and give your opinion when others ask.

Do the people who hate Sacher torte also dislike dark, not-so-sweet chocolate? I've looked at some recipes - like this one - and in theory it seems like they should be delicious if prepared properly.
http://www.recipeland.com/recipe.epl?id=20111
What goes wrong, I wonder? I haven't had the occasion to try this, so can't comment.

Perhaps the quality of the chocolate matters. I visited an Central/Eastern European deli near my home, which has, among many other things, chocolate from Poland. I saw a dark chocolate bar with a high cocoa content, and thought it would be delicious. Sadly, it really did taste like sawdust. I don't know how they did it - the listed ingredients were exactly the same as the delicious dark bittersweet chocolate bars I like from other countries.

I worked in a bakery for 5 years, and we made that torte. I know that our version was not dry, but I do not know if the recipe was authentic. It is like everything else you can purchase or get in a restaurant.

I love linguine and clam sauce. (now I am starving for it and will have to find clams and make it monday, but anyway) There is a dish that can be soooo good. Or really bad and gross. It depends on the quality of the ingredients, skill of the cook, and if they are using fresh, not canned clams.

So I thought our SacherTorte was top notch. But oh, cassata! YUM YUM YUM! That is my very favorite dessert.

Linguine and clams, and cassta for dessert. I cannot wait until monday.

It's really quite revolting, nothing special at all, but then I'm not really a fan of chocolate cakes.

That said, a warm chocolate fondant is a superb end to most meals, but I like mine served with an avocado icecream which has a hint of pernod. Sadly, I can't think of one London restaurant that has this on the menu. However, I think the trend for such naff 70s concoctions will be working its way to the forefront of British cuisine in the not too distant future.

If the syntax of that last post is correct, mk2 is now admitting to a secret fondness for a "naff '70s concoction"!

This IS progress.

(I wd a "WINK" emoticon if I knew how)

Sacher Torte must be the European equivalent of American fruit cake.

Byrd

Hi WillTravel, no I like or love dark chocolate and I love the flourless chocolate cakes too that are really dense. Maybe it is their type of chocolate that is so dusty tasting.

Maybe a good shot of liquor tossed over it would help, I didn't try that!

tedgale, try ;)

My theory is that the Sacher Torte starts off bone-dry and tastless, so that when tourists buy them and ship them home and eat them a week later, they can't say "Oh, no, it was so much moister and tastier when I had it in Vienna, it didn't ship well."

Byrd, don't you dare insult fruitcake! Now THERE'S a delicacy worth savoring!

tedgale, if ; ) doesn't work, just say Wink Wink

m_k2, If only I had some chocolate fondant now- I would be sooo happy

Or, you can say "wink, wink, nudge, nudge, saynomore."

I think of all the many threads I have read on Fodor's over the years, this is the most surprising to me. I grew up in New York eating sacher torte as a special treat which people would bring from specific bakeries and argue over which bakery had the best ones. Oh, the dark chocolate and the apricot, what a wonderful combination!

When I was in college a wonderful friend decided to find a recipe and bake me some sacher torte. Everyone liked it so much that he continued to make it for special occasions (especially my birthday) for years.

One night in college over thirty years ago I had a dream that I was in Vienna eating Viennese pastry. Went downstairs and announced to my many roommates that it would be great fun to go to Europe together that summer. And many of us did. We pursued several individual itineraries including travel, study, family reunions, meeting in different cities in different combinations and separating again, but I did meet one of my friends in Vienna and we tried the sacher torte at the Sacher hotel.

And yes, it was a somewhat disappointing version.

But it didn't stop us from going back the next day and trying it again. I had dinner with her last night, she has been my sister in law for 25 years. I'm going to call her and ask what she remembers about sacher torte. Thank you for providing me with the opportunity.

the WORST of the vienna pastry shops sacher torte was at the sacher hotel itself, INMHO.
stopped trying to find a good one.
it just isn't my type of cake, i guess, but the one at the hotel was definitely very similar to the piece of torte described here by patrick.

Elaine, lol!

Fruitcake is much maligned around here, but I must admit my sister-in-law makes a great one (made about Thanksgivng for Christmas and well soaked with rum or brandy).

Byrd
ing

Byrd, I make a pretty good one myself.
Of course, once you start adding the rum or brandy, the cake itself hardly matters--if it isn't good, you won't remember anyway

IANAM (I am not a monk)

The best Bourbon fruitcake I've ever tasted is made by the friars at a Trappist monastery in Kentucky. (I know, you'd have thought it would be made by the bakers...)

http://www.gethsemanifarms.org

I just looked at the monks' website--
Have you tried the Bourbon fudge?

No - but now I must, just so you'll have a full report

it is good, and a beautiful hotel that is worth visiting to have a cup of coffee and cake. To be honest I much prefer a good weinerschnitzel or a salzburger nockerl.

Thanks everyone!

This thread is strictly dedicated to chocolate desserts!

Some chocolate Soufles are so good, but they are usually over rated.

But I love Swiss chocolate fondue! you get to dip fruit or these little chocolate cake cubes in the warm chocolate "soup" and it tastes good! oh it's so good!

Well, if you're going to talk chocolate souffle...
Has anyone had it at the Washington in Ankara Turkey? It's supposed to be particularly good there.

Was thinking of eating there just to have it for dessert.

It WILL be my birthday...maybe I'll just have the souffle, lol.

From "The Cooking of Vienna's Empire" by Joseph Wechsberg: (note to Fodors: this is not a verbatim transcription, so as to avoid breaking copyright).

Wechsberg disputes the legend that the Sachertorte was invented by Frau Anna Sacher, but maintains it was invented in 1832 by the founder of the Sacher line, Franz, while he was serving as Prince Metternich's chef. There have since been many recipes for the "original" sachertorte. It even became the subject of a celebrated court case between the Sacher hotel and Demel's, which had bought the right to fix the 'genuine sachertorte' seal on its product. (Demel's had acquired the right from Edouard Sacher, grandson of creator Franz Sacher.)

The recipe was published in

...oops, finger slipped;

The recipe was published in a local paper, and included 14 egg yolks, among other things. (The one I have has 8). Sachertorte is a chocolate sponge mixture. Wechsberg points out that Demel's is covered first with hot apricot marmalade and then with plain chocolate icing. Sacher's version is sliced in half and filled with apricot jam.

The court case ran for seven years, with ultimately Sacher winning.

As for taste, while in Vienna last year I didn't try either of the cakes on sale at either Sacher or Demel's, but one at a rather simple tea/coffee emporium just across from Demel's. It was fabulous, but then I am crazy for less-than-sweet chocolate tortes.

Nice work, Sue.

Sue, the people of Baden would disagree with Wechsberg. While we were there, it was made pretty clear THEY believe Frau Sacher was the inventor. (And I doubt if it was the first time in history a professional male chef ended up getting the credit for a recipe that was actually his mother's or grandmother's.)
Also, not liking Sacher torte doesn't mean one craves sweet chocolate tortes. It's not that we disliked the Sacher tortes we were served because they were less than sweet, it's because we found them nearly tasteless.

Well, BTilke, Joy of Cooking would agree with the people of Baden, whereas Craig Claiborne takes the more diplomatic route and simply says the recipe 'originated in the hotel Sacher' which could mean just about anyone working, living, or even just visiting there.

One thing's for sure, nobody agrees on the exact recipe. As you can doubtless guess, variations in taste might originate with just about anything. Chocolatier mag years ago did a taste-test of brownies made with 7 different kinds of unsweetened chocolate, and found the results in both texture and taste varied dramatically. I suppose this shouldn't be that surprising, given that there's no reason cocoa beans shouldn't be any less variable than coffee beans, not to mention how the final product is made. Then there's the apricot marmalade/jam part, not to mention European flours, which supposedly are less uniform than North American flours, not to mention varations in technique in beating the egg whites, oven temperature.....ah, the endless fascination of food science.

To go back to the original question, mnss, I think the only answer is as for many other travel queries: you'll just have to go and decide for yourself.

Again, strictly speaking, a torte is a type of cake that has little, if any, flour. That makes the texture quite unlike any other cake. The "base" of this dessert is either dry bread crumbs or cake crumbs or finely ground nuts---or more commonly, some combination of these. Most of the German recipes for Sachertorte use bread crumbs and ground almonds.

Sue's recipe sounds right to me -- in terms of what I had. My dislike for the one I had was not because it was dark chocolate, which I love, nor the sweetness issue. It was dry and tasteless, that's why, it had terrible flavor and texture.

I don't know about tortes being made out of dry bread crumbs -- if that's what they do in Germany, that doesn't sound like any kind of dessert to me. Dry bread crumbs sounds like stuffing--I know moist bread crumbs can be used in some desserts or puddings. Both sides of my family were German, and my grandparents first generation -- my grandmother made German cakes that were very good and even called them by German names, and none were made out of dry bread crumbs (thank goodness).

Well, to be fair to kswl JOC gives a recipe for something called 'Brottorte' (literally, Bread Torte) which is described as a 'celebrated German confection' and does indead have dry bread crumbs in it, as does another torte recipe called Almond Torte. But none of the Sachertorte recipes (that I've seen - there are lots out there) call for bread crumbs.

Maybe some chefs make the Sachertorte deliberately dry in order to balance the dollop of whipped cream typically served with it? (Yeah, I know, I'm really stretching here....)

Sue, the "original" (two versions ago?) JOC has a recipe for Sachertorte that calls for 3/4 cup dry breadcrumbs and 1/4 cup ground blanched almonds.

Delicious!

I got curious and looked up the definition of torte. There are two; the first being:

torte n.
A rich cake made with many eggs and little flour and usually containing chopped nuts. [German, perhaps from Italian torta, cake, tart, from Late Latin torta, a kind of bread.]

The second entry reads, "a rich cake usually covered with cream and fruit or nuts; originated in Austria."

So, perhaps there are torten made from nuts and torten made with nuts on top?

While I did have some in Vienna, the best were definitely the ones I had growing up that my grandmother made. Delicious!!

Sure wish I could tell you mnss where to find a great one in Vienna. I don't remember where I had some there.

Enjoy your visit to Vienna.

Similar to many of the above responses, I have to say that the Sachertorte at the Hotel Sacher is indeed very dry. I make my own Sachertorte (which is delicious!) and I was painfully disappointed a number of years ago to taste the "real thing".

Next time I'm in Wien, I will go to Demels.

I must be in the minority because I really liked the Sacher torte and have visited both the Hotel Sacher in Vienna and Salzburg to order it! It is, indeed, a little dry but I find that the cream that comes with it helps. I don't really like desserts that are too overly sweet so perhaps thats why I enjoy the Sacher tortes.

Also wanted to mention that the hot chocolate from Hotel Sacher is fabulous! My husband ordered it when we were in Salzburg last month and it was delicious. I purchased the powder from the gift shop but somehow its just not the same.

Tracy

Yes, I have tried the Sacher torte and i think its not worth the try, it tastes more like mermelade than chocolate, and personally I would rather take an apple struddel.

Back from a cruise and my one dessert indulgence: Sacher torte. This cake was probably the best I've ever eaten, but it was more of an "interpretation" of the Sacher torte than the real thing. It was fantastically delicious, and very, very moist, as the torte layers were soaked through with apricot liqueur. The apricot layer was very thin and tart, like spiked marmelade, and alternated with the torte layers and with a lighter chocolate mousse. The dark chocolate icing was like a ribbon of boiled icing, of the same dark, shiny consistency but melting into a delicious mouthful of heavenly chocolate-y

All right. I'll stop now.

I think Sacher torte is a bit like tollhouse cookies or apple pie..can be quite a different dish depending who makes it. Years ago I was in Vienna as a student. I ordered Sacher torte at a neighborhood resraurant and had a very dry sort of chocolate cake with a vile apricot jelly in the middle. I then saved my food allowence for a week and went to the Sacher Hotel for Sachertorte and a coffee in a fin de siecle tearoom..what a difference. I still drool with the retelling.

It was fantastically delicious, and very, very moist, as the torte layers were soaked through with apricot liqueur. The apricot layer was very thin and tart, like spiked marmelade, and alternated with the torte layers and with a lighter chocolate mousse. The dark chocolate icing was like a ribbon of boiled icing, of the same dark, shiny consistency but melting into a delicious mouthful of heavenly chocolate-y

I just love that kind of sweet talk. Good lord, that makes me so darn hungry.

If you all ever find yourselves in New York City visit the Neue Gallery at 86th and 5th Avenue. Wonderful Viennese Style cafe! No sacher tort that I recall but a wonderful tort with wild strawberries, whipped cream, etc. etc. I'm hungry!

Topping for begee, who asked about favorite Vienna pastries

I had Sacher torte at the Hotel Sacher in Vienna and felt that it was definitely overrated. I truly have had much better Sacher torte from my local Safeway store. However, the coffee was truly exceptional--possibly the best cup of coffee I've ever had--and I'm a coffee snob, so I've had some good stuff.

50-cent Hostess Cupcake "Ding Dongs" are 66% better than any Hotel Sacher tort-ure...er...torte.

Stu T.

I went to Hotel Sacher in September 2006 and ordered the obligatory Sacher Torte, expecting that it would be as impressive as its positively delirious reputation. What I was served just plain stupefied me. It looked as advertised, chocolate medallion and all. But the taste and texture were just really bad. The power of the pastry’s reputation is so great that I kept the revulsion from my face and stomached nearly a third or “it” before I quietly intimated to my brother that the magic torte might have issues. He gravely confirmed that something unspeakable and horrible was afoot. The substantial cost of the pastry and the need to avoid looking silly drove us through the chore of clearing the plate, but it was really awful. It was very dry. The texture was not dense but kind of like light fiberboard, minutely particulate and sedimentary, yet with low mass. The flavor was not bad, restrained chocolate going to the bitter side, like an unsweetened snack brownie, but with a pleasant apricot upgrade that distinguished it a bit, but was not the least bit remarkable. Overall impression: Ouch!/Yuk!/Gosh./weak.

It was so very disagreeable that my brother and I both concluded, in or disbelief, that the grinning waiter must covertly serve the day-olds (week-olds?) to the more uncouth-looking Americans (that is, to us). Indeed, for all I know, this may be what happened. More to the point, I hope it is what happened. Why? Because the alternative, namely, that what we ate was really supposed to be good, is just too much to bear. I’m still more troubled by the dreadfulness of that ridiculous little cake than I can rationally account for. (Is the world crazy, or me?). Seeing that others have a similar account is only partly comforting. On a continent filled with delicious deserts (I had crepes at Aranyszarvas in Budapest that I would sell my family for) the mere technical edibility of the “original” Sacher Torte is a baffling and genuinely disturbing mystery to me.

My point is not “go to Vienna, but avoid the Sacher torte.” My point is “go to Vienna, try of the Sacher Torte yourself,” then tell them, tell everyone, tell them all the horrible truth! [“Soylent Green is people!”].

Thanks for the laugh jeselmira, I damn near fell out of my chair.

This thread reminds me of a famous line in a Nanni Moretti film.

"Cioé lei non ha mai assaggiato la Sacher Torte?! Va be' continuiamo così, facciamoci del male"

BTW: We later took to calling the parched dessert “the Sucker Torte.”

Here's the straight story on Sachertorte. Hotel Sacher did not win, nor did they lose the lawsuit. The judge decided they could call theirs "The Original" Sachertorte and Demels could call theirs "The Genuine" Sachertorte. No one else was allowed to use the name.

The recipe has always been secret, though Gertrude Stein, in Alice B. Toklas cookbook has a version she says she got from a former pastry chef at one of the two establishments who went to work for her.

The description here of Apricot glaze, and of two layers at the Hotel and one at Demel's is accurate. All sorts of abominations are served outside Austria usng the name, using raspberry jelly, etc.

I have had both versions several times. They are delicious with lots of heavy whipped cream (Doppelschlag) and coffee, also with Doppelschlag. You can't judge the real thing except at the Hotel and at Demel's.

I don't know why, but on some days of the week Demel's tastes better, and on other days I prefer the Hotel Sacher version. On one occasion I had a mealy version at the Hotel Sacher, but that experience was never repeated. I never had a mealy version at Demel's. The reason could be that at Demels I have had individual serving versions (mini-Sachertortes), completely sealed in chocolate, so they stay moist, while the Hotel always served me slices from a larger cake, and it may dry out from standing around or even be from the previous day--dunno.

At Demel's they are formal but nice; at the Hotel Sacher I found them not so nice.

I don't much care for the Austrians, although my Grandfather was from there--they have a snobbish respect for titles and advanced degrees. Although I benefited from being "Herr Doktor" in Vienna, I saw how they treated others and it wasn't pleasant.
Someone once said that the greatest feat of PR after World War II was by the Austrians, who tried to convince the world that Hitler was a German and Beethoven an Austrian.

We've discussed this before, ad nauseum.

DH said he preferred Hostess cupcakes.

We went to Cafe Sacher to try specifically their authentic version. It's nothing really special. Too sweet for me. Nevertheless, I recommend that you try it at least once, so that you know what it's all about.

I was introduced to Sacher Torte in NYC, where there used to be a number of excellent Austrian bakeries and patisseries. The "Eclair" on w. 72 was a favorite. Even 15 years ago it was a haunt of elderly Austrians and Germans. Their specialty for me was the mince pie made only at Thanksgiving.

But at the Sacher Hotel my friend and I were unimpressed (hardly offended) by the Sacher Torte. We thought they were intentionally trying to discourage tourists from coming to their cafe! Everywhere else in Vienna we thought the service as well as the pastry was better.

The real alternative to the torte is strudel - yum.

Yes, yes, the sacher torte from Eclair! The memory is positively Proustian.

I walked bz the Hotel Sacher on my recent extended trip to Vienna, but did not go in. I have eaten a sacher torte before and I can take it or leave it. I did eat, however, a lot of different torten while in Vienna and several pieces of apple strudel.