We must complete recipe testing for the new edition of On Baking, by mid-month; there are three recipes to go. Rachel dug out the pins and pans the other day and got to work on a Linzer Torte. According to food history sources, this is the oldest known cake recipe extant, with a recipe dating back to 1653. (”Torte” is the German word for “cake”, but you’ll usually find it in the pie and pastry section of modern cookbooks.) The recipe has changed somewhat over the centuries, but still contains the flour, finely ground nuts, sugar, and fruit jam of the original, and is presented with a lattice of pastry strips over the top. It’s impressive to look at, but the ingredients are few and the prep is easy. It’s true that the classics never go out of style, even in kitchen.

Rachel was surprised at how easy the dough is to work with; it’s more like a cookie dough than a pie crust. She rolled it out with a pin as directed, but I usually press the dough into the tart pan with my fingers — it’s that malleable. The pin is necessary for producing even lattice strips, though. (You can pipe the lattice onto the torte using a pastry bag, but who wants to clean a pastry bag?) If you don’t have a tart tin with a removable bottom, it’s worth the investment of a few bucks even if you’re only going to use it for this tart.

[Recipe follows] (more…)