As part of his chef spotlight Selleri has shared his recipe for Chocolate Sachertorte – one of his favourite cakes to bake. It features two amazing chocolates from Valrhona (Guanaja 70% and Equatoriale noir 55%) and it’s a recipe that can be easily replicated at home during this lockdown.

Selleri has worked on a much lighter texture by removing all the butter (traditionally a Sacher sponge is butter-based) and with less refined sugars. The result is an extremely light cake, well rounded and balanced in its nutritional values.

 Guanaja 70% chocolate sponge

• 250 gr. Whole eggs
• 70 gr. Inverted sugar
• 100 gr. Sugar
• 100 gr. Ground almonds
• 67 gr. Flour T55
• 20 gr. Cocoa powder
• 6 gr. Baking powder
• 75 gr. Water
• 100 gr. Sunflower oil
• 65 gr. Guanaja 70%

In a Kitchen Aid, whip eggs and inverted sugar. Add caster sugar little by little once the mix is enough aerated. Melt chocolate and set aside. Warm up to 40°C water and oil. Create a ganache by pouring the water and oil onto the chocolate little by little and emulsify well.

Combine the dry ingredients and sift them into the egg mixture, folding gently. Finish the mix by folding the chocolate emulsion, ensuring isn’t too hot. Bake the mix into a frame at 170°C for 30-35 minutes.

Check with probe, must be over 92°C at core. Once cooked, chill completely before demoulding.

Apricot and vanilla jam

• 525 gr. Apricot puree
• 170 gr. Sugar
• 4 gr. Lime zests
• 1.5 gr. Vanilla pods
• 25 gr. Sugar
• 6 gr. Pectin NH
• 15 gr. Lemon juice

In a pan, warm up puree, first sugar, zests and vanilla. Combine second sugar with pectin and whisk it into the warm mixture. Bring to boil and cook the jam for 3 minutes, whisking constantly.

Check the texture by adding a spoonful of jam on a clean cold plate and leaving to cool it down: if it sets, the jam is ready.

Once cooked, add lemon juice, whisk well and transfer into a clean container, allowing to cool it down with cling film contact. Chill quickly and reserve.

Equatoriale 55% chocolate ganache

• 150 gr. Whipping cream
• 100 gr. Glucose syrup
• 400 gr. Equatoriale noir 55%

Bring cream and glucose to 80°C. Melt the chocolate and emulsify with a hand blender, without adding any air bubbles. Transfer into a container and leave to set in the fridge overnight. Following day, heat gently, emulsify and use at 34-36°C to glaze the cake.

For assembly:

• Once sponge is cold and set, cut it in three lengthwise.
• Spread the apricot & vanilla jam and top and sandwich together with the second layer of sponge.
• Repeat.
• Spread a thin layer of jam on the top of the last layer, line perfectly and freeze.
• Once fully cold, place the Sachertorte onto a glazing rack and bring the ganache to 36°C.
• Make sure that your glaze is nice and shiny, with no air bubbles and glaze the cake by pouring it all around and on top. Remove the excess with a spatula.
• Serve along with some vanilla chantilly, a chocolate decoration, some gold leaf and a glazed apricot.