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Desserts

Linzer Torte

Linzer Torte is an Austrian cake made with almond flour, wheat flours, hazelnut flour, spices and currant jam.
Recipe Linzer Torte
  • Difficulty Easy
  • Preparation 20 minutes
  • Cooking 45 minutes
  • Servings for 8 people

For a long time, Linzer Torte was considered the oldest cake in the world, until, by pure chance, the recipe for an even older cake was discovered. One of the classic desserts of Austrian pastry making, it is usually served during the Christmas holidays, but Linz cake can easily be enjoyed all year round and is great for breakfast or an afternoon tea break.

Linzer Torte made with the original recipe is a sort of jam tart whose origins are rather varied: some credit its creation to a pastry chef named Linz, while others date it to Johann Konrad Vogel, who began making and selling this cake in the town of Linz in 1823. The dough, however, is much richer and includes almond and/or hazelnut flour and buckwheat. The Linzer tart is then filled with red currant, blueberry, raspberry or mixed berry jam. This dessert is really simple to make and lets you bring to the table a tart recipe that is a little different from the usual.

We also recommend trying the Plum Crumble Tart and the Pastry Cream and Jam Tart. And if you still have any doubts, our guide on How to Make a Perfect Tart will surely help.

Ingredients for 8 people

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Method

  1. To make the Linzer Torte, put all the types of flour in a bowl and mix them quickly with your hands.
  2. Then add the sugar, cinnamon, cloves, baking powder and grated lemon zest.
  3. Add the egg and the room-temperature butter, cut into pieces, and start kneading fairly quickly by hand. You should get a soft, smooth dough.
  4. Wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge for at least a couple of hours.
  5. After resting, roll out 3/4 of the dough to a thickness of about 1 centimeter (1/2 inch) and wide enough to line a 22-24 cm (9-inch) pan, with a couple of centimeters of dough left for the sides as well.
  6. Pour the jam into the center and level it with the back of a spoon, then fold the edges inward.
  7. With the leftover dough, make strips 1.5 cm (1/2 inch) wide and arrange them over the cake to form the classic diamond lattice of a tart.
  8. Bake at 160 °C (320 °F) for 40-45 minutes and let it cool completely before removing it from the pan and serving. Finally, remember to download our App with exclusive content and fewer ads!

Variations and Alternatives

Instead of currant jam, you can use whichever jam you prefer. We still recommend sticking to berry jams, whose flavor pairs perfectly with buckwheat and nuts.

Tips

It is very important that the Linzer Torte has cooled completely before you remove it from the pan because, unlike a classic tart, it is naturally softer.

Storage

Linzer Torte keeps under a cake dome for 3-4 days.

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