Make it with Love: Dobosh Torte

The Dobosh (or Dobos or Dobosz) Torte is sort of a holy grail for me. More elaborate than its French cousin the mille feuile, it is a 7 to 12 layer cake with loads of light chocolate buttercream and a topping rich caramel. My grandmother used to make it for special occasions. If it's on the menu in a Hungarian restaurant, I will usually order two...one to inhale and one to taste. It's impossibly decadent and it looks impossibly difficult to make...which is probably why I've never attempted one.

But two very special friends just got hitched and they are throwing a casual celebration. I offered to bring a dessert to the party, to ease the hostess's mind and the caterer's workload.

But let's be clear on one thing: Pastry is not my strong suit. I admit it. Pastry takes a more careful and scientific type of cook. I'm a "shoot-first-ask-questions-later" type of cook.

But I offered a dessert. And I don't want it to look (or taste!) like a home economics class project.

So, naturally, I decided to make a Dobosh Torte. On the eve of the party. Without a recipe. In the 95 degree heat. What could go wrong?

A lot could go wrong. I am only 3/4 of the way through the assembly and decoration, so there is still time for a royal screw up. But it won't go wrong. It's impossible. Although I already know my layers are too thick for a textbook-correct creation; although I wish I had added more of a hint of espresso flavor to the chocolate buttercream; although we've been experiencing power outages and refrigeration failures all day long, my Dobosh Torte will be perfect.

Why?

I made it with love.

My first cooking job had me cooking under a young, carefree chef named Dorothy. Dorothy had a special way about her, and of teaching others. It would go something like this:

DOROTHY: Karen, go make a tomato vinaigrette for the salad.
KAREN: I've never done a tomato vinaigrette. How do I do it?
DOROTHY: Do it with love.
KAREN: (blank stare)
DOROTHY: No, really. If you do it with love, it will always turn out, no matter what the ratios and proportions of ingredients.

In other words, Dorothy made me figure it out on my own, but I liked her hippy-trippy philosophy. Yes, I know that it's a useless ideology from a practical standpoint, but I still like it.

And that hippy-trippy philosophy has finally pushed me past the intimidation factor to try my hand at what I think is the finest pastry under the sun. I will not be starring on "Cake Boss" anytime soon, but I'll betcha my torte is going to be pretty hard to beat. Because I am truly making this one with love.

Congratulations, best wishes, and a million delicious confections to you!