Sachertorte

Preheat the oven to medium-high heat. Grease two round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and dust with flour, shaking off the excess.

Melt the butter in a saucepan. In a separate saucepan, melt the chocolate over a double boiler, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.

In a bowl, beat the egg yolks. Add the melted chocolate, butter, and vanilla extract, and mix until well combined.

In another bowl, beat the egg whites with the salt until stiff peaks form. Gradually add the sugar while continuing to beat. Fold one-third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, then gently fold in the remaining egg whites. Sift the flour over the mixture and, using a spatula, gently fold it in until no white streaks remain. Be careful not to overmix.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven, loosen the edges with a knife, and carefully unmold. Let the cakes cool completely.

In a saucepan over low heat, combine the baking chocolate, heavy cream, sugar, and glucose syrup. Stir constantly until the chocolate melts. Let it cook for 5 more minutes without stirring. To check if it’s ready, drop a small amount into a glass of cold water—if it forms a soft ball, it’s done.

In a bowl, lightly beat the egg and add 3 tablespoons of the chocolate mixture. Mix well, then pour it back into the saucepan. Stir vigorously and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from heat, add the vanilla extract, and let it cool.

Once the cake layers are completely cool, spread one layer with the apricot jam and place the second layer on top. Pour the glaze over the cake, smoothing it out with a spatula as evenly as possible. Let it sit until the glaze sets.

Using two metal spatulas, carefully transfer the cake to a serving platter. Chill in the refrigerator for 3 hours, then remove 30 minutes before serving.