Tortes

So long as it has icing, almost any cake can be called a torte. Typically, tortes are multilayered. Many of the best-known ones are European in origin, such as the Hungarian dobos torte and Viennese sacher torte, Among America’s most notable tortes are the burnt almond torte at Prantl’s Bakery in Pittsburgh, the Napoleon torte at the Lithuanian Bakery in Omaha, and the ultra-creamy tortes found throughout Wisconsin. The schaum torte, also a Wisconsin favorite, is in fact not technically a torte at all; it is a crisp meringue topped with custard and strawberries. Likewise, the old-time Charleston dessert called Huguenot torte does not fit the dictionary definition. It is a moist, rugged-textured cobbler made of chopped pecans and chopped apples, bound with eggs, sweetened with sugar, flavored with vanilla and spice, and served under a cloud of whipped cream.