Esterházy Torta – The Elegant Hungarian Meringue Cake 🇭🇺

Esterházy Torta – The Elegant Hungarian Meringue Cake 🇭🇺🍰

Esterházy Torta is one of Hungary’s most famous desserts, known for its delicate layers of walnut meringue and buttery vanilla-rum pastry cream, all topped with the signature white fondant and chocolate spiderweb design. This elegant cake was originally created in honor of Prince Paul III Anton Esterházy, a noble diplomat of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

If you love nutty, creamy desserts with a refined taste, this cake is a must-try!

🥜 Ingredients:

(Makes one 9-inch cake)

For the Walnut Meringue Layers:

  • 6 egg whites
  • 1 cup (200g) sugar
  • 1 ½ cups (150g) finely ground walnuts
  • ⅓ cup (40g) flour
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice (optional, helps stabilize the meringue)

For the Pastry Cream Filling:

  • 6 egg yolks
  • ¾ cup (150g) sugar
  • 1 ½ cups (360ml) milk
  • ¼ cup (30g) flour
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon rum (optional, but traditional)
  • 1 cup (225g) butter, softened

For the Classic Esterházy Glaze:

  • 1 ½ cups (200g) powdered sugar
  • 2-3 tablespoons hot water
  • ½ teaspoon lemon juice

For the Chocolate Decoration:

  • ¼ cup (50g) dark chocolate, melted

👨‍🍳 Instructions:

1️⃣ Prepare the Walnut Meringue Layers:

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Line 5 baking trays with parchment paper.
  2. In a clean bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add sugar, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form.
  3. Gently fold in the ground walnuts, flour, and vanilla extract with a spatula.
  4. Divide the batter into 5 equal portions and spread each portion into a 9-inch circle on parchment paper.
  5. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until lightly golden. Let them cool completely.
PREPARATION