The ‘Torta Amor’ is a vibrant and delicious way to express affection through chilean gastronomy. This dessert, made with layers of thin pastry filled with dulce de leche, custard cream, and raspberry jam, is not only a feast for the palate but also an expression of love and tradition.
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How to Make Torta Amor at Home?
Creating a ‘Torta Amor’ is a creative and rewarding process. It involves preparing a layered pastry known as ‘hojarasca’ or ‘mil hojas,’ filled with rich and flavorful components. This dessert is relatively easy to make and yields spectacular results.
Nutritional Facts
Each serving of ‘Torta Amor’ contains approximately 420 kcal, 54 g of carbohydrates, 18 g of fats, 7 g of proteins, 1 g of fiber, 35 g of sugars, and 120 mg of sodium.
Chilean ‘Torta Amor’ Recipe
Preparation: 45 minutes
Cooking: 60 minutes
Servings: 10 people
Ingredients
1. Mil Hojas Pastry
- 1 kg of flour
- 100 g of butter
- 5 eggs
- 1 tablespoon of vinegar
2. Custard Cream
- 800 ml of milk
- 150 g of sugar
- 3 tablespoons of cornstarch
- 3 egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons of butter
3. Filling
- 750 g of dulce de leche
- 2 cups of whipped cream
- 1 ½ cup of raspberry jam
- Fresh raspberries
Preparation Steps
1. Mil Hojas Pastry
- In a large bowl, sift the flour, create a well in the center, and add room temperature butter, eggs, and vinegar. Knead until homogeneous and compact.
- Transfer the dough to a floured surface and divide into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a circle about 26 cm in diameter, place on a baking sheet, and prick all over with a fork.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (356°F) until lightly golden, repeating with all dough pieces.
2. Custard Cream
- In a small pot, add 600 ml of milk and the sugar. Heat over medium until boiling, then add the cornstarch dissolved in the remaining milk and the egg yolks. Stir to integrate.
- Bring to a boil again for about 10 seconds, remove from heat, add butter, stir until dissolved, and transfer to a clean bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and cool.
3. Assembly
- Layer one pastry sheet with dulce de leche, press another sheet gently on top with custard cream, then a layer of raspberry jam until all pastry sheets are used. Ideally, assemble within a mold to structure the shape.
- Chill for a few minutes, cover the entire cake with whipped cream, and decorate with fresh raspberries.
- Serve the ‘Torta Amor’ fresh in thin slices, optionally accompanied by a cup of coffee or a glass of milk. Keep refrigerated.
History of Torta Amor
In Costa Rica, the traditional mil hojas cake, the base of the ‘Torta Amor,’ is widely known as the “Chilean cake” because a Chilean immigrant began preparing and selling it so successfully that people started saying, “Have you tried the Chilean’s cake?”
Did You Know?
The cake as we know it today has its roots in the Middle Ages, as an evolution of baking and pastry techniques that came together in Europe, now present in many cultures around the world, with countless variations and flavors.
1 Comment
The Torta de amor is very dry. I had to add water to the dough to make it rollable, and then cake was very hard to cut. It needs about two days to soak in fridge, but recipe doesn’t say anything about that. Good flavour, but bad recipe. Perhaps also giving a guide to how thick the layers should be would be helpful too