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Torta Chilena Recipe

★★★★★

4.5 from 123 reviews
  • Author: Harry
  • Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes plus chilling time
  • Yield: 1 cake serving 8-10 people 1x

Description

Torta Chilena is a traditional Chilean layered cake made with tender, buttery pastry rounds and rich dulce de leche filling. The cake is assembled by layering multiple baked pastry discs with creamy dulce de leche and topped with a whipped cream and crème fraîche frosting, decorated with colorful nonpareils. This elegant dessert is perfect for special occasions and requires baking delicate thin pastry layers and careful assembly for that characteristic melt-in-the-mouth texture and sweet, creamy flavor.

Ingredients

Scale

Pastry:

  • 4 cups (480g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 3/4 teaspoons table salt
  • 14 tablespoons (198g) unsalted butter, cold; cut into 1/2″ cubes
  • 3/4 cup (170g) whole milk, cold
  • 2 large egg yolks

Filling:

  • Three 13.4-ounce cans (1,140g) dulce de leche, divided

Topping:

  • 1 cup (227g) heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup (57g) crème fraîche
  • 3 tablespoons (21g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  • Nonpareils or sprinkles, for decorating

Instructions

  1. Measure flour: Weigh 4 cups (480g) of flour or spoon into measuring cups and level off to ensure accurate measurement for dough consistency.
  2. Prepare pastry dough: In a large bowl or mixer bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Add cold butter cubes and work the mixture using fingers, pastry blender, or mixer flat beater until sandy texture forms (5-7 minutes by hand or 4-5 minutes mixer low speed).
  3. Add wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk cold milk and egg yolks until combined. Pour into flour mixture and mix gently until just combined without dry flour; avoid overmixing to keep dough tender.
  4. Divide and chill dough: Transfer dough onto floured surface, divide into eight ~110g balls. Place balls on baking sheet, cover tightly and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to overnight to rest the dough and hydrate flour.
  5. Preheat oven and prep pans: Heat oven to 350°F (175°C) with racks set in upper and lower thirds. Line two baking sheets with parchment or lightly grease.
  6. Roll out pastry rounds: Remove dough from fridge. If too firm, rest covered at room temperature 10-15 minutes. Roll each piece into 9-inch rounds on lightly floured surface, working two at a time on baking sheets, allowing slight overlap as dough shrinks upon baking.
  7. Dock pastry: Use a fork to prick holes evenly across the pastry rounds to prevent puffing in oven.
  8. Bake first batch: Bake for 20-25 minutes, rotating sheets top to bottom and front to back halfway, until light golden with slightly darker spots. Remove and cool on wire racks.
  9. Bake second batch: Roll out remaining four dough pieces, place on warm baking sheets, dock and bake similarly, then cool completely on racks.
  10. Start assembly: Spread about 1 teaspoon of dulce de leche on serving plate. Place first pastry round on top, pressing gently to adhere.
  11. Layer cake: Spread 1/2 cup (140g) dulce de leche thinly over pastry round, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Layer next pastry round on top. Repeat until all pastry and dulce de leche are used, ending with a dulce de leche layer. Handle layers carefully as pastry is delicate.
  12. Chill assembled cake: Refrigerate uncovered for up to 24 hours to allow layers to set and flavors to meld before topping.
  13. Prepare topping: Whip heavy cream, crème fraîche, and sifted confectioners’ sugar on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes until stiff peaks form.
  14. Apply topping: Spread or pipe whipped cream mixture evenly on top and sides of assembled cake as desired.
  15. Final chill: Ideally refrigerate cake uncovered at least 24 hours to enhance flavor fusion. Cake can also be served immediately if preferred.
  16. Serve: Let cake sit at room temperature uncovered for 1 hour before serving. Decorate with nonpareils or sprinkles. Slice with serrated knife, wiping blade clean between slices.
  17. Storage: Store leftovers covered in refrigerator up to 1 week.

Notes

  • Dough can be rested overnight to develop flavor and improve texture.
  • Be gentle when layering to prevent cracking due to delicate thin pastry layers.
  • Allowing the assembled cake to chill enhances melding of flavors and softens texture.
  • If dough is too hard to roll, let it warm slightly at room temperature for easier handling.
  • Use a serrated knife to slice to preserve layers and prevent crumbling.
  • Nonpareils add festive decoration but can be omitted or substituted with other sprinkles.
  • Ensure dulce de leche is at room temperature for easier spreading.
  • Prep Time: 40 minutes
  • Cook Time: 50 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Chilean

Keywords: Torta Chilena, Chilean cake, layered dulce de leche cake, Latin American desserts, pastry cake, dulce de leche dessert

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Find it online: https://dishesbyharry.com/torta-chilena-recipe/