July 17, 2025 • 29 mins
This chocolate layer cake with a dab of apricot jam and a chocolate coating may seem simple, but it’s caused a lot of fuss. Anney and Lauren dig into the science and slightly dramatic history of the sachertorte.
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Speaker 1 (00:08):
Hello, and welcome to Savor Protection of iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
I'm any Reo and I'm more in Vogelbaum and today
we have an episode for you about soccer.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
Tour it, yes, which I had not heard of. Okay,
I told you promised me there was legal drama and
I was in one hundred thousand percent.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Yeah, yeah, oh yeah. The history section is interesting, right.
So I chose this one because it is a dessert
that my dad, who was a chef for cook or
whatever you want to call someone who smokes too many
cigarettes outside of kitchens, used to make her special occasions
and it's really fussy. He got to really show off
(00:52):
the fact that he can in fact do pastry. And
so yeah, I have very fond memories of it, and
if a cafe in fact has a slice for sale,
I will usually purchase it.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
Oh, it seems like a lot of people have a
lot of fond memories of it.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
Strong opinion and strong opinions.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Yeah, I read a lot of strong, kind of negative
opinions about it.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Yeah, but we'll talk a little bit more about we will.
But yes, any I would say any of the past
pastry episodes we've done, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Chocolate in general, maybe uh, maca wrong and madalins have
we We've ve done madelines right, Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
Stuff like that. I think so.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
I feel like I researched the science of the bumps.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
So here we are. Yeah, yes, well, okay, that brings
us to your question.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Sure, soccer.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
What is it? Well?
Speaker 2 (02:02):
Soccer torte is a type of layer cake made usually
with two layers of chocolate sponge, with a thin spread
of apricot jam on top and or in between the layers,
and then a melted chocolate glaze in robing the cake.
The sponge is traditionally a little on the thin side,
only like an inchish tall per layer, say up to
(02:22):
like four centimeters or so, soft and slightly dry in
texture and not too sweet. You're looking to let the
chocolate and the cake shine. And it is made with
melted chocolate folded into the batter, not with cocoa. The
apricot jam adds some sweetness and brightness, and the glaze
adds some moisture, and just like a real depth of chocolate.
(02:45):
This is an intense and bitter sweet cake that's like
fairly simple on the edge of it, but kind of
finicky to make, and so well balanced in terms of
flavor and texture. When it's done right, it's served as
a snack or a dessert, often with a dollup of
whipped cream and a cup of coffee. As far as
(03:05):
decadent desserts go, it feels sort of like stern and
and proper eating. Eating a slice feels like like when
you put on formal wear and it's maybe a little
old fashioned and stiff, but you just feel that it's good,
like from your from your skin to your bones.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
Mm hmm. I uh, I used to love. I still
love my dad's old jackets game to me. Oh other
you know, old fashioned jackets, but one you know that
feeling when you reach in the pocket you find twenty dollars. Yeah,
like you look cool. Yeah, old fashion jacket.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Uh huh.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
That's the vibe you're given to me right here, Lauren.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, okay.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
So you you obtain the specific texture of a soccer
toort without the use of chemical leveners, but rather the
old fashioned way with some elbow grease. The batter involves
creaming butter and sugar together until fluffy and light in color.
You're working air into the mix. You then add your
egg yolks and melted chocolate to this. Then separately you
(04:20):
whip the egg whites until they're fluffy, gently fold them in,
and then fold in the flour. And all of this
provides like a soft structure to the cake. You're going
for tender, not springy or chewy. And that method is
a method different pastry humans have variations on it. As always,
(04:41):
I cannot tell you what to do, no, nope, nope, nope.
The bit of whip cream on the side is important,
and you are advised by professionals to dip each bite
of cake into the whipped cream. This can help with
the Yeah, just with with texture a little bit. There
(05:02):
are iterations with different seasonings added, like a vanilla or cinnamon,
maybe some almond flour or hazelnut flour added to the
wheat flour, or other additions like a layer of marzapan
or some rum syrup or kerse syrup poured over the layers.
Different kinds of chocolate in the mix, different numbers of layers.
I've seen the glaze as just chocolate plus sugar or
(05:25):
chocolate plus butter. Personally, I like a chocolate ganache, which
is chocolate plus cream. But yeah, you do you. There
are two particularly famous cafes that produce soccer torten in Vienna,
which is where this pastry is from, Hotel Soccer and Dmel,
but you can find them basically anywhere else in the city.
(05:48):
Cafe culture in Vienna is a serious thing. In fact,
it is inscribed in the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural
Heritage as of twenty eleven. And yeah, some people do
find the cake a little bit dry or plain. Hotel
Soccer addresses this on their website. I quote. There will
(06:09):
always be critics, of course, and some found the original
soccer tourte rather plain. After all, more lavish creations existed.
The simple truth, however, is that simplicity is the heart
of greatness in our modern world. Compared to other cultural classics,
it has more of an affinity to Bauhaus than to Brooke,
which is the nerdiest sentence about a cake.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
That's fantastic and I love. They put it on their website.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
Yes, they're like, look, it's like.
Speaker 1 (06:43):
Fa you, I've found your cake a little dry.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
Look y'all, haters, how about you get some class.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
It's fantastic? Well, what about the nutrition treats? A nice treating?
Nice treats are nice. Well, we do have some numbers
for you.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
We do, okay, So December fifth is Soccer Tourte Day.
I'm not sure where I read National Soccer tourt Day,
but on a number of different websites from different places.
Maybe it's an International Soccer tourt Day. Maybe it can
be soccer tot day every day. It's up to it's
up to you. The world record for the largest soccer
(07:32):
torte was achieved in Slovenia for their Vienna Festival sometime
after nineteen ninety eight. I believe by the folks from
Hotel Soccer. If so, they did beat their previous record
and this bigger cake was three and a half meters
in diameter. That's that's about eleven and a half feet.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
Oh my goodness.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Yeah yeah. I will also say that one of the
former owners of the hotel had a fifteen layer soccer
tourt made for his first wedding in the nineteen seventies.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
Who oh my.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
Seems structurally unsound to me, but I'm sure that they
pulled it off.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
Dresses me out a little bit just hearing about it,
but well, I bet it was lovely.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
Around the mid twenty teens, Hotel Soccer was producing about
three hundred and sixty thousand soccer tourton a year for
visitors and or for shipping around the world.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
Both.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
Yeah. The employee about three hundred and sixty people, with
around fifty devoted just to soccer Tourton. Apparently one assistant
in the kitchen has the job of just cracking eggs
and they do about seven thousand, five hundred a day,
which sounds like some kitchen hazing to me snalling.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
Oh oh no.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
I hope, I hope they spread that out, especially because
during the winter holiday season that increases up to twenty
one thousand eggs per day. Nope, nope, you can as
of this current moment, purchase one online from Hotel Soccer
(09:29):
for eighty four euros including tax and shipping. That's for
a nine slice cake. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
Arrival Pastry Cafe de Mel was making about sixty eight
thousand cakes and employed around one hundred people at the
same time in like the mid twenty teens.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
Yes, and they've got quite the rivalry they do. Oh
my goodness.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
And we are going to get into that as soon
as we get back from a quick break. For a
word from our sponsors.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
And we're back.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
Thank you sponsor, Yes, thank you.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
Okay. So the origin story of soccer tourte sounds very
similar to those of other pastries like this that we've
told in previous episodes. So here's the popular told legend.
In eighteen thirty two in Vienna, Prince Cimonte Vincel von
Metternique of Austria was hosting some guest that he wanted
(10:40):
to impress. To that end, he was really pushing for
this excellent dessert to end the meal. Allegedly, he said
he hoped the dessert would not disgrace him. In some
retellings of the story, the prince demanded that the kitchen
staff create a brand new cake, and in some versions
of the story this was not unusual for him. He
(11:01):
was always like make something new. Unfortunately, the court's chef
was ill, so the task fell to his apprentice. Sixteen
year old Franz Soccer Soccer rose to the task and,
with the ingredients available to him, created soccer Retort. It
was such a hit that it soon spread outside of
the court and throughout Vienna, and the success allowed Franz
(11:24):
to run a handful of restaurants and cafes or did it.
According to an Austrian article I found in Google translated caveat.
While people liked the dessert, it didn't really take off
at first. Instead, Franz opened to delicatessen and wine shop
in Vienna in eighteen forty eight, where he sold what
(11:45):
he called Franz Soccer's chocolate cake. It became really popular
for the locals and was one of his best selling items,
but it was local. It wasn't until his eldest son,
Eduard that things changed. Speaking of some give more credit
to Franz's son Edward, who refined the recipe while apprenticing
(12:07):
at a confectionery called Demel in Vienna. D Mel had
been operating since seventeen eighty six.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
It was a popular shop. It was appointed a royal
purveyor of suites early on in its existence, and also
was the sole supplier to the very fancy burg theater nearby,
and has continued to be pretty posh over a number
of like dramatic ownership changes over the years.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
In eighteen seventy six, Edward opened Hotel Soccer, and Soccer
Torte was featured on the hotel's menu. From there, the
dessert really took off in the city of Vienna, with
various restaurants and cafes coming up with their own variations.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Probably important to note here. Before the eighteen fifties, women
weren't permitted in cafes around Vienna, but as that changed, coffeehouse,
literary and political culture really started taking off.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
Yes, and according to some sources, after Edward's death, his
widow on a soccer, became manager of the hotel and
went on to really elevate it to this posh destination
that attracted celebrities and diplomats.
Speaker 2 (13:22):
She was known for being I loved reading about her.
She was known for being like a really like bold lady,
and for smoking cigars and having like a number of
French bulldogs around her at any given time.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
Yeah, she had kind of a persona legend around her.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
Yeah. Her local nickname was the Queen of Vienna.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
So Yes. In an eighteen eighty eight letter to the editor,
Edward claimed that soccer tourte were fairly common in most
major Austrian cities.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
Okay, so this was published in one of the big
local newspapers, and what had happened was on a previous
article published in this newspaper about famous Viennese cuisine, soccer
tort had not been mentioned, no, and and he was mad.
(14:14):
He was so upset. He yeah, so he wrote and
he was like, I'm sorry, this is like a really
big thing actually, and added that it was on the
Imperial Family's everyday menu and that he personally sold four
hundred a day locally and shipped.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
So yeah, sounds about right.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
Also, apparently Sick and Freud often dined at Hotel Soccer
and was particularly fond of soccer tourt.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
Okay, this brings us to the legal drama, because with
great popularity comes great legal drama. Usual, yes, and in
this case, particularly over the term original soccer tourte. Both
Dmel and Hotel Soccer claimed to have been at the
birthplace of the original soccer torte, and both wanted sole
(15:17):
use of original when it came to describing their products.
Demel claimed that Soccer honed in on the recipe while
working at their cafe. Not only that, after his father's death,
son Edward Junior, not the same one we've been talking about,
sold the recipe for soccer Tourte to DMO due to
(15:38):
financial troubles, so Demel owned the recipe, though potentially they
already had it if Edward Senior really did refine the
recipe there, Hotel Soccer claimed, Actually it was refined at
the hotel, and the hotel's namesake, Soccer was the family
that invented it. There were also disputes about proportions and methods.
(16:06):
It was this whole thing. Some publications dubbed this the
cake or and what a war it was. We're kind
of condensing this.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
It was a lot.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
It was a protracted battle. In the nineteen fifties, these
two places went to court and waged a years long
roller coaster of a legal battle that was eventually settled
out of court. In nineteen sixty three, Hotel Soccer got
to use the label original with two layers of apricot jam,
(16:41):
while d Mel was permitted to sell Edward Soccer Torts
or DMO Soccer Torts with one layer.
Speaker 2 (16:48):
Of an apricot jam. Yeah, so to this day both
shops place a little chocolate medallion atop each slice of
tort or each cake if they're selling the whole cake.
Hotel Soccers says Hotel Soccer Original, and Demel's says Eduard
Soccer torte product of Christoph Dmel's Sons, which was the
(17:11):
official official name of the cafe at the time.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
So gotta love it. In some ways, you've gotta love it.
Speaker 2 (17:19):
Oh yeah. Uh.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
And going back to kind of the stuffy response from
the website about you think it's dry, they also have
a an article you can read where they talk about
how this means that Hotel Soccer cannot change their recipe
or they lose that original. Yeah. Yes, so they were like,
(17:46):
you know, in some ways we can't innovate, but also
were the original and they really have benefited from name recognition.
Dmel isn't doing poorly by any means. Hotel Soccer really
has built a brand. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
Yeah. By the nineteen eighties they were shipping one hundred
thousand soccer tourt in a year.
Speaker 1 (18:15):
Jumping ahead a little bit, when Austria was sanctioned by
the EU in two thousand, after a far right party
joined the Austrian government, they tried to smooth things over
by sending Vienna's foreign minister to an EU summit equipped
with a huge soccer retort. I don't think this is why,
(18:37):
but the sanctions were dropped soon after that. I don't
think it was no no, but it might have helped.
Speaker 2 (18:42):
I mean, you know, yeah, Hotel Soccer started an online
shop for purchasing their cakes relatively early in the internet
shipping days in two thousand and five. Also about the
one versus two layers of apricot jam that are allowed
in the cakes as of that legal decision. This one
(19:04):
article that I read, which was originally published in twenty eighteen,
included at the top important update February twenty twenty one.
Please note that since the original publication of this article,
Damel has updated their soccer torte recipe to include a
jam layer in the middle. Emphasis theirs that was there.
(19:28):
That was the original bold face on the web page.
Speaker 1 (19:36):
I mean, huge legal news, you know.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
Yeah. To this day, Hotel Soccer keeps the recipe locked
in a safe and the few employees who know it
have to sign confidentiality agreements. They do offer an approximation
of the recipe online. So but obviously there's a few
things they keep close to the chess. I think it
might have to do with the exact types of chocolate
(20:04):
that they put in the in the cake and then
on the coating. Anyway, I think that's everything that we
really have to say about soccer tort. I do want
to include here a shout out to the Cadbury Recipe
Blog of all places, for really getting the Billy Joel
(20:25):
song Vienna stuck in my head for the past week
or so. I wasn't expecting it from Cadbury, but here
we are.
Speaker 1 (20:36):
It's amazing how often we get songs stuck in her
head from this this show. Oh yeah, well, the best
of luck, Lauren.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
Thanks. I like Billy Cholls, so it's okay.
Speaker 1 (20:55):
Yes, but even an artist you like sometimes I get
stuck in your head.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
It can be the ear where them is. Yeah, I can,
I can, you can. But oh man, if any of
y'all have if you've been to either of these cafes,
if you have made a soccer toort, if you have
strong opinions about how it's a crap cake.
Speaker 1 (21:18):
Or I mean, we didn't really get into it, but
you could get all kinds people really are innovating with it.
Speaker 2 (21:25):
No, yeah, these two cafes are sort of like they're
pretty locked in. Yeah, this is what.
Speaker 1 (21:30):
It is, but I know all kinds of things happen,
so yeah, please let us know.
Speaker 2 (21:36):
Yeah, we do already have some listener mail for you, though,
and we are going to get into that as soon
as we get back from one more quick break for
a word from our sponsors.
Speaker 1 (21:53):
And we're back. Thank you, sponsors, Yes, thank you, and
we're back with Snow George and going up, coming down.
It's this legal battle.
Speaker 2 (22:11):
Oh yeah, oh wow. Yeah yeah.
Speaker 1 (22:15):
Listen.
Speaker 2 (22:15):
That is a hammer of justice right there, if you.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
Want to look it up. Listeners, they went through this
whole back and forth for years. It's really entertaining to me.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
But yeah, the family drama behind both of those places
is also quite intense.
Speaker 1 (22:33):
So yes, it is, it is, but all right. In
the meantime, we do have some listener mail for you, yes,
starting with Jacob. Jacob wrote, so catching up on a
backlock of episodes and listening to the Doritos episode and
the discussion of a lady Dorito's being cleaner and quieter.
(22:54):
Except it isn't a thing, but if it was, I'd
like to suggest a better name. The Discreto all the
flavor blast, but just for you, if they don't know,
you don't have to share.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
Oh my gosh, the Discreto.
Speaker 1 (23:15):
Yeah yeah, I could see that. I mean, I'm both
horrified and tickled that I can see this commercial in
my head.
Speaker 2 (23:23):
Oh yeah. But also that's a great tagline like if
they don't know, you don't have to share. Uh yeah, yeah,
that's this is a perfect This is a Dorito's called
Jacob right now.
Speaker 1 (23:38):
Remember all that flak you got for lady Doritos here
was your issue? Yeah, it should have been the discreto.
Speaker 2 (23:46):
It's a slight pivot in there.
Speaker 1 (23:47):
It is exactly exactly. I love it.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
Oh no, okay. H l Eric wrote about the Sunday classic.
Enjoy revisiting a classic. Sundays are enjoyable, and I agree
that you need a sauce of some sort in addition
to another topping like nuts or something with texture. I'll
let them argue out who invented it as long as
we still get to enjoy them. I love kalamada olives
(24:18):
just as a straight up snack or when used in
different meals for snacking while pitted are easier. I think
I enjoy having them with pits as I slow down
and enjoy them more, and I think they have just
a touch more flavor. I also love seeing them used
in different ways. If you have a place that does
those small, thin wood fired pizzas, get one with some kalamada,
arugula and a bit of proscudo. I also enjoy taking
(24:40):
about a cup of them. Throw about three quarters into
a food processor. Yes, any a food processor, so you
probably won't make this with a clover two of garlic
and a little olive oil and make a sort of patae.
Chop up the other quarter along with a few cherry
peppers and mix together. Spread that on toasted baguette with
a little sharp cheese of choice, and enjoy. Mix them
(25:01):
into a pikasha before baking, along with a few on top,
chop into a salad, etc. They are just such wonderful
olives to use. I always enjoyed thinking of things they
can be put into. The Taiyaki episode just really drives
home how much I want to visit Japan and try
the different foods there. I don't know anyone around our
area making them, so the cravings are just going to
(25:21):
go unsatisfied for now. I loved hearing about the different
ways that people say to hold and eat them opinions right.
The Southern Cafeteria episode was interesting. The only one I
knew of offhand was Love's.
Speaker 1 (25:34):
Was it Luby's?
Speaker 2 (25:34):
Heck? I think it was lovees and I've only ever
been once. It was enjoyable. I like the idea of it,
and we'll have to see if I can find one
of the others the next time I head south. I
second Nova's nomination for a Stroup waffle episode. I really
enjoy them when it's colder out. Just a nice comforting
cookie to have with a cup of hot tea or cocoa.
And Janet's Lamington pizzas sounded good. I definitely want to
(25:57):
give that a taste. I love hearing about food combination
successful or not, as they tell a story.
Speaker 1 (26:06):
I do too. Oh yeah, oh yeah, what people are
getting up to?
Speaker 2 (26:11):
Right, I'm like, I wouldn't have thought to put that together.
How is it?
Speaker 1 (26:15):
Is it bad?
Speaker 2 (26:15):
That isn't making me want to try a less?
Speaker 1 (26:19):
I appreciate it that you went for it.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 1 (26:24):
We won't know unless we try.
Speaker 2 (26:25):
Exactly. Come on, have some adventure in your eating. Oh absolutely,
Oh this all of this, like kalamada pat sounds amazing.
Speaker 1 (26:36):
Yes, my mom always gives me all of for Christmas
and I recently unearthed them, so I've been thinking of
what I could do with some small lips. This a
lot of good ideas right here. Oh yeah, oh yeah, yeah,
you're right. If the food processor has to come out,
(26:57):
that's all. I might do it, but probably not, but
I might sometimes I get a wild air the immersion blender.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
Man, they make things so easy. Do you find that
they don't make things easy? Is it the fact that
you have to get it out?
Speaker 1 (27:19):
I have to get it out and I have to
clean it. I don't like.
Speaker 2 (27:22):
That, Oh, I see you.
Speaker 1 (27:24):
Yeah. Well, but also I have a small space. Everybody
like the act of getting something out.
Speaker 2 (27:31):
Oh yeah, And I'm sure because yeah, I'm sure that
all your cabinets are stuffed to the gills with all
of your appliances and whatever, and so I'm sure that glasses.
I'm sure that there's like layers of retrieving something from
the cabinets, yes, and then returning it to the cabinet afterwards. Yeah,
because because Annie's the kitchen is is quite compact.
Speaker 1 (27:55):
Fact. Yes, yes, when I have to get out like
the blender, I just leave it. I leave everything out
on the floor.
Speaker 2 (28:05):
Until you need to it.
Speaker 1 (28:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (28:07):
Yeah, so that's legit.
Speaker 1 (28:10):
Yeah, but all of this sounds great. Uh, And I
do love I do love all and yes, I hope
that you can get taiyaki someday.
Speaker 2 (28:22):
Yeah. Yeah, even even if you just find like one
of the frozen kinds and just like make it in
your toaster, oven or something, it's still delightful. And although, yeah,
let's all let's all visit Japan sounds great, let's go.
Speaker 1 (28:36):
Such good Japan? Yes, yes, yes, all right, well before
we do that, thanks to both of these listeners for
writing it. If you would like to write to as
you can, Our email is hello at savorpod dot com.
Speaker 2 (28:50):
We're also on social media. You can find us on
Instagram and Blue Sky. Yes at savor pod. Sorry, I'm
still getting used to saying those, and we do hope
to hear from you. A savor is a production of
iHeart Radio. For more podcasts from my heart Radio, you
can visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you
listen to your favorite shows. Thanks as always to our
(29:12):
super producers Dylan Fagan and Andrew Howard. Thanks to you
for listening, Thanks to the Thunder for really emphasizing the
iHeartRadio portion of that of that spiel, and we hope
that lots of more good things are coming your way.
Hello, and welcome to Savor Protection of iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
I'm any Reo and I'm more in Vogelbaum and today
we have an episode for you about soccer.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
Tour it, yes, which I had not heard of. Okay,
I told you promised me there was legal drama and
I was in one hundred thousand percent.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Yeah, yeah, oh yeah. The history section is interesting, right.
So I chose this one because it is a dessert
that my dad, who was a chef for cook or
whatever you want to call someone who smokes too many
cigarettes outside of kitchens, used to make her special occasions
and it's really fussy. He got to really show off
(00:52):
the fact that he can in fact do pastry. And
so yeah, I have very fond memories of it, and
if a cafe in fact has a slice for sale,
I will usually purchase it.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
Oh, it seems like a lot of people have a
lot of fond memories of it.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
Strong opinion and strong opinions.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Yeah, I read a lot of strong, kind of negative
opinions about it.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Yeah, but we'll talk a little bit more about we will.
But yes, any I would say any of the past
pastry episodes we've done, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Chocolate in general, maybe uh, maca wrong and madalins have
we We've ve done madelines right, Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
Stuff like that. I think so.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
I feel like I researched the science of the bumps.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
So here we are. Yeah, yes, well, okay, that brings
us to your question.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Sure, soccer.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
What is it? Well?
Speaker 2 (02:02):
Soccer torte is a type of layer cake made usually
with two layers of chocolate sponge, with a thin spread
of apricot jam on top and or in between the layers,
and then a melted chocolate glaze in robing the cake.
The sponge is traditionally a little on the thin side,
only like an inchish tall per layer, say up to
(02:22):
like four centimeters or so, soft and slightly dry in
texture and not too sweet. You're looking to let the
chocolate and the cake shine. And it is made with
melted chocolate folded into the batter, not with cocoa. The
apricot jam adds some sweetness and brightness, and the glaze
adds some moisture, and just like a real depth of chocolate.
(02:45):
This is an intense and bitter sweet cake that's like
fairly simple on the edge of it, but kind of
finicky to make, and so well balanced in terms of
flavor and texture. When it's done right, it's served as
a snack or a dessert, often with a dollup of
whipped cream and a cup of coffee. As far as
(03:05):
decadent desserts go, it feels sort of like stern and
and proper eating. Eating a slice feels like like when
you put on formal wear and it's maybe a little
old fashioned and stiff, but you just feel that it's good,
like from your from your skin to your bones.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
Mm hmm. I uh, I used to love. I still
love my dad's old jackets game to me. Oh other
you know, old fashioned jackets, but one you know that
feeling when you reach in the pocket you find twenty dollars. Yeah,
like you look cool. Yeah, old fashion jacket.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Uh huh.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
That's the vibe you're given to me right here, Lauren.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, okay.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
So you you obtain the specific texture of a soccer
toort without the use of chemical leveners, but rather the
old fashioned way with some elbow grease. The batter involves
creaming butter and sugar together until fluffy and light in color.
You're working air into the mix. You then add your
egg yolks and melted chocolate to this. Then separately you
(04:20):
whip the egg whites until they're fluffy, gently fold them in,
and then fold in the flour. And all of this
provides like a soft structure to the cake. You're going
for tender, not springy or chewy. And that method is
a method different pastry humans have variations on it. As always,
(04:41):
I cannot tell you what to do, no, nope, nope, nope.
The bit of whip cream on the side is important,
and you are advised by professionals to dip each bite
of cake into the whipped cream. This can help with
the Yeah, just with with texture a little bit. There
(05:02):
are iterations with different seasonings added, like a vanilla or cinnamon,
maybe some almond flour or hazelnut flour added to the
wheat flour, or other additions like a layer of marzapan
or some rum syrup or kerse syrup poured over the layers.
Different kinds of chocolate in the mix, different numbers of layers.
I've seen the glaze as just chocolate plus sugar or
(05:25):
chocolate plus butter. Personally, I like a chocolate ganache, which
is chocolate plus cream. But yeah, you do you. There
are two particularly famous cafes that produce soccer torten in Vienna,
which is where this pastry is from, Hotel Soccer and Dmel,
but you can find them basically anywhere else in the city.
(05:48):
Cafe culture in Vienna is a serious thing. In fact,
it is inscribed in the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural
Heritage as of twenty eleven. And yeah, some people do
find the cake a little bit dry or plain. Hotel
Soccer addresses this on their website. I quote. There will
(06:09):
always be critics, of course, and some found the original
soccer tourte rather plain. After all, more lavish creations existed.
The simple truth, however, is that simplicity is the heart
of greatness in our modern world. Compared to other cultural classics,
it has more of an affinity to Bauhaus than to Brooke,
which is the nerdiest sentence about a cake.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
That's fantastic and I love. They put it on their website.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
Yes, they're like, look, it's like.
Speaker 1 (06:43):
Fa you, I've found your cake a little dry.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
Look y'all, haters, how about you get some class.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
It's fantastic? Well, what about the nutrition treats? A nice treating?
Nice treats are nice. Well, we do have some numbers
for you.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
We do, okay, So December fifth is Soccer Tourte Day.
I'm not sure where I read National Soccer tourt Day,
but on a number of different websites from different places.
Maybe it's an International Soccer tourt Day. Maybe it can
be soccer tot day every day. It's up to it's
up to you. The world record for the largest soccer
(07:32):
torte was achieved in Slovenia for their Vienna Festival sometime
after nineteen ninety eight. I believe by the folks from
Hotel Soccer. If so, they did beat their previous record
and this bigger cake was three and a half meters
in diameter. That's that's about eleven and a half feet.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
Oh my goodness.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Yeah yeah. I will also say that one of the
former owners of the hotel had a fifteen layer soccer
tourt made for his first wedding in the nineteen seventies.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
Who oh my.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
Seems structurally unsound to me, but I'm sure that they
pulled it off.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
Dresses me out a little bit just hearing about it,
but well, I bet it was lovely.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
Around the mid twenty teens, Hotel Soccer was producing about
three hundred and sixty thousand soccer tourton a year for
visitors and or for shipping around the world.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
Both.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
Yeah. The employee about three hundred and sixty people, with
around fifty devoted just to soccer Tourton. Apparently one assistant
in the kitchen has the job of just cracking eggs
and they do about seven thousand, five hundred a day,
which sounds like some kitchen hazing to me snalling.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
Oh oh no.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
I hope, I hope they spread that out, especially because
during the winter holiday season that increases up to twenty
one thousand eggs per day. Nope, nope, you can as
of this current moment, purchase one online from Hotel Soccer
(09:29):
for eighty four euros including tax and shipping. That's for
a nine slice cake. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
Arrival Pastry Cafe de Mel was making about sixty eight
thousand cakes and employed around one hundred people at the
same time in like the mid twenty teens.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
Yes, and they've got quite the rivalry they do. Oh
my goodness.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
And we are going to get into that as soon
as we get back from a quick break. For a
word from our sponsors.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
And we're back.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
Thank you sponsor, Yes, thank you.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
Okay. So the origin story of soccer tourte sounds very
similar to those of other pastries like this that we've
told in previous episodes. So here's the popular told legend.
In eighteen thirty two in Vienna, Prince Cimonte Vincel von
Metternique of Austria was hosting some guest that he wanted
(10:40):
to impress. To that end, he was really pushing for
this excellent dessert to end the meal. Allegedly, he said
he hoped the dessert would not disgrace him. In some
retellings of the story, the prince demanded that the kitchen
staff create a brand new cake, and in some versions
of the story this was not unusual for him. He
(11:01):
was always like make something new. Unfortunately, the court's chef
was ill, so the task fell to his apprentice. Sixteen
year old Franz Soccer Soccer rose to the task and,
with the ingredients available to him, created soccer Retort. It
was such a hit that it soon spread outside of
the court and throughout Vienna, and the success allowed Franz
(11:24):
to run a handful of restaurants and cafes or did it.
According to an Austrian article I found in Google translated caveat.
While people liked the dessert, it didn't really take off
at first. Instead, Franz opened to delicatessen and wine shop
in Vienna in eighteen forty eight, where he sold what
(11:45):
he called Franz Soccer's chocolate cake. It became really popular
for the locals and was one of his best selling items,
but it was local. It wasn't until his eldest son,
Eduard that things changed. Speaking of some give more credit
to Franz's son Edward, who refined the recipe while apprenticing
(12:07):
at a confectionery called Demel in Vienna. D Mel had
been operating since seventeen eighty six.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
It was a popular shop. It was appointed a royal
purveyor of suites early on in its existence, and also
was the sole supplier to the very fancy burg theater nearby,
and has continued to be pretty posh over a number
of like dramatic ownership changes over the years.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
In eighteen seventy six, Edward opened Hotel Soccer, and Soccer
Torte was featured on the hotel's menu. From there, the
dessert really took off in the city of Vienna, with
various restaurants and cafes coming up with their own variations.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Probably important to note here. Before the eighteen fifties, women
weren't permitted in cafes around Vienna, but as that changed, coffeehouse,
literary and political culture really started taking off.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
Yes, and according to some sources, after Edward's death, his
widow on a soccer, became manager of the hotel and
went on to really elevate it to this posh destination
that attracted celebrities and diplomats.
Speaker 2 (13:22):
She was known for being I loved reading about her.
She was known for being like a really like bold lady,
and for smoking cigars and having like a number of
French bulldogs around her at any given time.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
Yeah, she had kind of a persona legend around her.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
Yeah. Her local nickname was the Queen of Vienna.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
So Yes. In an eighteen eighty eight letter to the editor,
Edward claimed that soccer tourte were fairly common in most
major Austrian cities.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
Okay, so this was published in one of the big
local newspapers, and what had happened was on a previous
article published in this newspaper about famous Viennese cuisine, soccer
tort had not been mentioned, no, and and he was mad.
(14:14):
He was so upset. He yeah, so he wrote and
he was like, I'm sorry, this is like a really
big thing actually, and added that it was on the
Imperial Family's everyday menu and that he personally sold four
hundred a day locally and shipped.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
So yeah, sounds about right.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
Also, apparently Sick and Freud often dined at Hotel Soccer
and was particularly fond of soccer tourt.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
Okay, this brings us to the legal drama, because with
great popularity comes great legal drama. Usual, yes, and in
this case, particularly over the term original soccer tourte. Both
Dmel and Hotel Soccer claimed to have been at the
birthplace of the original soccer torte, and both wanted sole
(15:17):
use of original when it came to describing their products.
Demel claimed that Soccer honed in on the recipe while
working at their cafe. Not only that, after his father's death,
son Edward Junior, not the same one we've been talking about,
sold the recipe for soccer Tourte to DMO due to
(15:38):
financial troubles, so Demel owned the recipe, though potentially they
already had it if Edward Senior really did refine the
recipe there, Hotel Soccer claimed, Actually it was refined at
the hotel, and the hotel's namesake, Soccer was the family
that invented it. There were also disputes about proportions and methods.
(16:06):
It was this whole thing. Some publications dubbed this the
cake or and what a war it was. We're kind
of condensing this.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
It was a lot.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
It was a protracted battle. In the nineteen fifties, these
two places went to court and waged a years long
roller coaster of a legal battle that was eventually settled
out of court. In nineteen sixty three, Hotel Soccer got
to use the label original with two layers of apricot jam,
(16:41):
while d Mel was permitted to sell Edward Soccer Torts
or DMO Soccer Torts with one layer.
Speaker 2 (16:48):
Of an apricot jam. Yeah, so to this day both
shops place a little chocolate medallion atop each slice of
tort or each cake if they're selling the whole cake.
Hotel Soccers says Hotel Soccer Original, and Demel's says Eduard
Soccer torte product of Christoph Dmel's Sons, which was the
(17:11):
official official name of the cafe at the time.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
So gotta love it. In some ways, you've gotta love it.
Speaker 2 (17:19):
Oh yeah. Uh.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
And going back to kind of the stuffy response from
the website about you think it's dry, they also have
a an article you can read where they talk about
how this means that Hotel Soccer cannot change their recipe
or they lose that original. Yeah. Yes, so they were like,
(17:46):
you know, in some ways we can't innovate, but also
were the original and they really have benefited from name recognition.
Dmel isn't doing poorly by any means. Hotel Soccer really
has built a brand. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
Yeah. By the nineteen eighties they were shipping one hundred
thousand soccer tourt in a year.
Speaker 1 (18:15):
Jumping ahead a little bit, when Austria was sanctioned by
the EU in two thousand, after a far right party
joined the Austrian government, they tried to smooth things over
by sending Vienna's foreign minister to an EU summit equipped
with a huge soccer retort. I don't think this is why,
(18:37):
but the sanctions were dropped soon after that. I don't
think it was no no, but it might have helped.
Speaker 2 (18:42):
I mean, you know, yeah, Hotel Soccer started an online
shop for purchasing their cakes relatively early in the internet
shipping days in two thousand and five. Also about the
one versus two layers of apricot jam that are allowed
in the cakes as of that legal decision. This one
(19:04):
article that I read, which was originally published in twenty eighteen,
included at the top important update February twenty twenty one.
Please note that since the original publication of this article,
Damel has updated their soccer torte recipe to include a
jam layer in the middle. Emphasis theirs that was there.
(19:28):
That was the original bold face on the web page.
Speaker 1 (19:36):
I mean, huge legal news, you know.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
Yeah. To this day, Hotel Soccer keeps the recipe locked
in a safe and the few employees who know it
have to sign confidentiality agreements. They do offer an approximation
of the recipe online. So but obviously there's a few
things they keep close to the chess. I think it
might have to do with the exact types of chocolate
(20:04):
that they put in the in the cake and then
on the coating. Anyway, I think that's everything that we
really have to say about soccer tort. I do want
to include here a shout out to the Cadbury Recipe
Blog of all places, for really getting the Billy Joel
(20:25):
song Vienna stuck in my head for the past week
or so. I wasn't expecting it from Cadbury, but here
we are.
Speaker 1 (20:36):
It's amazing how often we get songs stuck in her
head from this this show. Oh yeah, well, the best
of luck, Lauren.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
Thanks. I like Billy Cholls, so it's okay.
Speaker 1 (20:55):
Yes, but even an artist you like sometimes I get
stuck in your head.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
It can be the ear where them is. Yeah, I can,
I can, you can. But oh man, if any of
y'all have if you've been to either of these cafes,
if you have made a soccer toort, if you have
strong opinions about how it's a crap cake.
Speaker 1 (21:18):
Or I mean, we didn't really get into it, but
you could get all kinds people really are innovating with it.
Speaker 2 (21:25):
No, yeah, these two cafes are sort of like they're
pretty locked in. Yeah, this is what.
Speaker 1 (21:30):
It is, but I know all kinds of things happen,
so yeah, please let us know.
Speaker 2 (21:36):
Yeah, we do already have some listener mail for you, though,
and we are going to get into that as soon
as we get back from one more quick break for
a word from our sponsors.
Speaker 1 (21:53):
And we're back. Thank you, sponsors, Yes, thank you, and
we're back with Snow George and going up, coming down.
It's this legal battle.
Speaker 2 (22:11):
Oh yeah, oh wow. Yeah yeah.
Speaker 1 (22:15):
Listen.
Speaker 2 (22:15):
That is a hammer of justice right there, if you.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
Want to look it up. Listeners, they went through this
whole back and forth for years. It's really entertaining to me.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
But yeah, the family drama behind both of those places
is also quite intense.
Speaker 1 (22:33):
So yes, it is, it is, but all right. In
the meantime, we do have some listener mail for you, yes,
starting with Jacob. Jacob wrote, so catching up on a
backlock of episodes and listening to the Doritos episode and
the discussion of a lady Dorito's being cleaner and quieter.
(22:54):
Except it isn't a thing, but if it was, I'd
like to suggest a better name. The Discreto all the
flavor blast, but just for you, if they don't know,
you don't have to share.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
Oh my gosh, the Discreto.
Speaker 1 (23:15):
Yeah yeah, I could see that. I mean, I'm both
horrified and tickled that I can see this commercial in
my head.
Speaker 2 (23:23):
Oh yeah. But also that's a great tagline like if
they don't know, you don't have to share. Uh yeah, yeah,
that's this is a perfect This is a Dorito's called
Jacob right now.
Speaker 1 (23:38):
Remember all that flak you got for lady Doritos here
was your issue? Yeah, it should have been the discreto.
Speaker 2 (23:46):
It's a slight pivot in there.
Speaker 1 (23:47):
It is exactly exactly. I love it.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
Oh no, okay. H l Eric wrote about the Sunday classic.
Enjoy revisiting a classic. Sundays are enjoyable, and I agree
that you need a sauce of some sort in addition
to another topping like nuts or something with texture. I'll
let them argue out who invented it as long as
we still get to enjoy them. I love kalamada olives
(24:18):
just as a straight up snack or when used in
different meals for snacking while pitted are easier. I think
I enjoy having them with pits as I slow down
and enjoy them more, and I think they have just
a touch more flavor. I also love seeing them used
in different ways. If you have a place that does
those small, thin wood fired pizzas, get one with some kalamada,
arugula and a bit of proscudo. I also enjoy taking
(24:40):
about a cup of them. Throw about three quarters into
a food processor. Yes, any a food processor, so you
probably won't make this with a clover two of garlic
and a little olive oil and make a sort of patae.
Chop up the other quarter along with a few cherry
peppers and mix together. Spread that on toasted baguette with
a little sharp cheese of choice, and enjoy. Mix them
(25:01):
into a pikasha before baking, along with a few on top,
chop into a salad, etc. They are just such wonderful
olives to use. I always enjoyed thinking of things they
can be put into. The Taiyaki episode just really drives
home how much I want to visit Japan and try
the different foods there. I don't know anyone around our
area making them, so the cravings are just going to
(25:21):
go unsatisfied for now. I loved hearing about the different
ways that people say to hold and eat them opinions right.
The Southern Cafeteria episode was interesting. The only one I
knew of offhand was Love's.
Speaker 1 (25:34):
Was it Luby's?
Speaker 2 (25:34):
Heck? I think it was lovees and I've only ever
been once. It was enjoyable. I like the idea of it,
and we'll have to see if I can find one
of the others the next time I head south. I
second Nova's nomination for a Stroup waffle episode. I really
enjoy them when it's colder out. Just a nice comforting
cookie to have with a cup of hot tea or cocoa.
And Janet's Lamington pizzas sounded good. I definitely want to
(25:57):
give that a taste. I love hearing about food combination
successful or not, as they tell a story.
Speaker 1 (26:06):
I do too. Oh yeah, oh yeah, what people are
getting up to?
Speaker 2 (26:11):
Right, I'm like, I wouldn't have thought to put that together.
How is it?
Speaker 1 (26:15):
Is it bad?
Speaker 2 (26:15):
That isn't making me want to try a less?
Speaker 1 (26:19):
I appreciate it that you went for it.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 1 (26:24):
We won't know unless we try.
Speaker 2 (26:25):
Exactly. Come on, have some adventure in your eating. Oh absolutely,
Oh this all of this, like kalamada pat sounds amazing.
Speaker 1 (26:36):
Yes, my mom always gives me all of for Christmas
and I recently unearthed them, so I've been thinking of
what I could do with some small lips. This a
lot of good ideas right here. Oh yeah, oh yeah, yeah,
you're right. If the food processor has to come out,
(26:57):
that's all. I might do it, but probably not, but
I might sometimes I get a wild air the immersion blender.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
Man, they make things so easy. Do you find that
they don't make things easy? Is it the fact that
you have to get it out?
Speaker 1 (27:19):
I have to get it out and I have to
clean it. I don't like.
Speaker 2 (27:22):
That, Oh, I see you.
Speaker 1 (27:24):
Yeah. Well, but also I have a small space. Everybody
like the act of getting something out.
Speaker 2 (27:31):
Oh yeah, And I'm sure because yeah, I'm sure that
all your cabinets are stuffed to the gills with all
of your appliances and whatever, and so I'm sure that glasses.
I'm sure that there's like layers of retrieving something from
the cabinets, yes, and then returning it to the cabinet afterwards. Yeah,
because because Annie's the kitchen is is quite compact.
Speaker 1 (27:55):
Fact. Yes, yes, when I have to get out like
the blender, I just leave it. I leave everything out
on the floor.
Speaker 2 (28:05):
Until you need to it.
Speaker 1 (28:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (28:07):
Yeah, so that's legit.
Speaker 1 (28:10):
Yeah, but all of this sounds great. Uh, And I
do love I do love all and yes, I hope
that you can get taiyaki someday.
Speaker 2 (28:22):
Yeah. Yeah, even even if you just find like one
of the frozen kinds and just like make it in
your toaster, oven or something, it's still delightful. And although, yeah,
let's all let's all visit Japan sounds great, let's go.
Speaker 1 (28:36):
Such good Japan? Yes, yes, yes, all right, well before
we do that, thanks to both of these listeners for
writing it. If you would like to write to as
you can, Our email is hello at savorpod dot com.
Speaker 2 (28:50):
We're also on social media. You can find us on
Instagram and Blue Sky. Yes at savor pod. Sorry, I'm
still getting used to saying those, and we do hope
to hear from you. A savor is a production of
iHeart Radio. For more podcasts from my heart Radio, you
can visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you
listen to your favorite shows. Thanks as always to our
(29:12):
super producers Dylan Fagan and Andrew Howard. Thanks to you
for listening, Thanks to the Thunder for really emphasizing the
iHeartRadio portion of that of that spiel, and we hope
that lots of more good things are coming your way.
Savor News
Hosts And Creators
Anney Reese
Lauren Vogelbaum
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