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Dobosh Torte

The Swiss Colony Customer Favorites with red stars

Dobosh Torte

Layered chocolate dobosh torte with an alpine scene on the side, and a plate with a slice of the torte.

The original Swiss Colony Bakery product.

The Swiss Colonyā€™s reputation was built on selling Wisconsin cheeseā€¦but founder Ray Kubly wanted to utilize the stateā€™s other dairy productsā€”like butterā€”so in 1959 he built a bakery staffed with meister konditors (master pastry chefs) recruited from Austria. The bakeryā€™s very first product was a multi-layered cake fashioned after one from the bakersā€™ homeland: Dobosh Torte.

Chocolate, mint and triple chocolate dobosh tortes on plates, each with one slice showing the layers.

ā€œFamily Traditionā€¦I had this as a child in the ā€˜70s and have continued the tradition with my family and grandchildren.ā€
-Jane, Brooklyn, NY

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15 dreamy, creamy layers.

In 1959 our master Austrian pastry chefs developed their version of the Dobosh Torte, with a symphony of ingredients like real chocolate liqueur and sweet cream butter. Light in texture but rich in flavor, these 15 layers of moist cake and satin-smooth creme are coated in our own Swiss blend chocolate. After just one bite, youā€™ll know why the first pastry we ever made has remained a customer favorite for more than 50 years.

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The Dobosh Torte: a holiday tradition.

Chocolate, mint and triple chocolate dobosh tortes on plates, each with one slice showing the layers.
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The History of Dobosh Torte

Dobos Torte (later Americanized as Dobosh Torte) was invented by Magyar (Hungarian) pastry chef JĆ³zsef Dobos in 1884, in what was then the nation of Austria-Hungary.

Also known as ā€œdrum torteā€ (dobos means ā€œdrummerā€ in Hungarian), the original version was topped with a layer of caramel so hard it was said it could be beaten like a drum. To make slicing the torte possible, this caramel layer needed to be scored with a knife before it hardened. The Swiss Colonyā€™s chocolate Dobosh Torte is not nearly as hard to serveā€”just run a sharp knife under hot water and youā€™re good to go!

ā€œAuthentic Magyar dessert ā€¦ Delicious!ā€
-Anonymous, Orinda, CA

ā€œIā€™m from Hungary, where dobos torta was our tradition. Swiss Colonyā€™s is delicious, beautiful and always a sensation when I serve it. Outstanding ā€¦ Donā€™t ever stop offering it!ā€
-Ava, Colorado Springs, CO

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Dobosh Torte Ingredients

Dobosh Torte is comprised of layers of sponge cake alternating with layers of chocolate buttercream, then topped with melted chocolate. The sponge cake is perfected with specially handled egg yolk mixture, whipped egg whites, and a lemon juice or orange zest finish. The chocolate outside is typically covered with ground nuts, such as almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, or chestnuts, which help keep the cake from drying out.

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One of Chris Mouseā€™s favorites.

The Swiss Colony Dobosh Torte has been around nearly as long as Chris Mouse has! In this series of original art from Chris Mouse creator Helen Endres, Chris puts together a Dobosh Torte for his adoring fans.

Chris mouse spreading chocolate over dobosh torte layers of cake and filling - artwork by Helen enders.
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Flavors for every occasion.

While many families will not be without The Swiss Colonyā€™s Dobosh Torte for the holiday season, thereā€™s more than just the original versionā€¦and theyā€™re not just for Christmas. We also offer a Mint Chocolate Torte with crĆØme de menthe liqueur, and a Triple Chocolate version layered with fudge and dense chocolate cake. Weā€™ve also been known to launch seasonal flavors for spring, fall, and special occasions, so watch for them!

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