Looking For a New Dessert? Give Schaum Torte a Try. (2024)

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our affiliate policy.

Leave a ReviewJump to Recipe

Virtually unknown outside of Wisconsin, a Schaum Torte is the German equivalent of a Pavlova. In this recipe, we make 12 miniature tortes that are delicious topped with fresh fruit, whipped cream, or ice cream.

Looking For a New Dessert? Give Schaum Torte a Try. (1)

Schaum Torte is a German meringue dessert widely known to Milwaukee residents of German descent.

Many of our grandparents, including my maternal grandma, made Schaum Torte topped with fruit and ice cream for special occasions, and the dessert is also popular at a local German restaurant.

Schaum Tortes are popular for Memorial Day celebrations when strawberries are in season. My grandma in particular loved to make Schaum Torte for bridal showers because they are such a pretty dessert. It’s also popular at Christmas.

Whether you make a full-size Schaum Torte or the miniature “cookies” version I show here, Schaum Torte is a sweet dessert worth trying!

Table of Contents

  1. Recipe ingredients
  2. Ingredient notes
  3. Step-by-step instructions
  4. Recipe tips and variations
  5. Recipe FAQs
  6. Schaum Torte Recipe

Recipe ingredients

Looking For a New Dessert? Give Schaum Torte a Try. (2)

At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.

Ingredient notes

  • Egg whites: Room temperature egg whites beat quicker and higher than cold egg whites.If you forgot to bring the eggs to room temperature early enough, place the uncracked cold eggs in a bowl of warm water for several minutes until they no longer feel chilled.
  • Cream of tartar:This baking aisle staple is an acid that plays a vital role in stabilizing the egg whites, making them billowy and light as air.

Step-by-step instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper. With a Sharpie-type permanent pen, trace six 3-inch circles on each sheet of parchment paper, and flip over in pan (marker side down).
Looking For a New Dessert? Give Schaum Torte a Try. (3)
  1. In a standing mixer with the whisk attachment, or using an electric hand mixer on medium-high, beat the egg whites, water and salt until stiff peaks form (a peak on the edge of the beater holds its shape without bending).
Looking For a New Dessert? Give Schaum Torte a Try. (4)
  1. With mixer still on medium-high, very slowly add, over the course of 2-3 minutes, 1 cup sugar, cream of tartar, and vinegar.
Looking For a New Dessert? Give Schaum Torte a Try. (5)
  1. Add the other 1 ¼ cups of sugar, again very slowly, and vanilla. Beat for 10 minutes on medium speed.
Looking For a New Dessert? Give Schaum Torte a Try. (6)
  1. To prepare the piping bag, snip a corner off a large zippered plastic bag or pastry bag. Place a large decorating tip into the corner opening (I use a Wilton 1M). Spoon half of the meringue into the bag and twist the top closed. Starting in the center of each circle and moving in a circular pattern outward, fill each circle with meringue. Continue piping around the outside edges, forming walls (I usually go around 2 or 3 more times, depending on how tall I want my tortes).
Looking For a New Dessert? Give Schaum Torte a Try. (7)
  1. Use your finger to smooth out the top where the piping tops. Repeat with remaining meringue until all 12 tortes have been formed.
Looking For a New Dessert? Give Schaum Torte a Try. (8)
  1. Place in preheated oven and bake 1 hour, then turn heat off and leave Schaum Tortes in oven for another 30 minutes. Remove and store in an airtight container.
Looking For a New Dessert? Give Schaum Torte a Try. (9)
  1. Serve with fresh berries and whipped cream and garnish with fresh mint leaves if desired.
Looking For a New Dessert? Give Schaum Torte a Try. (10)

Recipe tips and variations

  • Yield: This recipe makes twelve miniature (4-inch) Schaum Tortes. I assume one torte per person, but you could also cut each torte in half and serve ½ torte per person.
  • Storage: Store leftover Schaum Torte shells (baked and cooled) in an airtight container in a cool place out of direct sunlight for up to 2 weeks. Separate tortes between layers of parchment or wax paper if stacking them.
  • Freezer: Schaum Torte shells (baked and cooled) can be wrapped and frozen for up to 1 month.
  • To make Schaum Tortes without piping: Drop large spoonfuls of meringue onto the circles on prepared sheet pans and hollow out the centers with a teaspoon.
  • To make one full-size Schaum Torte:Follow the first 4 steps as written. Then, transfer the meringue to a 9-inch buttered spring form pan. Bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour, turn off heat, and leave shell in the oven for 1 hour more (instead of 30 minutes).
Looking For a New Dessert? Give Schaum Torte a Try. (11)

Recipe FAQs

What is the difference between a Schaum Torte and a Pavlova?

Pavlova, named after Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, is a meringue-based dessert (probably?) created inNew Zealandin 1927. While these desserts look nearly identical, Pavlova contains corn starch and Schaum Torte does not.

Do I need a pastry bag to make Schaum Tortes?

No, there is an easy workaround if you don’t have the time or energy for pastry bags. Drop large spoonfuls of meringue onto the circles on prepared sheet pans and hollow out the centers with a teaspoon.

Can I make one large Schaum Torte?

Yes, to make a single large Schaum Torte, follow the first 4 steps as written. Then, transfer the meringue to a 9-inch buttered spring form pan. Bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour, turn off heat, and leave shell in the oven for 1 hour more (instead of 30 minutes).

More German recipes

German Recipes

Rouladen

German Recipes

Spaetzle

German Recipes

Pork Schnitzel

German Recipes

Lebkuchen

Join Us

HUNGRY FOR MORE? Sign up for our weeklynewsletterand follow along onFacebook,Pinterest, andInstagram for our latest recipes! Tag all your glorious creations #culinaryhill so we can eat vicariously through you.

Schaum Torte

By Meggan Hill

Virtually unknown outside of Wisconsin, a Schaum Torte is the German equivalent of a Pavlova. In this recipe, we make 12 miniature tortes that are delicious topped with fresh fruit, whipped cream, or ice cream.

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 50 minutes mins

Servings 12 servings (torte only)

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, German

Calories 154

4.98 from 46 votes

ReviewPrint

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper. With a Sharpie-type permanent pen, trace six 3-inch circles on each sheet of parchment paper, and flip over in pan (marker side down).

  • In a standing mixer with the whisk attachment, or using an electric hand mixer on medium-high, beat the egg whites, water and salt until stiff peaks form (a peak on the edge of the beater holds its shape without bending).

  • With mixer still on medium-high, very slowly add, over the course of 2-3 minutes, 1 cup sugar, cream of tartar, and vinegar.

  • Add the other 1 ¼ cups of sugar, again very slowly, and vanilla. Beat for 10 minutes on medium speed.

  • To prepare the piping bag, snip a corner off a large zippered plastic bag or pastry bag. Place a large decorating tip into the corner opening (I use a Wilton 1M). Spoon half of the meringue into the bag and twist the top closed.

  • Starting in the center of each circle and moving in a circular pattern outward, fill each circle with meringue. Continue piping around the outside edges, forming walls (I usually go around 2 or 3 more times, depending on how tall I want my tortes). Use your finger to smooth out the top where the piping tops. Repeat with remaining meringue until all 12 tortes have been formed.

  • Place in preheated oven and bake 1 hour, then turn heat off and leave Schaum Tortes in oven for another 30 minutes. Remove and store in an airtight container. Serve with fresh berries and whipped cream and garnish with fresh mint leaves if desired.

Notes

  1. Egg whites: Room temperature egg whites beat quicker and higher than cold egg whites.If you forgot to bring the eggs to room temperature early enough, place the uncracked cold eggs in a bowl of warm water for several minutes until they no longer feel chilled.
  2. Cream of tartar:This baking aisle staple is an acid that plays a vital role in stabilizing the egg whites, making them billowy and light as air.
  3. Yield: This recipe makes twelve miniature (4-inch) Schaum Tortes. I assume one torte per person, but you could also cut each torte in half and serve ½ torte per person.
  4. Storage: Store leftover Schaum Torte shells (baked and cooled) in an airtight container in a cool place out of direct sunlight for up to 2 weeks. Separate tortes between layers of parchment or wax paper if stacking them.
  5. Freezer: Schaum Torte shells (baked and cooled) can be wrapped and frozen for up to 1 month.

Nutrition

Serving: 1torteCalories: 154kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 2gFat: 0.1gSodium: 122mgPotassium: 46mgSugar: 38gCalcium: 2mgIron: 0.04mg

Did you make this recipe?Tag @culinaryhill on Instagram so we can admire your masterpiece! #culinaryhill

Meggan Hill

Website | + posts

Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.

Looking For a New Dessert? Give Schaum Torte a Try. (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between pavlova and schaum torte? ›

Pavlova was originally created in New Zealand in the early 20th century. Like the German Schaum Torte, it features layers of meringue, whipped cream, and fruit. The biggest difference between the two desserts is that pavlova uses cornstarch in the meringue and classic Schaum Torte recipes do not.

What is Schaum? ›

noun. scum [noun] dirty foam that forms on the surface of a liquid. The pond was covered with (a) scum. foam [noun] a mass of small bubbles on the surface of liquids etc.

What makes a torte a torte? ›

A torte (/ˈtɔːrt/; from German: Torte (German pronunciation: [ˈtɔrtə]), in turn from Latin via Italian: torta) is a rich, usually multilayered, cake that is filled with whipped cream, buttercreams, mousses, jams, or fruit. Ordinarily, the cooled torte is glazed and garnished.

What are the ingredients for dessert? ›

Other common ingredients in Western-style desserts are flour or other starches, cooking fats such as butter or lard, dairy, eggs, salt, acidic ingredients such as lemon juice, and spices and other flavoring agents such as chocolate, coffee, peanut butter, fruits, and nuts.

What are the three types of torte? ›

Tort lawsuits are the biggest category of civil litigation and can encompass a wide range of personal injury cases. However, there are 3 main types: intentional torts, negligence, and strict liability.

What does a pavlova taste like? ›

Named after the famous Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, a pavlova is essentially a meringue cake made of whipped egg whites and sugar. It's perfectly light and crisp on the outside, ever so slightly chewy, and the middle tastes like a light, airy marshmallow.

Do you need to refrigerate a torte? ›

I find this cake is best served the next day as it allows the flavors to blend. It can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

How to tell if a torte is cooked? ›

The idea behind this test is you can insert a toothpick or paring knife into the center of the cake to see if the crumb has set. If the tester comes out clean, it's done. If it comes out gummy or with crumbs clinging to it, the cake needs more time in the oven.

Why is Sacher torte famous? ›

The world's most famous cake, the Original Sacher-Torte, is the consequence of several lucky twists of fate. The first was in 1832, when the Austrian State Chancellor, Prince Klemens Wenzel von Metternich, tasked his kitchen staff with concocting an extraordinary dessert to impress his special guests.

What is the most common dessert in the world? ›

  • Mar 31, 2023, 08:13 PM IST. 10 Most Popular Desserts in the World. ...
  • Apple Pie. This traditional American dessert is popular due to its flaky crust and sweet apple filling. ...
  • Tiramisu. ...
  • Baklava. ...
  • Crème Brûlée. ...
  • Panna Cotta. ...
  • Cheesecake. ...
  • Mochi.
Mar 31, 2023

What is the simplest dessert? ›

The simplest dessert and one of the best are fruits because they are nutritious, appetizing, and easy to prepare and serve. Baked and soft custards vary in so many ways. Creamy, delicate, baked custards may be served in their baking cups or may be unmolded and served with fruit garnishes or with dessert sauces.

What is the most popular dessert in Europe? ›

Vanilla custard tarts from Portugal, crème brûlée from France, Baklava from Turkey, Victoria Sponge from England, and Tiramisu from Italy are some of the most well-known desserts from Europe.

Is pavlova and meringue the same thing? ›

What's the Difference Between Pavlova and Meringue? Pavlovas and meringues are both made of whipped egg white, but a Pavlova has a delicate crispy exterior with pillowy soft marshmallow inside, while meringue is dry and crisp all the way through.

What is the difference between kuchen and torte in German? ›

However, the word "cake" covers both Kuchen and Torte, sometimes confused with one another, the key difference being that a Torte is a Kuchen that is decorated or layered with cream, frosting, ganache, or fruit based filling after baking. A Kuchen is typically less decorative or fancy in nature.

How do you pronounce schaum torte? ›

Schaum (pronounced sh-ah-m) tortes are the German equivalent to a pavlova or British Meringue (aka Eton's Mess). While the pavlova is a little larger of a torte and usually looks like a cake, Eton's Mess is crumbled up and mixed in with fruit.

What is the difference between a torte and a sponge cake? ›

Ingredients Difference – A traditional cake is made with ingredients mainly consisting of sugar, eggs, butter and flour. A torte, however, calls for little to no flour and the use of ground nuts or breadcrumbs in its place. This change of ingredients causes the torte to be much heavier in both texture and taste.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Jerrold Considine

Last Updated:

Views: 5752

Rating: 4.8 / 5 (78 voted)

Reviews: 93% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Jerrold Considine

Birthday: 1993-11-03

Address: Suite 447 3463 Marybelle Circles, New Marlin, AL 20765

Phone: +5816749283868

Job: Sales Executive

Hobby: Air sports, Sand art, Electronics, LARPing, Baseball, Book restoration, Puzzles

Introduction: My name is Jerrold Considine, I am a combative, cheerful, encouraging, happy, enthusiastic, funny, kind person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.