Authentic Croatian Bajadera Torte Recipe

Croatian Bajadera Torte on a plate.

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Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 40 mins
Servings: 16 servings

I have recipes for Bajadera torte and chocolate Bajadera torte on my site but they are my interpretation of the authentic torte. Mia Dragovic from Osijek, Croatia, provided this recipe for the real thing. It is flat and resembles a real piece of Bajadera chocolate, for which the dessert is named.

This is an easy no-bake dessert that the kids can help make. It would make a terrific edible gift especially if wrapped in a pretty box.

Ingredients

  • 7 ounces butter biscuits (like Petite Beurre)
  • 1 1/2 cups walnuts (or blanched, peeled almonds)
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 4 ounces (1 stick) butter
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 3 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
  • For the Glaze:
  • 3 1/2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 3 ounces butter

Steps to Make It

  1. Place butter biscuits (like Petite Beurre) and nuts in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until finely ground. Transfer to a large bowl.

  2. In a heatproof bowl, microwave 1 1/4 cups sugar, 4 ounces butter and 1/4 cup water until dissolved. Stir completely. Add to biscuit-nut mixture and mix until well combined. Divide in half.

  3. In a heatproof bowl, melt 3 ounces chocolate and stir into half the biscuit-nut mixture.

  4. You will end up with three layers plus the glaze. Using slightly dampened fingers, spread half the plain biscuit-nut mixture in an even layer into the bottom of an 8-inch square pan.

  5. Again, using slightly dampened fingers, spread the entire chocolate biscuit-nut mixture in an even layer. I used milk chocolate because that's what I had on hand. If you use semisweet chocolate, it will be darker and the layers more distinct. Then, again working with slightly dampened fingers, spread the remaining plain biscuit-nut mixture in an even layer on top.

  6. To Make the Glaze: In a heatproof bowl, melt 3 1/2 ounces chocolate, 3 tablespoons sugar and 3 tablespoons water. Stir well and gradually add the 3 ounces of butter, stirring until completely smooth. Pour over torte and let cool. Refrigerate to make the cutting easier. This is very rich and sweet, so small rectangles or squares will do nicely. Dobar tek! (Bon a petit!)

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
389 Calories
32g Fat
25g Carbs
3g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 16
Amount per serving
Calories 389
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 32g 41%
Saturated Fat 16g 80%
Cholesterol 54mg 18%
Sodium 6mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 25g 9%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Protein 3g
Calcium 26mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)