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Consisting of layers of chocolate sponge cake, whipped cream, and cherries soaked in kirsch brandy, the famous Black Forest cake (Schwarzwälder kirschtorte) is one of the best-known German desserts. A special type of cherry brandy from the Black Forest region, kirschwasser, is used to soak the cherries, moisten the layers of chocolate sponge cake, and flavor the whipped cream. The assembled cake is heavily decorated with the remaining whipped cream and chocolate shavings and is topped with fresh or candied cherries. Traditionally, however, the Black Forest cake may also have a base made of shortcrust pastry that acts not only as a base but also as a contrasting texture to the softness of the entire cake. Buttercream can sometimes be used instead of whipped cream or combined with it, while the sponge cake, either Génoise or Viennese sponge cake, can be baked in three or four tins or just in one and then cut up in layers. Because the cake is ... Read more
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Consisting of six layers, Heston Blumenthal’s Black Forest gateau, as featured in his In Search of Perfection series and accompanying cookbook, is an elaborate and decadent version of the well-known dessert that he served at his restaurant The Fat Duck in Bray. Multiple layers of the cake can be made even a month in advance, with only two having to be made on the day that the cake is being assembled for eating. The cooking technique requires some non-regular cooking equipment, patience, and practice. To further help replicate the ambiance of the Black Forest when serving, Heston recommends spraying some kirsch in the air with an atomizer.
PREP 50min
COOK 1h 20min
RESTING 20min
READY IN 2h 30min
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Adapted from the Schwarzwald Tourist Board website, the recipe features the original Black Forest kirsch. The cake consists of a shortcrust pastry base with two layers of chocolate sponge and a gelatin-stiffened whipped cream flavored with kirsch.
SHORTCRUST PASTRY BASE
125g (1/2 cup + 2 tbsp) sugar
250g (1 cup + 2 tbsp) butter
500g (4 cups + 1 tbsp + 1 tsp) flour
a pinch of baking powder
1 egg
salt
8g (1 1/2 tsp) vanilla sugar
lemon juice
CHOCOLATE SPONGE BASE
6 eggs
200g (1 cup) sugar
170g (1 1/2 cups) flour
30g (1/4 cup) cocoa
60g (1/4 cup) melted butter
CREAM AND DECORATION
50g (1.75 oz) redcurrant or raspberry jam
1 L (4 cups + 2 tbsp) whipped cream (sweetened with 100g/1/2 cup of sugar)
3 tabs of gelatin
250g (8.8 oz) sour cherries, pitted
100g (3.5 oz) kirsch
50g (1.75 oz) chocolate flakes
16 cherries for decoration
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F and start making the shortcrust pastry base by mixing flour and cold butter in a large bowl by hand or in a food processor until the mixture starts resembling breadcrumbs.
Add the remaining ingredients, knead the mixture well and then shape into a ball. Place the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, then take it out and leave to warm up to room temperature.
Roll out the dough and place it in a round tin (as far as size, any of the following will do: 24 cm (9.4-inch), 25 cm (9.8-inch), 26 cm (10.2-inch)), cover with baking paper, and fill with rice or dried beans. Bake for 20 minutes in a preheated oven, remove the paper with rice or beans, and continue baking for the next 20 minutes.
For the chocolate sponge, beat eggs with sugar, fold in the flour together with cocoa, then add the melted butter. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C/350°F in a buttered and floured tin for 40 minutes. Once cooled, cut crosswise in half.
To make whipped cream, combine gelatin with some water until it becomes thick. Place it on the stove, stirring until it dissolves, then remove from heat to cool. In a separate bowl, whisk cream with sugar until slightly stiff, then add in the gelatin with half of the kirsch and beat until stiff.
To assemble the cake, cover the shortcrust pastry base with jam, cream, and then cherries. Place the first layer of sponge cake on top and use the remaining kirsch to sprinkle the sponge. Layer the sponge with cream and cherries and place the second half of the sponge on top.
Coat the top and edges of the assembled cake with whipped cream, then decorate the top with swirls and mounds of whipped cream. Sprinkle with chocolate shavings and place the cherries on mounds of cream.
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