Black Forest Cake

Black Forest gateau, Black Forest cake or Black Forest cherry torte is accurately a Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte. The combination of cooked cherries, cream and Kirsch is recognized in the Black Forest as dessert. The Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte was first mentioned in writing in "250 Konditorei - Spezialitäten und wie sie entstehen" - J.M. Erich Weber, Dresden 1934 and in 1949 it took 13th place in the list of best known German cakes. Normally a Black Forest cake is layers of Kirschwasser infused chocolate cake, whipped cream and cherries, decorated with whipped cream, maraschino cherries and chocolate shavings.

Ingredients serve 14 -16

800 g sweet and sour cherry mix

1500 g whipped cream

800 g chocolate sponge

900 g dark chocolate

100 g Maraschino cherries

Kirsch

Method

Cut the 30 cm round chocolate sponge in three layer and place the bottom layer on a cake tray. Sprinkle kirsch on each layer. Spread sweet and sour cherry mix evenly on bottom layer surrounded with whipped cream. Place another layer of kirsch infused sponge on top and spread a layer of whipped cream. The last kirsch infused layer of sponge on top and cover the Gateaux in whipped cream. Wrap the side with dark chocolate shavings and divide the cake 14-16 pieces. Decorate the middle on top with dark chocolate shavings and sift some icing sugar or cocoa powder on top. Pipe a rosette on each slice and top with a Maraschino cherry

Sweet and sour cherry mix

Ingredients

700 g sour pitted cherries (Tin) w/juice

100 g caster sugar

40 g cornflour

70 ml water

Method

Drain the juice from the tin of cherries into a cooking pot with sugar and bring to the boil. Mix cornflour and water in a bowl and add to the boiling juice. Add the cherries and mix evenly. Pour cooked mixture into containers and cover with food wrap. Allow cooling in the fridge before use.

Note: If Maraschino cherries are not available use glacé or fresh cherries.