Schwarzwalder Kirschtorte

German Black Forest cake

Ingredients

Pastry base

• 125 grams sugar
• 250 grams butter
• 500 grams flour
• Pinch of baking powder
• 1 egg
• 8 grams vanilla sugar
• salt
• lemon juice

Chocolate sponge

• 6 eggs
• 200 grams sugar
• 170 grams flour
• 30 grams cocoa powder
• 60 grams melted butter

Cream

• 3 sheets gelatin
• 1 liter whipping Cream
• 100 grams sugar
• 50 grams kirsh

Decoration

• 50 grams redcurrant or raspberry jam
• 250 grams sour cherries, pitted
• 50 grams kirsch
• 50 grams chocolate flakes
• 16 maraschino cherries, for decoration

Directions

Pastry base

Heat the oven to 400° F.

Mix the flour and cold butter in a large bowl by hand or in a food processor until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the remaining ingredients, then knead the mixture well and shape it 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 10-inch round springform pan. Cover with baking parchment, fill with rice or dried beans, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the beans and paper, and bake for another 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Chocolate sponge

Heat the oven to 350° F. Butter and flour and 10-inch round cake pan.

Beat the eggs with the sugar, fold in the flour and cocoa powder, then add in the melted butter. Bake for 40 minutes. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes, then turn out on a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, cut the cake in half crosswise.

Cream

Soak the gelatin sheets in cold water until the gelatin is hydrated.

In a large bowl, whisk the cream and sugar until slightly stiff, then add in the gelatin and kirsch. Beat until stiff.

Assembly

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 maraschino cherries on mounds of cream.