Black Forest Cherry Cake Schwartzwalder Kirschtorte Food

AUTHENTIC BLACK FOREST CAKE (SCHWARZWALD KIRSCH KUCHEN)

Steps:

• Pit most of the cherries leaving about 10 for decoration on top of the cake. Take the pitted cherries and soak them in a jar of the 1/2 cup Kirsch overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F Line the bottom of three 9 inch round cake pans with parchment.
• Sift the dry cake ingredients together.
• Cream the shortening and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well.
• Add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk and mix well.
• Pour evenly into the cake pans. Bake for 20 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean.
• Cool and remove the cakes. Prick the tops of the cakes with a toothpick and pour the 1/2 cup of Kirsch (that the cherries soaked in) onto the cake.
• In a bowl beat the butter until light and creamy. Add the icing sugar, salt and espresso and mix well. If the icing is too thick add Kirsch or cherry juice.
• Cut the cherries into halves.
• Place the base layer on top of your cake tray, spread 1/2 of the filling over one top, cover with cherries and top with another layer of cake.
• Spread the second half of the filling over that layer of cake, cover with cherries and top with the third layer of cake. Cover this and let sit in the fridge for a day or two to allow the kirsch to soak into the cake and become moist.
• The day you're going to serve this cake prepare the icing. Whip the cream until it forms stiff peaks.
• Gently fold in the dry milk and icing sugar.
• Add the vanilla and pour in the Kirsch until it's a good consistency.
• If you like more icing double this recipe. Spread the icing over all of the cake.
• Place the fresh, intact cherries on top for decoration and cover the top with the chocolate shavings. Serve and enjoy!

SCHWARZWäLDER KIRSCHTORTE (GERMAN BLACK FOREST CAKE)

Steps:

• The brandied cherries need to be made a day ahead of assembling the cake. Combine the frozen cherries, 1/3 c Kirsch and 1/3 sugar in a bowl and let thaw completely. Stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Keep covered and chilled until ready to use.
• Preheat oven to 350 Deg F. Line the bottom or three 8" round cake pans with parchment paper.
• In a small bowl sift together the flour and cocoa powder.
• In another small bowl melt the butter and allow it to cool to room temperature as the eggs and sugar mix.
• In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, mix the eggs and sugar together on high for 5-7 minutes until thick and pale and tripled in volume. Add in the vanilla and salt and whip another minute.
• Fold in the flour mixture in two portions into the egg mixture, being careful not to deflate the egg mixture. Take out a cup of the mixture and combine with the melted butter, then add back into the rest of the batter and fold in a few more times. A few streaks of flour is ok, you really don't want the batter to deflate too much.
• Divide amongst the prepared pans then bake for 20-24 minutes or until the cakes are puffed and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool completely in pans, then carefully run a knife around the edges and invert to a cooling rack, or wrap in plastic wrap and chill until ready to use.
• Whip the cream until soft peaks, then add in 2 tablespoons kirsch, vanilla extract and powdered sugar, starting with 1/2 of a cup and whip to stiff peaks. Taste and add a little at time while whipping until desired sweetness is achieved. Add in more Kirsch, up to 2 more tablespoons if a boozier whipped cream is desired and whip again. Keep chilled before using.
• Drain the brandied cherries saving the liquid. If the sugar is still not dissolved, heat for about 30 seconds then stir.
• Place one cake layer on a cake plate, or on a cardboard cake circle on a cake decorating turntable, and brush the top of the cake layer with a little of the reserved brandied cherry liquid. Spread on a heaping cup of the whipped cream then top with half the cherries. Spread another heaping cup of the cream on top of the cherries. Repeat with another later then with the top layer brush with the brandied cherry liquid then spread a cup of the cream on top and another around the sides to crumb coat the cake. Chill the cake about 30 minutes, keeping the cream chilled as well.
• Check for any leaking of the brandied cherry juice around the edges and dab with a paper towel then spread another layer of the whipped cream around the sides and top, leaving about a cup and a half for the decoration on the top of the cake.
• Carefully press the chocolate curls into the side of the cake, scooping up any that fall off and press again. Leaving about 1/2 a cup or so for the top of the cake.
• Put the remaining whipped cream into a piping bag fitted with an open star tip and create a dozen swirls around the top to hold the stemmed cherries. You can double layer these swirls. Fill the middle of the top of the cake with the remaining chocolate curls, place a cherry in each of the whipped cream swirl then keep the cake chilled until ready to serve. The cake cuts and serves a lot easier when well chilled.

BLACK FOREST GATEAU (SCHWARZWALDER KIRSCHTORTE)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Butter and line a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper. Butter the parchment paper and set aside.
• Whisk the eggs yolks, eggs, and sugar in a large metal bowl over a pot of simmering water for a few minutes until the mixture is about 120 degrees F. Remove the bowl from the heat, and keep whisking to aerate the mixture until it is thick and fluffy, about 10 minutes. The mixture should increase in size 4 to 5 times and become very pale in color.
• Gently fold in both the sifted flour and wheat flour, and the cocoa powder. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan, and flatten it out carefully with a rubber spatula. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out cleanly. Invert the cake onto a wire rack, and cut a few vents in the parchment paper so that the steam can evaporate. Let inverted cake rest for 24 hours.
• In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons Kirsch, 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, and the corn flour. Add a pinch lemon zest and a pinch of cinnamon to the bowl, and stir to combine. In a small saucepan, bring to a boil the remaining 4 tablespoons Kirsch. Reduce the heat to medium, add the sugar mixture, and stir. Then add the cherries, stir again, and heat through. Remove from the heat, pour into a bowl, and let cool.
• Cut the cake into 3 layers. Spread the melted chocolate evenly over the bottom layer, and place it in the refrigerator to cool and harden slightly. Meanwhile, make the Whipped Cream and the Syrup.
• Remove the chocolate-covered base layer from the refrigerator and brush syrup over the top. Add about 1/2 of the filling mixture, and 1/4 of the whipped cream. Repeat the layer, brushing with Syrup, then filling, and then Whipped Cream. Place the third cake layer on top, brush it with Syrup, and then cover it with Whipped Cream. Spread the remaining Whipped Cream around the side of the cake. Decorate the top of the cake with chocolate shavings and additional cherries.
• Whip together the cream, 2 tablespoons sugar, and vanilla sugar. If you don't have vanilla sugar, you may substitute 1 tablespoon sugar plus 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Begin whipping slowly, making the mixture lighter, and continue until you have achieved light and airy whipped cream.
• Combine 1 1/2 cups water and 3/4 cup sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. When mixture is boiling and sugar has totally dissolved, remove the pan from the heat and add the Kirsch, and stir to combine.

BLACK FOREST CHERRY CAKE - SCHWARTZWALDER KIRSCHTORTE

Steps:

• Step 1:.
• Pour flour on work surface and sprinkle sugar and baking powder on top. Make a well and drop the vanilla extract and egg yolk. Slice butter thinly, add to the well, kneading into a smooth dough. Roll out to a 10" round and turn onto a greased and floured baking sheet. Prick with a fork and bake in a pre-heated oven at 400 for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Step 2:
• Beat egg yolks with warm water, almond and vanilla extracts, cinnamon, and sugar (keeping 2 tablespoons back for the egg whites) until creamy (about 5 minutes). Set aside. Beat egg whites with the 2 tablespoons of sugar until stiff. Sprinkle with the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and cocoa until well mixed. Pour egg yolk mixture over it and fold into egg whites. Pour into a greased and floured springform pan (10x3). Bake at 375 for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately invert onto a platter to cool.
• Step 3:
• Drain cherries, reserving the juice. Set aside 12 cherries for decorations. Measure 1 cup and 2 tablespoons of the juice (adding water if not enough) into a sauce pan and add sugar. Make a paste with the corn starch and 4 tablespoons of the cherry juice (taken from sauce pan). . Bring the juice in pan to a boil, stir in paste. Return to a boil, stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from the heat, stir in the cherries and Kirschwasser. Set aside to cool.
• Step 4:.
• Bring sugar and water to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Kirschwasser. Place light cake on platter and drizzle with 3 tablespoons of Kirschwasser mixture. Cut cooled dark cake into 3 even layers, drizzle each with 3 tablespoons of Kirschwasser mixture and set aside. Place 2 1/2 tablespoons cold water into seperate suace pan, adding 1 envelope of gelatin. Heat just until gelatin is dissolved (can use double boiler), cool slightly. Beat in 1 1/2 cups of whipping cream with 2/3 cups of powdered sugar until fairly stiff. Sprinkle with gelatin water slowly, beating until stiff.
• Assembly:
• Place light cake on serving platter. Cover with one layer of dark cake, spread 1/2 of the cherry mixture over it. Cover it with 1/2 of the whipped cream. Place second layer of cake on top. Cover with the remaining cherry mixture and whipped cream. Place last layer of cake on top and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Place 2 1/2 tablespoons cold water into a saucepan; add the second envelope of gelatin. Stir mixture just until gelatin is dissolved, cool slightly. Beat 2 cups of whipping cream with 1 cup powdered sugar until fairly stiff. Add gelatin slowly, beaiting until stiff. Spread over top and sides of cake. Pipe rosettes or nests on top and place reserved cherries in each. Sprinkle top and sides with grated chocolate.