Schwarzwaelder Torte Black Forest Cake 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!

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 TORTE (SCHWARZWAELDER KIRSCHTORTE) (GLUTEN FREE)

Steps:

• For the first bottom layer: Preheat the oven to 375°F/200-220°C.
• On a baking board, mix the flour, cacao and baking powder. Make an indent in the middle and add the sucanat, vanilla extract, egg and water. Mix until a crumbly dough is formed. Place the cold butter pieces on top and work everything quickly into a smooth dough. If the dough remains a little sticky, place it covered into the refrigerator for about 20-30 minutes.
• Grease the spring form pan with a little butter and line it with parchment paper, covering only the bottom not the sides (trace the outline of the Springform on the parchment paper and cut out -- you want to cut out two pieces, as you will need the second one for the sponge cake). Grease the parchment paper just slightly as well. Roll out the dough (sprinkle a little extra rice flour on your board beforehand) and place it in the prepared Spring form, carefully cutting the dough, so only the bottom of the pan is covered (you can use up any extra dough by cutting it our with your favorite cookie cutter, for an extra treat).
• Bake for about 30 minutes, remove from oven, release the Spring form pan, invert onto a cooling rack and peel off the parchment paper. Let cool completely.
• Grease the bottom of the Spring form only (!) and line with the extra parchment paper you cut out during the first step of this recipe. Again slightly grease the parchment paper as well, but be very careful that no grease gets on the outer Spring form ring, because it will prevent the Sponge cake from rising properly.
• Sponge cake (Biskuitboden): Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.
• For this next step, you will need two bowls, a smaller one for whipping the egg whites, and a larger one for the preparation of the batter.
• Separate the 4 eggs (yolks into the larger bowl, egg whites in the other). With a hand mixer, whip the egg whites until they form glossy and shiny peaks. Set aside.
• In the other bowl, combine the egg yolks with water and blend well, using the hand mixer. Little by little, add the sucanat and vanilla extract. Continue to mix until the batter becomes smooth and creamy.
• Place the whipped egg whites on top of the yolk batter, and set aside for a moment.
• Place the flour blend, guar gum, cacao and baking powder into a sifter (you can also use a fine sieve) and gently sift the ingredients on top of the egg whites.
• Now, carefully fold the flour and egg white into the batter. You want to take your time with this step. You are not looking to stir, or mix, but truly just slowly fold the ingredients together. This is best done with a rubber spatula, or a large spoon.
• When the flour has been fully incorporated into the batter, it should still retain its light and airy texture. Pour this batter into the prepared Spring form and smooth and level out the top, using a spatula.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes (The baking duration depends on many factors: your own location, elevation, temperature, etc. and will play a role in how long this will take -- usually anywhere from 20-30 minutes).
• Remove the cake from the oven, release it from the Spring form, turn out onto a wire rack to cool and peel off the parchment paper.
• Once completely cooled, slice the sponge cake horizontally into 3 thin layers. Place each layer on a separate plate.
• If fresh cherries are available, wash them and remove the stones. Mix the cherries with a little sucanat. Set this aside for at least 20 minutes to draw out the juice. Then cook them briefly in their own juice. Remove and drain the juice into a separate bowl, preserving the juice. If you are using canned, drain the juice into a separate container. Set aside about 12 cherries for decorating the top of the cake. You will need 1/4 L (1 cup) of the cherry juice (top off with enough water, if there is not enough juice). Remove 4 tablespoons of this juice and place in a separate bowl, mixing it with the arrowroot flour. In a saucepan, heat the cherry juice, bring it to a boil, remove and add the blended arrowroot/cherry juice liquid. Mix one packet of the gelatin with 3 tablespoons of water, making sure it is completely dissolved, and add this to the boiled cherry juice. Bring everything back to a brief boil and then remove from heat, adding the cherries, remaining sucanat and Kirschwasser. Set aside and let cool.
• Prepare the second gelatin packet by mixing it with 3 tablespoons of water, allowing it to dissolve completely. Set aside. Add the whipping cream to a larger mixing bowl, and with a hand mixer, whip until firm, then add the sifted powdered sugar and the prepared gelatin. Continue to whip until nice and firm.
• Assembly of Cake: Select a cake plate of your choice and place the first baked bottom layer on it. Add half the amount of the cherry blend to this layer, topping that with a thin layer of whipped cream.
• Then add the first sponge cake layer on top of this.
• Top this layer with the remaining cherry filling and a thin layer of whipped cream. Spread out evenly and top with the second sponge cake layer.
• Add another thin layer of whipped cream to this and place the final Sponge cake layer on top.
• Spread just a smooth layer of whipped cream on the final layer, setting some whipped cream aside for the final steps. Now for this next step, you need to cut out large enough strips of parchment paper to drape around the outside of the cake, which helps to retain the filling. If you have one available, use just the outer rim of another, slightly larger, Spring form pan and place it on the outside of the draped parchment paper, and close the spring. This ensures the even setting of the filling. Place the cake in the refrigerator for a couple of hours to set the filling.
• Meanwhile, grate the chocolate and set aside.
• Remove the cake from the refrigerator and take off the Spring form ring, and carefully peel off the parchment paper. Remove any excess filling that was not contained by the paper, or outer ring, and then spread some additional whipped cream on the outer rim of the cake. Sprinkle the top with the grated chocolate. Place the remaining whipped cream in a pastry bag, fitted with a small rosette tip, and place 12 rosettes evenly spaced on top of the cake. Place one cherry (which you reserved earlier) on top of each rosette, and, if desired, a small piece of chocolate next to each rosette.
• More info and photos: http://gfcelebration.com/2010/03/30/gluten-free-black-forest-torte-schwarzwaelder-kirschtorte-and-some-interesting-facts-about-the-black-forest/.

BLACK FOREST CHERRY CAKE - SCHWARZWäLDER KIRCHTORTE

Steps:

• Several hours before you finish this cake, prepare Chocolate Sponge Cake, German-Style (can be found at http://www.recipezaar.com/rz.242152). Cake made in a springform pan should be cut in half (you can use string for this) and filled.
• Split cake in 2 pieces as follows: Carefully cut around the circumference of the cake with a sharp knife, about 1/2 inch deep. Take a long piece of thread, line it up with the cut and pull it through the cake, dividing it in half horizontally. Place top half on a piece of waxed paper. Place the bottom half on a cake plate with 4-5 short pieces of waxed paper under it and sticking out. These are to be pulled out before serving so you have a clean cake plate.
• Place 1/4 cup sugar in a pan with drained juice from the cherries plus water to equal 1 cup liquid. Bring to a boil. Mix 1/4 cup cornstarch with 4 tablespoons of the juice and pour into the hot liquid, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil for a few seconds, until sauce has thickened and is clear. Remove from heat, stir in cherries and schnapps and cool.
• Boil the other 1/4 cup sugar with 1/3 cup water for several minutes. Remove from heat, stir in remaining schnapps and use this mixture to brush over base of cake until absorbed.
• Whip whipping cream until stiff, adding powdered sugar and vanilla sugar about halfway through, to taste. You may add Whip It cream stiffener or gelatin to help it stay set, if you are not serving the cake right away.
• Place the cooled cherries in the middle of the bottom cake layer, leaving about an inch of space on the edge. Spoon the whipped cream around the edge and over the cherries, slightly. Place the top cake layer on the cake. Using a spatula, cover the edges of the cake with a thin layer of whipped cream and smooth. Cover the top in the same way. Using a pastry bag and tip, use the rest of the whipped cream to form 12 puffs around the edges and place a maraschino cherry on top of each puff. Make a circle of whipped cream in the middle and sprinkle chocolate curls inside to finish.
• Refrigerate until serving. Remove wax paper carefully, using a spatula to repair any holes. Wipe off knife between cuts.