Black forest cake

Discover the history of Black Forest Cake.

1. Chocolate sponge cake

   • 180 gr. pastry flour or all purpose flour
   • 180 gr. egg whites (6)
   • 180 gr. white sugar
   • 100 gr. egg yolks (6)
   • 30 gr. cocoa powder

   • In a bowl, start beating the egg whites at medium speed. When it starts to foam, add the sugar a little at a time and increase the speed until you get a firm meringue.
   • Next, add the egg yolks and beat just until they are integrated.
   • Next, sift the flour and cocoa powder twice over the mixture and fold it in with a rubber spatula in an encircling motion.
   • Finally, pour the mixture into a 22 cm baking tin lined with baking paper and bake in a hot oven at 180°C for 45 minutes.
   • Leave to cool on a wire rack at room temperature and set aside until ready to use.
   • Ideally, prepare this cake the day before and leave it uncovered, so that the cake dries slightly and will have more absorption capacity once it is soaked in the kirsch syrup.

2. White chocolate ganache

   • 400 gr. heavy cream (35% fat)
   • 170 gr. white chocolate
   • 30 gr. kirsch or cherry liqueur
   • 5 gr. vanilla
   • 3 gr. gelatine

   • First, hydrate the gelatine in cold water for 10 minutes.
   • In a saucepan, heat 120 g of cream together with the vanilla and bring to the boil.
   • Meanwhile, in a bowl, melt the white chocolate in the microwave in short batches.
   • When the cream comes to the boil, turn off the heat and pour it over the melted white chocolate.
   • Using a whisk, mix well until the cream blends with the white chocolate. Then add the kirsch or cherry liqueur and do the same.
   • Finally, add the rest of the cream and process with a whisk until you have a uniform, shiny cream.
   • Cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

3. Chocolate diplomat cream

   • 170 gr. whole milk
   • 120 gr. mascarpone
   • 120 gr. heavy cream (35% fat)
   • 40 gr. egg yolks (2)
   • 40 gr. dark chocolate (70%)
   • 40 gr. white sugar
   • 10 gr. corn flour
   • 7 gr. cocoa powder
   • 3 gr. gelatine

   • First, hydrate the gelatine in cold water for 10 minutes.
   • Heat the milk in a saucepan until it comes to the boil.
   • Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix the egg yolks with the cornflour, white sugar and cocoa powder with a whisk until smooth.
   • When the milk comes to the boil, pour it little by little over the previous mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk.
   • Then return everything to the heat and cook over a medium heat until the cream thickens.
   • Then turn off the heat and add the hydrated gelatine and mascarpone.
   • Transfer the cream to a bowl, process with a whisk and cover with cling film in contact with the cream. Refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours.
   • After this time and just before starting to assemble the cake, whip the cream into stiff peaks and fold it into the cream with a rubber spatula.

4. Chocolate coating

   • 100 gr. heavy cream (35% fat)
   • 100 gr. mascarpone
   • 100 gr. white chocolate ganache
   • 100 gr. chocolate diplomat cream
   • 40 gr. powdered sugar

   • In the mixer bowl, mix the mascapone and the cold cream and beat on low speed until combined.
   • Then add the icing sugar and increase the mixer speed to medium until stiff peaks are formed.
   • Then add the 100 g of chocolate pâte de chocolat and 100 g of white chocolate ganache and mix with a rubber spatula in an encircling motion.
   • Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.

5. Kirsch syrup

   • 130 gr. water
   • 100 gr. white sugar
   • 70 gr. kirsch or cherry liqueur

   • In a saucepan, heat the water and sugar over medium heat until completely dissolved.
   • Then turn off the heat and add the kirsch or cherry liqueur.
   • Set aside until ready to use.

6. Assembly

   • 250 gr. fresh cherries
   • 150 gr. cherry confiture
   • 50 gr. dark chocolate (70%)
   • 20 gr. cocoa powder
   • 5 gr. neutral or sunflower oil

   • We start by smoothing our sponge cake by removing the top of the cake. Then we cut it into four discs of equal thickness of about 1 cm in height.
   • Next, we melt the chocolate and neutral oil in the microwave in short batches and brush the base of the disc that was the bottom of our chocolate sponge cake. Allow the chocolate to crystallise before proceeding to the next step.
   • Once the chocolate has hardened, we place the disc into the 22 cm diameter cake tin with the chocolate side down and generously soak it with the kirsch syrup.
   • Then spread half of the cherry jam in a thin layer on top of the sponge cake.
   • Now take the white chocolate ganache out of the fridge, whip it to a firm consistency and put it into a piping bag with a smooth nozzle 1 cm in diameter.
   • Pipe half of the ganache over the cherry jam in a spiral shape and smooth with a spatula.
   • Then place a second disc of sponge cake on top and soak it generously with the kirsch syrup.
   • Wash the cherries, cut them in two, remove the stone and place them side by side on the entire surface of the sponge cake.
   • Put our chocolate pâtisserie cream into a piping bag with a smooth 1 cm diameter nozzle and pipe all the cream over the cherries. With the help of a spatula, smooth the cream.
   • Then place a third disc of sponge cake and soak it with more kirsch liqueur. Spread the other half of the cherry jam and pour the remaining white chocolate ganache on top.
   • Place the last disc of sponge cake and soak it with the kirsch syrup.
   • Now we refrigerate our cake for a minimum of 4 hours.
   • At this point, we can freeze the cake overnight instead of refrigerating it. When the cake is completely solid, it will be easier to handle and cover with the chocolate coating.
   • When the cake has cooled, remove the chocolate couverture from the fridge and, using a spatula, cover the whole cake with it. Smooth the surface with a spatula.
   • Finally, sprinkle the cocoa powder over the top of the cake, pipe some buttons with a curly nozzle and decorate with fresh cherries. I have painted them with a thin patina of ruby-coloured food colouring.
   • Keep in the fridge and leave at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.

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