The Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte – the Black Forest gateau
Naturally, it tastes best in the Black Forest, where you’ll find it in virtually every café and restaurant. One of the essential ingredients is Kirsch, or cherry schnapps, made from locally picked fruit as the Black Forest is the only place where the right kind of cherries thrive to make this spirit.
So, if you are thinking of making your own Black Forest gateau, remember to buy a bottle while on holiday. (By the way: you don’t necessarily need cake to enjoy Kirsch…). Courses on how to make Black Forest gateau are offered in many towns and villages in the Black Forest.
Ingredients:
For the short crust pastry base:
125 g sugar
250 g butter
a pinch of baking powder
500 g flour
1 egg
salt, vanilla sugar, lemon
for the chocolate flan base:
6 eggs
200g sugar
170 g flour
30 g cocoa
60 g melted butter
for the topping:
50 g redcurrant or raspberry jam
1l whipped cream (sweetened with 100 g of sugar)
3 tabs of gelatine
250 g sour cherries
100 g Kirsch
50 g chocolate flakes
16 cherries for decoration
Preparation:
Spread the bottom short crust pastry base with a layer of jam, followed by the cream and some of the cherries. Place the chocolate flan base (split horizontally) on top and sprinkle with Kirsch. Next, spread the rest of the cream and the cherries in a layer. Place the second chocolate flan base on top and cover with the gelatine-stiffened cream. Coat the edges with the remaining cream. Finally sprinkle the cake with the chocolate flakes and place each of the sixteen cherries on a little mound of cream.
“Guten Appetit”, enjoy!