Black Forest gateau

It is one of the most popular German cakes, if not THE most popular cake in Germany - the Black Forest gateau. Although the name suggests it, its actual origin is not entirely clear. However, with its dark fine cocoa chocolate and red cherries, it is very reminiscent of the traditional women's costume with a Bollenhut from the Ortenau district of the Black Forest.

Recipe for 26 cm springform pan
Preparation time: 100 minutes, including 20 minutes baking time and 20 minutes cooling time

Ingredients Chocolate sponge base:

4 organic eggs, size M
100 g sugar
100 g flour
1/2 tsp fine flavor cocoa powder
50 g dark fine flavor cocoa chocolate 'Rausch Plantagen Costa Rica 75 %', grated

Cherry filling ingredients:

1 jar of sour cherries
30 g cornflour
30 g sugar
1 vanilla pod

Ingredients Cream with cherry brandy:

900 ml cream
90 g powdered sugar
6sheets gelatine
40 ml cherry brandy

Decoration ingredients:

12 cherries
50 g dark fine cocoa chocolate 'Rausch Plantagen Costa Rica 75 %', grated
50 ml cherry brandy

Preparation of the chocolate sponge base:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C top/bottom heat and line the base of the springform pan with baking paper.
2. Beat the eggs with the sugar. Mix together the flour, fine cocoa powder and grated fine cocoa chocolate.
3. Then carefully fold into the sugar and ice cream mixture.
4. Pour the batter into the springform pan and smooth out.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for approx. 20 minutes.
6. After baking, remove the sponge cake base from the tin and leave to cool.

Preparation of the cherry filling:

1. Pour off the sour cherry juice and set aside. Drain the sour cherries well and keep 12 cherries for the decoration.
2. Mix 3 tbsp of the cherry juice with the cornflour. Bring the remaining cherry juice to the boil in a pan with the vanilla pod and sugar.
3. Now add the mixed cornflour to the pan and continue to stir well until it boils again. Remove the pan from the heat, fold in the cherries and chill.

Preparing the cream with kirsch:

1. Whip the cream with the powdered sugar.
2. Soak the gelatine in cold water. Now carefully dissolve it in the microwave (must not boil!).
3. First add the kirsch and then 100 g of the whipped cream to the dissolved gelatine and stir.
4. Then carefully fold into the rest of the whipped cream.

Assembling the Black Forest gateau:

1. Cut the sponge base in half horizontally twice. Place one base in the springform pan and spread 1/3 of the cream on the base.
2. Place the cherry filling in a piping bag and pipe half of the mixture onto the cream in circles.
3. Then place the second base on top and press down firmly. Drizzle 25 ml cherry brandy on top.
4. Spread half of the remaining cream on the sponge cake and add the rest of the cherry filling in circles.
5. Now place the third layer on top, press down firmly and drizzle with the remaining kirsch. Chill the cake for approx. 20 minutes.
6. Remove the cake from the tin.
7. Set aside 100 ml of cream. Spread the top and sides of the cake with the remaining cream using a palette knife.
8. Insert the star nozzle into a piping bag and pipe 12 rosettes/dots of cream.
9. To finish, place the 12 cherries set aside on top of the rosettes/dots. The center and the bottom edge can be decorated with the grated fine cocoa chocolate.