Black Forest gateau

Name: Black Forest gateau (Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte)
Cuisine: German
Ingredients: 100 g/3½ oz plain (bittersweet) chocolate; 100 g/3½ oz/7 tbsp butter, softened; 100 g/3½ oz/½ cup caster (superfine) sugar; 6 eggs, separated; pinch of salt; 100 g/3½ oz plain (all-purpose) flour; 50 g/2 oz/½ cup cornflour (cornstarch); 50 g/2 oz/½ cup cornflour (cornstarch); 5 ml/1 tsp baking powder; 500 g/1¼ lb bottled cherries; 5 gelatine leaves, soaked in cold water for 5 minutes; 750 ml/1¼ pints/3 cups double (heavy) cream; 5 ml/1 tsp vanilla extract or 1 pack vanilla sugar (about 5 g/2.5 ml); 5 ml/1 tsp vanilla extract or 1 pack vanilla sugar (about 5 g/2.5 ml); 100 ml/3½ fl oz/scant ½ cup Kirsch; 12 glacé (candied) cherries; 75 g/3 oz flaked chocolate

Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte

Preparation info

Makes about
12
slices

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The Food and Cooking of Germany

By Mirko Trenkner

Published 2009

About

Famous all over the world, this is the archetypal German cake. The name explains its origin, but it is eaten everywhere in Germany. It’s laden with calories, but don’t think about that while you’re eating it, just enjoy it!

Ingredients

100 g/3½ oz plain (bittersweet) chocolate
100 g/3½

Europe
Germany
Cake

Method

Break up the chocolate and melt it in a bowl over a pan of gently simmering water. Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F/Gas 3. Butter a 30cm/12in cake tin (pan).
Cream the butter with the sugar and vanilla extract or sugar. Gradually beat in the egg yolks,