black forest gâteau

A couple years ago Drew and I purchased a cookbook simply titled "Chocolate" by Linda Collister. Ever since it found it's way into our collection of cookbooks I have been dying to attempt the black forest gâteau found on page 40. I'm normally not a big cake (or sweets in general) baker- mainly because there are just two of us (plus a tiny pup) in the blue-cakes household and if I bake a cake it usually either gets wasted; or, more often than not, we are unable to resist and therefore push ourselves to devour the entire thing and end up with a stomach ach. And, well, eating an entire cake in two or three days doesn't exactly fit to well into our attempt at a healthy lifestyle. :) That said, ever since my recent trip to Morocco, where I was lucky enough to taste one the the best cakes ever (which I previously blogged about), I have developed a new found desire to bake cakes. So, when I found out we were celebrating a friend's birthday in the small group fellowship we participate in, I jumped at the chance to make a birthday cake. When the birthday guy's wife suggested I make "anything chocolate" I immediately thought of this recipe. I finally had a chance to make it! Plus as there are 13 of us in small group, I was certain that there wouldn't be many leftovers. :)

The recipe got rave reviews from everyone who tasted it, except yours truly, the baker herself. Perhaps I am just critical of myself, or more likely, perhaps it's just that I prefer a more brownie-like cake (and therefore would have preferred a different type of cake all together). That said, for a black forest cake it was good and it was super fun to make. (A note though- it is putzy).

Judge for yourself, here's the recipe:

black forest gâteau
from "Chocolate" by Linda Collister

Cake:
9 XL eggs, separated
1c sugar
1c unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted

Filling:
25oz can Morello Cherries in kirsch syrup- or syrup plus 3T kirsch
2c heavy cream
3T sugar
2oz. bittersweet chocolate, grated

1). Combine egg whites and 1c sugar in bowl and beat until thick and mousse-like. Sift cocoa into mixture and gently fold in with metal spoon
2). Put egg whites in spotlessly clean, grease free bowl and beat until stiff peaks form. Carefully fold into Yolk mixture in 3 batches.
3). Divide into 3 8in pans (buttered and bottoms lined with parchment) and bake for 20-25 mins at 350F or until cakes spring back when gently pressed and have shrunk away from the sides of pans.

4). Drain cherries and save syrup: you will need 7 T (if using sugar syrup, combine 1/4c syrup and 3T kirsch). After cherries are well drained, dry on paper towels.

5). Beat cream until soft peaks form. Sprinkle 3T sugar over cream, and beat a bit more. Reserve 1/2 mixture for top of cake. The other half will be split to spread between the 3 the layers.

6). Set 1 cake on serving platter and sprinkle with 2T kirsch syrup. Spread cream on cake, line with cherries, put next cake on top, sprinkle with 2T kirsch syrup, line with cherries; repeat the same process for the 3rd layer. Frost outside of cake with remaining cream and decorate with cherries and chocolate shavings as desired.

Enjoy!