In the 80s, Singapore was introduced to the Black Forest Cake. Prior to that, we had hardly heard of whipped cream and sponges. It was pretty simple when we were learning it… chocolate sponges, kirsch soaked cherries and thickening the syrup using corn starch, and then layering the cakes with cream.

Yet today, we look at the German-styled ones.  Lots of work and takes a lot of time.  But very worth the effort.  Here’s my version of it.  As usual, I’ve simplified it quite a bit.

Here’s how the famous chef does it.

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Ingredients:
Butter cake
300g Butter (room temperature)
200g Caster sugar
6 eggs
250g self-raising flour and 50g corn flour

Chocolate cake
225 g self-raising flour
250g dark chocolate, chopped
150g butter
6eggs
150g caster sugar

Chocolate mousse
4egg yolks
150g Caster Sugar
200ml Thick Cream
150g Dark chocolate, chopped
Pinch of salt

Chocolate ganache
95ml Thick Whipping Cream
Pinch of salt
95g Dark chocolate, chopped
20h Unsalted butter

Cherries
1 jar Morello Cherries
1 teaspoon of vanilla bean
1 teaspoon of corn start mixed into liquid of cherries

Assembly
• kirsch
• whipped cream
• grated white chocolate

Method:

Butter Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then fold in the flour. Pour into the tin and bake for 55 minutes. Leave to cool.

Chocolate Cake

1. Butter another cake tin of the same size as that for the butter cake. Melt the chocolate and butter together and then set to cool (I use the Thermomix at 70 Celsius).
2. Cream eggs and sugar, and then fold in the melted chocolate then the flour.
3. Pour into the tin and bake for 1 hour. Leave to cool.

Chocolate Mousse

1. Beat egg yolks with the sugar until stiff. Warm milk (do not boil!) and when it is cool enough, stir in the egg yolks and return to medium heat. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, I use the Thermomix and kept it at 70 Celsius.
2. Place the chocolate in a mixing bowl and pour over the warm milk and egg mixture, stirring until the chocolate has melted. Add the salt and leave to cool.
3. Whip cream until soft peaks then fold into the cooled chocolate mixture. Spoon into a piping bag and refrigerate to stiffen.

Chocolate Ganache

1. Gently heat the cream and salt. Place the chocolate in a bowl and add the warm cream. Wait for 1 minute before stirring until the chocolate melts. Add the butter and stir until it melts.
2. Strain the cherry juice into a saucepan. Add the vanilla bean and sugar, and corn starch and simmer until it is thickened.

Assembly

1. Cut chocolate cake into three slices and butter cake into two.
2. Place a layer of chocolate cake on a flat plate and splash with a little kirsch.
3. Pipe a rim of mousse around the top of the cake to form a wall to keep in the cherries.
4. Fill with some cherries then top with a layer of chocolate cake.
5. Spread with whipped cream.
6. Repeat the layers but instead of topping the cake with cream, spread with ganache.
7. Sprinkle with white chocolate shavings (my daughter’s favourite and garnish with whole cherries.

Takes too long, and I have only done this twice, both for my children when they wanted this for their birthday. Tastes wonderful, sinful and absolutely gorgeous for people who love chocolates.  As I have an anti-sweet tooth, this gives me a toothache. Bah!

*Adapted from German Chef Martin Boetz