SC - Schwarzwalder Kirschtorte OOP

[Decker, Terry D.]

Well, I turned out a miserable Schwarzwalder Kirschtorte for the New
Year's Party, but it did force me to dig out the recipe and check it
over.  I've added it to the computerized files and I'm posting for those
who wanted it.

Bear


Schwarzwalder Kirschtorte

6 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
4 squares unsweetened baker's
      chocolate, melted
1 cup sifted flour

syrup:
1/4 cup of water
1/3 cup of sugar
2 Tbsp Kirschwasser 

buttercream filling:
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1/3 cup of butter
1 egg yolk
2 Tbsp Kirschwasser

topping:
2 cups dark cherries
2 Tbsp confectioners sugar
1 cup whipped heavy cream
8 oz semi-sweet chocolate bar


Melt chocolate in a double boiler.
Beat eggs, sugar and vanilla together until thick and fluffy.
Alternately fold chocolate and flour into the mixture, ending with
flour.
Grease and flour three 8 inch round cake pans.  Divide the batter
equally between them.
Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 10 to 15 minutes, until a
cake tested inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool in pan 5 minutes.  Turn out on racks to cool completely.

syrup:
Mix sugar and water in a sauce pan.  Boil for 5 minutes.  Remove and
allow to cool.
Add Kirschwasser to the cooled syrup.
Put the cake layers on wax paper (to help clean up).
Prick the cake layers with a fork.
Pour the syrup onto the cake layers and spread evenly.

buttercream filling:
Beat sugar and butter together until well blended.
Add egg yolk and beat until smooth.
Fold in Kirschwasser.

assembling the cake:
Drain the cherries.  Reserve 1/2 cup whole cherries for decoration.

Place the first cake layer on a cake plate.
Spread with half of the buttercream filling.
Put 3/4 cup of cherries on top of the filling.  Cherries may be chopped,
halved, or whole.  
Repeat for the second layer.
Place the third layer on top.

Whip the cream for the topping.  Fold in the confectioners sugar.
Cover the sides and top of the cake with the whipped cream.
Decorate the top of the cake with the remaining cherries.

With a vegetable peeler, shave the chocolate bar (room temperature) to
make chocolate curls.  Refrigerate until ready to use.
Press curls onto the side of the cake and sprinkle on top.
Chill cake until served.

Notes:

I tend to add 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
to the flour to help lighten the cake.

Melted chocolate can be replaced with powdered chocolate.  Stir the
chocolate powder and the flour together, before adding to the batter.
When using chocolate powder, add 2 tablespoons of milk to the batter.
Use a dark European-style chocolate powder to help the cake retain its
dark chocolate color.

Traditionally, dark sour or dark sweet cherries are used in this cake.
Tart pie cherries will do in a pinch.  I tend to use water packed,
canned cherries.  Clean thoroughly and pit if you use fresh.

For a non-alcoholic cake, replace each 2 tablespoons of Kirschwasser
(cherry brandy) with 1 teaspoon cherry flavoring.

I have seen this cake done with cherry preserves as part of the filling,
replacing the cherries.  If you do this, spread the preserves on the
cake layer before spreading the buttercream filling.

If the cake needs to be unrefrigerated for over an hour or two, or the
room temperature is high, stabilize the whipped cream with gelatin.
Soak 1/4 oz (1 pkg) unflavored gelatin in 1/4 cup of cold water in a
small measuring cup.  Place the measuring cup in a pan of gently boiling
water.  Stir the mixture until the gelatin dissolves.  Set aside while
you whip the cream.  Fold the dissolved gelatin into the whipped cream
after the confectioners sugar. 

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