BLACK FOREST TORTE

Ingredients :

Cake:

1 whole egg

9 eggs, separated

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon water

3 ½ oz (100 g) ground or grated ladyfingers

2 oz (60 g) almonds, skinned, toasted and ground

6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

½ cup sifted flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

Filling and Topping:

1 large can cherries in syrup, drained

¾ cup syrup from cherries

1 ½ tablespoon flour

3 tablespoons kirsch or cherry brandy

3 cups heavy cream

½ cup confectioners sugar (for heavy cream)

Chocolate shavings

Preparation:

Cake:
Preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Line the bottom of 3, 9 inch round pans with parchment paper (or use 1 spring form 9 inch round pan). Butter and flour pan.

Sift together flour, cocoa and baking powder. Combine ladyfingers with ground almonds and set aside.
Beat egg yolks and whole egg in the mixer with water and sugar until mixture grows in volume. Remove from the mixer and fold gradually into almond and ladyfinger mixture.

Whip egg whites until thick and firm peaks form and fold into the egg yolk mixture. Gradually, sift again, dry ingredients over the egg preparation folding carefully.
Pour batter on prepared spring form pan (or 3 pans) and bake in oven for 25 minutes or until cooked. Remove from the oven and cool. Invert onto platter and cut in 3 horizontal layers.

Filling and Topping:
Whip cream with sugar until thick (as for chantilly). Set aside. Drain cherries and reserve 6 – 8 for decoration. Dilute flour in the cherry syrup and strain. Cook over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring until mixture thickens. Add kirsch or cherry brandy and mix with cherries. Cool.

Place first layer on a serving platter and spread ½ of cherry filling. Cover with a thin layer of whipped cream. Place second layer, spread remaining cherry filling and repeat whipped cream layer. Place third layer and cover top and sides with whipped cream. Garnish with separated cherries and chocolate shavings.

8- 10 servings

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