4

Hayley McKee, of Sticky Fingers Bakery in Melbourne,

gives the classic a twist with her Black Forest rosella,

layering hibiscus, sour cherries, cream cheese and

salted chocolate crumble. Local cake shops, such as

Gumnut Pâtisserie in Bowral, are best for traditional takes.

Find

one

This impressive dessert gâteau never goes out of fashion.

S

chwarzwälder kirschtorte doesn’t get its name

from the Black Forest itself, but rather from

Schwarzwälder kirschwasser or kirsch, the clear

cherry brandy made in that region of south-west

Germany. It’s typically used to spike the whipped cream

and the dark-chocolate sponge that’s stacked in layers,

sandwiching the cream and boozy cherries. It all makes

for an impressive dessert gâteau, and while there are

variations in presentation and ingredients – brandy

and cherry juice in lieu of kirsch, for instance, or the

addition of chocolate mousse or ganache – cherries,

usually sour, chocolate and cream are non-negotiable.

Black Forest cake

THE SPONGE

A light dark-chocolate sponge

is the key to Black Forest cake,

keeping in mind that it needs to

be strong enough to hold its

shape. The aeration in the

sponge comes from cornflour

and egg whites, whisked to

soft peaks before Dutch cocoa

or melted dark chocolate is

folded in. Preserved cherries

are then studded through the

batter once it’s in the tin. For a

boozier cake (and to ensure it

won’t dry out) brush the layers

with kirsch before assembly.

THE CREAM

Fresh cream whipped with

icing sugar and a healthy

splash of kirsch is classic, but

pastry chef andGTcontributor

Catherine Adams suggests

using a mix of meringue and

cream, finished with a dash

of kirsch (of course) instead.

This makes for a richer cake

with weightier white layers.

THE CHERRIES

Jarred sour morello

cherries are the way to

go, especially France’s

Griottines – wild morello

cherries soaked in a blend of

liqueurs, including kirsch. In

season, fresh cherries could

go in the mix, too, perhaps

after soaking them yourself.

Either way, they’re a key

element, so aim for quality.

THE TOPPINGS

Once the layers are

assembled, which can

be done in a springform

cake tin, it’s topping

time. Form curls of dark

chocolate by shaving

them from a cold block

with a vegetable peeler

or melt dark chocolate,

smear it on a tray, let it

cool, then scrape the

hard chocolate with

a sharp knife. Pile on

the rest of that kirsch-

spiked cream, and more

cherries never go astray.

WORDS HARRIET DAVIDSON. PHOTOGRAPHY ANDREW FINLAYSON. STYLING ROSIE MEEHAN. ALL PROPS STYLIST’S OWN

Anatomy of a dish

GOURMET TRAVELLER 51