Black Forest Cake
INGREDIENTS
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate 2/3 cup butter 1 cup sugar ½ teaspoon vanilla 4 eggs 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon ground almonds
1/3 cup +1 tablespoon flour
1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon cornstarch
½ cup breadcrumbs 1 tablespoon baking powder
Filling:
4 tablespoons cherry liqueur 2½ teaspoons gelatin 1 pound sour cherries, pitted 2 tablespoons lemon juice 2½ cups whipping cream 2 tablespoons superfine sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
Shave 2 tablespoons of chocolate and melt the rest. Cream the butter with the sugar and vanilla. Separate the eggs. Mix the almonds with the flour, cornstarch, breadcrumbs and baking powder. Stir the egg yolks and the cooled, melted chocolate into the buttersugar mixture. Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold in with the dry ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 10-inch-wide, 3-inch-deep round pan (like a springform). Pour batter into pan and bake the cake 45 minutes on the lower rack of the oven. Allow to stand at least 3 hours, then cut into three layers with a long, serrated knife and sprinkle with cherry liqueur.
Dissolve the gelatin in a little cold water. Wash cherries and put in saucepan with ½ cup water and lemon juice; simmer 7 minutes. Remove and drain. Whip the cream and sugar until stiff. Warm the gelatin over low heat, stir in a few tablespoons of the whipped cream. Return the mixture to the whipped cream and fold together. Cover the first and second cake layers with the cooled cherries and whipped cream. Set the third layer on top and cover cake with the remaining whipped cream. Sprinkle with the chocolate shavings and garnish with extra cream and cherries if desired.