Brandy Drenched Black Forest Cake

Black forest is a region in Germany ,and they (obviously) love their cake.No wonder it has spawned so many versions. Chocolate cake, with cherries and Kirshwasser (German Cherry Brandy for us .... if it is not high end Cognac...we have our local Honey dew brand) lots of cream, a few chocolate curls...wow!

The stuff we get from our friendly neighbourhood baker is a cardboard -like chocolate sponge....very often that can also be used to wash the dishes...so like paper and glue it tastes. Topped with lots of non dairy cream and a few un pitted cherries. Also grated chocolate is made to rain down on the poor cake....no texture, no flavour...nothing, NADA!

So, there had to be a difference.

Stress has been poking its thorns into our sides for the last few days, so a bit of aromatherapy via vanilla was badly needed. Dinner with friends tonight, so we skip the customary bottle of wine (yeah, pour it into this cake)...and feel better.

The chocolate cake is a fudge chocolate cake, made with oil instead of butter, I wish I could say vegan, but no, it needs its calcium. Check it out on

According to the Food Network, the “REAL” Black Forest Cake must have three layers .Me; sadly, I am not able to manage two exactly straight cuts yet, so I stick to two layers. However if you are really adept with your knife, keep three layers.

And if you did notice the sides of the cake....that was the leftover cream...did not want to leave the cream...

Basic requirements for the 

Brandy Drenched Black Forest Cake...

you need

1 chocolate cake(I will be posting the recipe of this Chocolate Fudge cake)

100 gms Cooking Chocolate

50 gms fresh cream/Malai

100 mils Brandy

1 tin canned cherries(450 gms)

250 gms whipped cream

50 mils milk

1 tbsp cornstarch

That’s the cake; love the colour....really difficult to achieve the colour and this chocolaty texture in a regular cake. Slice the dome off and overturn the cake. FLAT!The cake is on http://baketitude.blogspot.com/2011/11/chocolate-fudge-cake.html

I wish I could say the same for my abs!

Now using a large knife, slice through the centre. Next time I’ll mark with a ruler and toothpick to get accurate  cuts.

The tin of cherries, which I realised were not pitted....that involved a labour of love. De seeding most I kept a few for the topping.

The liquid and the  de seeded cherries I placed into a saucepan and set to simmer. When the cherry liquid was simmering I added 1 peg measure of brandy. 

In another bowl mixed the cornstarch with the half peg of brandy and poured it into the liquid.

The mix ought to be stirred quickly, as the cornstarch cooks in a jiffy. Now take this off the heat, and let it cool on its own. This heat softened the cherries and made them drunk.

For the Ganache...
Place the cream in a saucepan and bring to the boil. 

Just as it begins to bubble all around, add in the chopped cooking chocolate,

keep stirring till it all melts and blends together. Take this off the heat midway. You don’t want crystallised chocolate or burnt chocolate.

I could have added a bit of brandy here, but I forgot. So you can.

The bottom slice of cake on the platter

Offer it a small drink, wont you. Then maybe a bit of milk to sooth the tummy...

Slather the melted chocolate on this slice and spread it out well. Leave to cool, and set.

That’s the whipped cream. a circle   the edges to keep the cherries in. 

If you do three layers. Just slather little cream to help keep the slices in place and place the second slice of cake on it.

This was just not fitting on the cake...so it went to the cook.(me...hic!hic!..as if so little brandy can affect me!)

Ensure you offer all layers a good drink huh?? My two layers, inside the ring of cream I spread the cherries mix, and let it set further in the fridge.

The top.....drunk??

After half an hour, out of the fridge, a bit of cream on the cherries and the top layer on them. The top layer was drenched in a peg and a half of brandy.

Now for the fun bit.

A small amount of cream to lock the crumbs. This is called a crumb coat. Cool at least 5 minutes. Now, the cream slathered liberally.So the second layer of cream has almost NO crumbs.

I keep promising myself that I will buy a palette knife for frosting, my only excuse, Ranchi. Waiting to go to Delhi, even for a whirlwind of a shopping trip. Delhi brings a smile to my face. Many years ago we were living in a place near New Alipore Dwar, (about 100 kms from here actually, but references on the www and atlases are few and far between) and returning to Delhi for vacations, I used to start smiling even before we reached Delhi...the though t of going home.

To the place where I belong!

Now pipe the rosettes, just to stud them with the cherries I’d not pitted.

Nice.I sprinkled a wee bit of the chocolate left over.No time to make Chocolate curls......Homemade Chocolates also on the agenda.

The dinner turned out to be a non celebration dinner for hubby dear’s friend’s 39^th birthday.

Nobody wants to be 40!

I wanted to take a picture of a slice...but for reasons unknown to me ,I ended up photographing the cake and not the slice.

BTW,alcohol in food ensures that left overs are even more AWESOME!

Happy birthday Shankar Prashar, many more to come.

So what are you baking today???

After a rap on the virtual knuckles by little sister....
Coming Soon...
Palmier/Elephant Ears /French Hearts /Whatever Cookies...
A.S.A.P.