Black Forest cake

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 60 g butter
• 30 g powdered sugar
• 1 packet of vanilla sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 100 g flour
• 1 tbsp cherry brandy
• 6 eggs, separated
• 120 g sugar
• 60 g flour
• 60 g cornstarch, e.g. wheat powder
• 60 g cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 5 tbsp cherry brandy
• 5 tbsp cherry juice
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 jar sour cherries, pitted (drained weight approx. 350 g)
• 250 ml cherry juice (from the cherries)
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1 pinch of cinnamon
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 5 tbsp cherry brandy
• 800 ml cream
• 50 g sugar
• 50 g powdered sugar
• 1 packet of vanilla sugar
• 3 packs of cream stiffener
• 5 tbsp cherry brandy
• Cherry(s) (Maraschino cherries, Amarena cherries or candied cherries)
• 50 g dark chocolate shavings

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Rest period approx. 1 day; Total time approx. 1 day 1 hour

For the sponge cake, beat the egg yolks with 4-5 tablespoons of warm water and 60g of sugar until very foamy. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, gradually adding the remaining sugar. Pour the egg whites onto the egg yolk mixture. Mix the flour, cocoa, cornstarch, and baking powder and sift them over the egg mixture, then fold everything in loosely. Pour into a springform pan (26cm diameter) and bake at 200°C (top/bottom heat) for about 30 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack, remove the baking paper, and let cool. Then divide the cake into 3 layers. It’s best to bake it the day before. For the topping, mix the kirsch, cherry juice, and sugar. For the shortcrust pastry base, knead the butter with the powdered sugar, vanilla sugar, egg yolk, and kirsch, then mix in the flour. Chill for a while. Roll out the dough on a baking sheet (approx. 26cm diameter), place a baking frame around it, and bake at 180°C for about 10-15 minutes. Drain the sour cherries in a sieve, reserving a few for decoration if desired. Bring 250 ml of the collected juice to a boil with sugar and cinnamon. Mix cornstarch with a little cold water and add to the cherry juice. Bring to a boil and add the cherries. Stir gently to avoid crushing the cherries, bring to a boil again, remove from the heat, and let cool slightly. Then stir in the kirsch. Mix the cream stabilizer, sugar, powdered sugar, and vanilla sugar. Whip the cream briefly, then add the cream stabilizer and sugar to the cream while whisking continuously. Continue whipping the cream and stir in the kirsch. Whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Place the shortcrust pastry base on a cake plate. Spread 2 tablespoons of the cherry filling (without the cherries) over the shortcrust pastry base. Place the first sponge cake layer on top and soak it in. Now spread the cherry filling over the base (leaving a small edge free) and spread about 1/4 of the cream on top. Then place another layer on top, soak it, add about 1/4 of the cream again, place the last layer on top, and soak it. Put about 3 tablespoons of the cream into a piping bag. Spread the remaining cream over the top and sides of the cake. Decorate the cake with chocolate shavings. Use the piping bag to pipe dots of cream onto the cake surface and place the cherries on the dots.