Black Forest Cake
I have found the most fabulous chocolate genoise recipe! It's from Baked and I made the Black Forest Cake, one of my co-worker requests.
Here's the recipe straight from "Baked." I love the way the genoise turned out (after having a dismal failure in a previous recipe I tried, before I discovered this one). The method must be the trick - sifting cake flour and cocoa powder four times; stirring the egg/sugar mixture on low heat in a double boiler before beating it...and more. I've included the genoise recipe below. When my cake was cool, I slathered it with 3 cups of whipped cream, then added maraschino cherries and chocolate curls on top. (I tried some sour cherries in the filling but I think I would use sweet cherries next time - it's just a matter of personal taste).
Ingredients:
Sponge
3/4 cup cake flour
1/3 cup dutch-process cocoa
1/8 tsp. baking soda
5 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
3/4 cup + 2 Tbs. sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup warm (100-110F) clarified butter
Ingredients: Cream and fixin's
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 tsp. sugar
Grated semi-sweet Chocolate (optional)
8 maraschino cherries (optional)
Method: Sponge
1.Preheat oven to 350F (put a rack on the lower 1/3 of the oven).
2. Generously grease and flour a 9-inch springform pan.
3.Sift the flour , cocoa, and baking soda together 4 times.
4.Place a bowl over slightly simmering water, put in the eggs (including the two yolks) and the sugar and mix to just combine - but do not whisk together.
5.Stir for 3-5 min until the colour darkens, the mixture is slightly runny, and the temperature of the eggs is between 110-120F.
6. Remove the bowl from the simmering water and place the egg mixture in a large bowl.
7. Using a whisk, whisk the eggs on high speed until they are cool. This should take between 4-5min. The mixture should be light, and thick (when you run a finger through the eggs, you should see a dent).
8. Reduce the mixer to med. and add the vanilla extract. Whip for 2-3 min more.
9. Remove the bowl from the mixer.
10. Using a rubber spatula, fold in 2-3 Tbs. worth of the flour mixture at a time (this should take around 10-12 folds for each addition).
11. Before the last addition of the flour, pour in the butter over the mixture, then immediately add the last batch of the flour mixture. Fold into the batter, using around 12-15 turns.
12. Place the batter in the prepared springform pan. Tap the pan on the bench a couple of times, and then place on a baking sheet. Finally place in the preheated oven.
13. Bake for between 30-40 min. The cake is done when it is springy to the touch, and has come away from the sides of the pan.
14. Remove the cake from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Wait 10 min before removing the springform pan.
15. Allow to cool to room temp.
16. Cut in half (or thirds etc).
Method: Cream
1. Place the cream in a bowl.
2. whisk a little, then add the vanilla extract and sugar, and then whisk until quite thick.
3. Add maraschino cherries and chocolate curls.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. This cake keeps well in the fridge for a couple of days.
