Black Forest Cake

Black Forest Cake and Black Forest gateau are the English names for the southern German dessert Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte (literally "Black Forest cherry torte").

Typically, Black Forest cake consists of several layers of chocolate cake, with whipped cream and cherries between each layer. Then the cake is decorated with additional whipped cream, maraschino cherries, and chocolate shavings. In some European traditions sour cherries are used both between the layers and for decorating the top. Traditionally, Kirschwasser is added to the cake, although other liquors are also used (rum is common in Austrian recipes). In the USA Black Forest cake is most often prepared without alcohol.

After the succeessful completion of my cake decorating course. I always wanted to try out my favorite cake which is a "Black Forest Cake". Finally one day i said "Let's Do it"....after doing a good research on the internet i finally wrote down my recipe for a black froest n ever since that has become my very suceessful recipe...Everyone in my house n friends started likeing it a lot ...

So whatever the occassion might be ever since i learnt it ....its the first thing on the table to celebrate the day.I had made several of them be it a round ,oval ,square or a heart shaped cake.I make use of the common ingredients that are available in the bakeing section of the grocery store.It's time taking but it's well worth the wait.

So r u ready....for the mouth watering recipe

Ingredients:

For an 8 inch cake with 2 fillings in between

Below Items are available in the baking goods section of any general grocery stores like walmart,jewel,dominicks,safeway,krogers etc

8 inch cake pan

1 box of betty crocker super moist milk chocolate cake mix

1 1/4 cups water

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

1 pint Dean’s Ultra-Pasteurized Whipping Cream /Cool whip box 2

1 can comstock original country pie filling

1 big bar of ghirardelli semi sweet chocolate bakeing bar

4 tbsp cherry liqour (kirsch)/rum

6 tbsp sugar pwd

1 tsp vanilla essence

pam baking spray/ butter n maida(all purpose flour)

large serated knife

electric hand held blender with whisk attachment

Method for baking Cake

• In a large deep bowl add the water ,oil and eggs and blend with the hand blender until its frothy.Next add the chocolate cake mix in batch wise and keep blending until smooth and keep aside
• Take the bakeing pan and spray it with the baking spray(alternatively u can just rub it with butter and sprinkle it with some all purpose flour.
• Preheat the oven to 350*F
• Pour half of the cake mix into the pan till the pan is half full ,just even out the mix on top by just tapping the pan on the countertop,this will release the air bubbles from it.
• Put it in the oven for 30-35 mins,Remember do not open the oven in between to see how the cake look as this will result in the rising cake to collapse.Instead just on the oven light n see through the oven glass door.
• Once done after 30 mins insert a toothpick in the center n remove it should come out clean,that means the cake is done.
• Remove the pan from the oven and let it rest for 3o mins at room temperature.Then remove the cake from the pan it should be able to come out of it easily without breaking.
• Follow the above method again for baking a second cake with the remaining cake mix.Alternatively if u have 2 cake pans of the same size u can bake both the cakes at once.
• Once both the cakes are done leave it to cool in room temperature for 3-4hrs .Then just level out the cakes by cutting the bulging tops http://www.wilton.com/cakes/making-cakes/leveling-cakes.cfm
• Next we have to divide one of the cake into two parts,http://www.wilton.com/cakes/making-cakes/torting-cakes.cfm this means u will have 3 cakes now

Prepare the soaking syrup

Take a bowl,put a seive on top of it.Open the cherry pie filling can n empty it onto the seive U have to seperate the cherrys from the syrup which is thick.Once u do this remove 10 cherries for garnish,then smash the remaining cherries.Now take the thick syrup add 3 Tbsp sugar pwd, rum or cherry liquor add water until the syrup is like a juice consistency.Keep aside

Prepare the filling n icing

Icing:--(if ur useing the cool whip box u can avoid this icing step because its already whipped,but i personally feel that fresh whipped cream is more tasty).Pour the whipping cream into a deep bowl it looks like thick milk consistency,add vanilla essence an blend it with the electric hand blender.It starts becoming more thick,now add the 3tbsp of pwd sugar and continue to blend until its thick which means it should be able to hold its shape when a peak is formed.

Filling:--Now take some whipping cream that is whipped and then add the mashed cherries to it and mix

Chocolate Shavings

Take the chocolate bar and a vegetable peeler.Now hold the chocolate in one hand and the peeler in the other hand n start peeling the chocolate.U will notice small chocolate curl like things coming ,finish the whole bar like this n keep the chocolate shavings in the fridge.While doing this tha chocolate might be melting n sticking to ur skin ,if so then put the chocolate in the fridge n wash ur hands,after sometime start doing it again.

Assembling the whole cake:

• Place one cake on the cake board or plate,then sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of syrup that we prepared on the cake, make sure whole top of the cake is wet with the syrup.Just make sure u dont add too much of syrup because the cake will fall apart.
• Next spread some of the filling on the cake it should be a thick spread.
• Put another cake on it n again sprinkle some syrup on it let it soak,then again spread the filling on it.
• Now put the 3rd cake n sprinkle it with syrup, Now here the filling is now more needed.
• Now start covering or icing the cake with the remaining plain whipped cream.Cover the whole cake with it,the cake should not be shown outside the icing.
• Now take the chocolate shavings in one hand and start pressing lightly towards the icing,dont mind if some of the shavings fall down..
• Continue to repeat the procedure until u cover the whole cake with chocolate shavings as shown in the photos above
• Now put some cherries on the cake for garnish.

Let's Celebrate!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi

Thanks for visiting my blog. I was waiting to start a blog for a long time n share my knowledge about cooking and baking because i believe in

''To teach, is to touch a life forever''

I went and learnt cake decorating in a Michaels store Wilton Cake Decorating calsses n successfully completed all the 4 courses in it.I named my blog long time back but didnt get any time to post something in it .Then came valentines day when i broke out of lazyness and prepared the cookies and chocolate basket cake full of fondant(edible) roses for my hubby. I will post this recipe for the chocolate cake very soon!!!


Happy Valentines Day
source-Wikipedia

Valentine's Day or Saint Valentine's Day is a holiday celebrated on February 14 by many people throughout the world. In the West, it is the traditional day on which lovers express their love for each other by sending Valentine's cards, presenting flowers, or offering confectionery. The holiday is named after two among the numerous Early Christian martyrs named Valentine. The day became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished.

The day is most closely associated with the mutual exchange of love notes in the form of "valentines". Modern Valentine symbols include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten notes have largely given way to mass-produced greeting cards. The sending of Valentines was a fashion in nineteenth-century Great Britain, and, in 1847, Esther Howland developed a successful business in her Worcester, Massachusetts home with hand-made Valentine cards based on British models. The popularity of Valentine cards in 19th century America was a harbinger of the future commercialization of holidays in the United States.

Apart from the reason of why people celebrate valentines day.I personaly feel that each day is a special day for everyone.So I thought ok whatever the reason might be,its party time so lets celebrate.........

Raspberry Jam Sandwich Hearts
recipe source-Williams Sonoma"Essentials of Baking"

Ingredients:

Makes 16 cookie sandwiches and 16 miniature heart cookies
2 1/2 cups maida(all purpose flour)

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature(that means leave the butter on a table for an hour it will become soft do not melt it)

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla essence

1/2 tsp almond extract

6 tbsp seedless raspberry jam at room temperature

Raw material's u need:

Deep round bowl

Wooden spoon or hand blender with whisk attachment

rolling pin

baking tray

parchment paper or aluminium foil

plastic cling wrap

heart shaped cookie cutters 2 1/2 inch and 1-inch or cookie cutter of ur choice

sieve (like ur tea strainer)

Method:

Remember that first n foremost baking anything is very easy until u follow the exact measurements

• In a large bowl,combine the butter and powdered sugar.Beat with a wooden spoon until smooth.
• Add the vanilla and almond essence and mix once again until well blended
• Now add the salt and maida in small quantities and mix well until the dough comes togeather in large clumps.Press the dough togeather into a ball like a chapati dough, it will be bit sticky but dont worry.
• Divide it into 2 balls.Gather each ball n flatten into a small disk,wrap in plastic cling wrap,and refrigerate until firm,about 40 mins
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment(baking) paper,meanwhile preheat oven to 325*F
• Remove 1 dough disk from the fridge.Lightly dust a work surface with flour in the same way as we do for chapathi.Roll out the dough bit thick .
• Using a 2 1/2 -inch heart shaped cookie cutter,cut out the 16+16 cookies.
• Place 16 of them on a cookie sheet.
• Next take the remaining 16 cookies and 1 inch heart shaped cookie cutter n using it cut out the center of the cookies.
• Seperate the miniature hearts from it place each of the cut out cookies on the baking sheet.
• Bake the cookies,until the edges are light brown for 12-15 min's.
• Remove and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 15 min's
• Next place the cut out cookies(heart shape which in turn has a heart cut into it) seperate ,put some powdered sugar onto a seive n dust the cookies with this sugar.
• Take the whole cookies and spread the raspberry jam onto it then place this cut out cookies onto it.