Whether cream, chocolate, Kirsch and cherries are composed into a frozen dessert or plated (as shown here) they always please. Throughout my work, I have always been interested in discovering new flavor combinations, but at the same time I have always carefully studied the classics to discover what made them enduring.
Some fruits can even be more delicious when heated or sautéed and cherries belong exactly to this family. Flambéed cherries on gelato or served with panna cotta is simply perfection.
When I select a type of chocolate cake for black forest I make sure that it can be properly moistened with Kirsch liquor syrup. Certainly a chocolate genoise or a sponge cake can be used but using a chocolate cake rich in almonds add more finesse.
Assembly
- Cut a piece of chocolate cake into a desired shape. Moisten well with the Kirsch syrup.
- Place a piece of panna cotta on the cake and serve with flambéed cherries.
Chocolate Almond Cake
| 9 oz + 2.5 oz | Egg whites | 270 g + 75 g | |
| 4.5 oz | Extra fine granulated sugar | 135 g | |
| 0.2 oz | Powdered egg whites | 5 g | |
| 1 teaspoon | Vanilla extract | 5 g | |
| ¼ teaspoon | Salt | 1 g | |
| 4 oz | Powdered sugar | 120 g | |
| 1.5 oz | Pastry flour | 45 g | |
| 1oz | Cocoa powder | 30 g | |
| 1oz | Melted butter | 30 g | |
| 4 oz | Almond flour (100% almonds-Not T.P.T) | 120 g
|
- Whip the egg whites (9 oz -75 g) to froth. Combine the granulated sugar with the powdered egg whites very well and add to whipping egg whites. Add salt and vanilla.
- Meanwhile sift together the powdered sugar, pastry flour and cocoa powder. Stir into the un-whipped egg whites (2.5 oz – 75 g) using a spatula. Once combined stir in melted butter and then almond flour.
- In increments, delicately fold in the stiff whipped egg whites. Spread on a half sheet, parchment or silicone lined sheet pan and bake at 400°F (200°C) approximately 10 minutes or until the cake bounces back when lightly pressed.
Kirsch moistening syrup
| 6 fl oz | Simple syrup | 180 ml | |
| 2 fl oz | Kirsch | 60 ml | |
1.Combine the ingredients.
Flambeed cherries
Yield: 4 servings
| 1 oz | Unsalted butter | 30 g | |
| 1 oz | Extra fine granulated sugar | 30 g | |
| 20 | Fresh pitted cherries | 20 | |
| 1.5 oz | Kirsch | 45 g | |
| 1.5 oz | Cherry puree (optional) | 45 g | |
- In a sauté pan melt the butter and sugar. Add the cherries and swirl around until well heated.
- Pour the kirsch over the cherries and flambé. Remove from heat and swirl in the cherry puree. Serve immediately.
This looks so good! I LOVE cherry season! (Almost wrote cheery season, which cherry season most definitely could be…) :0) I have never flambeed them, though. I can think of lots of amazing things that flambeed cherries could go on….
Black forest has always been a favorite of mine. Will have to try very soon!
As always, thank you, Chef!
Love it! I think I will have to this at work this week!! Thanks!! LOL!!
Chef Eddy – I like your take on one of my favourite classics. I think I will be giving this one a try soon.
Hi Gareth,
Thanks and great to hear from you! It’s been a while.
Eddy.
Always reading Eddy, even if not commenting. PS: what is the garnish on the top photo for this post? It looks like chocolate but has an amazing shape and seems to rigid for a gel – it’s really great
This dessert is different from the last previous desserts… Time flys very quick…
Chef Eddy,
The flavor of this dessert really comes alive with the addition of panna cotta and flambéed cherries. Black forest cake is one of my favorite desserts.
Ben Davenport
Chef, I will always remember this dessert because it was the first one we made in plated desserts(although we put it in a glass). It was really exciting to learn about almond flour and since then I have been on the look out for different kinds of flours to experiment. It was also a treat using the cherries and learning how to pit them. I’ve only used canned in the past, but have added a cherry pitter to my Christmas list!
Black forest cake is one of my favorite cakes/desserts. I love how modern this recipe and presentation are…can’t wait to try it.
This my first plated dessert I made for first day in class with you. It’s really delicious with kirsch. I love how cake was soaked in and add creamy panna cotta and flambeed cherries on top. I might try make like black forest cake to use this recipe.
This is my all time favortie dessert. Could you put cherries in the panna cotta or do a kirsch flavored panna cotta if you don’t have cherries available to use?
For sure!
All of the pictures you take are amazing chef, but this is my favorite. The detail on them looks great.
this looks like a great twist on black forest cake, knowing how easy your recipes are to follow i cant wait to try it out