Best 2 Black Forest Tart Recipes

BLACK FOREST LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottoms and sides of 3 (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray; line with cooking parchment paper.
• In small bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another small bowl, beat baking cocoa and 1 1/4 cups water with whisk until well blended. Set both bowls aside.
• In bowl of electric stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat 2/3 cup softened butter and 1 1/3 cups sugar on medium speed 2 to 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally, until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; beat in eggs, one at a time, just until smooth. Beat in 2 teaspoons vanilla. On low speed, beat in one-third of the flour mixture, then half of the cocoa mixture, beating well after each addition, just until smooth. Repeat with flour mixture and cocoa mixture, ending with flour mixture. Scrape side of bowl occasionally. Pour 1 2/3 cups batter in each pan; spread evenly. Tap pans on counter 2 to 3 times to eliminate air bubbles from batter.
• Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, in 1-quart saucepan, beat 1/2 cup sugar and the cornstarch with whisk. Beat in 1/3 cup water until smooth. Stir in chopped cherries. On medium-high heat, heat cherry mixture to boiling; boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in 1 tablespoon butter. Pour into small bowl. Refrigerate uncovered at least 1 hour.
• In medium glass or metal bowl, beat egg whites and 1 1/2 cups sugar with whisk until blended. Set over pan of simmering water, beating occasionally, 16 to 20 minutes or until sugar has dissolved and egg mixture reaches 160°F. Remove from heat; pour into bowl of electric stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat on high speed 2 to 3 minutes or until glossy peaks form and bowl has cooled to feel slightly warm. Still on high speed, slowly add 1 1/2 cups butter, one piece at a time, scraping side of bowl occasionally, until mixture is smooth, thick and shiny, 12 to 14 minutes. Beat in 2 teaspoons vanilla. If mixture separates, beat until smooth.
• Fit decorating bag with 1/2-inch round piping tip; fill with frosting. Place one cake layer on serving plate. Pipe a thick frosting border around top edge of cake layer. Pipe a second border just inside the first border. Spread 2/3 cup of the cherry filling over top of cake inside borders. Top with second cake layer; repeat borders and filling. Place third cake layer on top. Frost side and top of cake with remaining frosting. Press shaved chocolate around bottom half of cake. Refrigerate 1 hour.
• When ready to serve, mound maraschino cherries in center of cake. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.

BLACK FOREST TART

Steps:

• Make chocolate pastry by pulsing the pastry, 2 tbsp cocoa and the vanilla in a food processor. Roll out on a lightly floured work surface until it is the thickness of a £1 coin and use to line a 22-23cm loose-bottomed tart tin. Chill for 30 mins.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Scrunch up a sheet of baking parchment, then flatten it out and press gently over the pastry. Pile in baking beans and blind-bake for 15-20 mins until the pastry is biscuity. Remove the parchment and beans and bake for 5 mins more until cooked through. Brush with egg white and return to the oven for 2 mins; this will help to keep the base crisp. Reduce oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and spread the jam over the base of the tart.
• Melt the chocolate and butter in a microwave, in short bursts on High, stirring in between, or in a bowl over - but not touching - a pan of barely simmering water. Whisk the eggs, egg yolk and sugar with an electric whisk for a full 10 mins until pale and thick. Take your time when beating the eggs and sugar - they should be mousse-like. Sieve the flour and remaining cocoa and fold in, together with the melted chocolate, using a big metal spoon.
• Scrape into the tin and scatter over the cherries. Bake for 20-25 mins until the filling has slightly puffed but is still slightly wobbly when you shake it. Chill for 3 hrs or overnight, then sprinkle with a few cherries and a dusting of icing sugar. Serve with crème fraîche.