Just a little teaser from the cookbook.....
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 x 9” cake pan with parchment. Sift together 1¼ c. cake flour and 1 tsp. baking soda. In a double boiler or a glass bowl in microwave, melt 10 oz. bittersweet chocolate cut into small pieces, melt and keep warm.
With the paddle of an electric mixer, cream 1½ sticks very good quality butter until light. Gradually add 1 cup sugar and continue to cream until fluffy. (It is very important that this mixture is light and fluffy.) Beat in 4 egg yolks, one at a time. Add 1/3 c. slightly warmed whiskey (or brandy), and 1 tbsp vanilla. Stop the machine and scrape in the melted chocolate. Continue to mix until well-combined. Remove the bowl from the machine and fold in flour mixture gradually. With a clean whisk and bowl, whip the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/4 cup of sugar and continue to whisk until shiny and firm, but not stiff. Stir 1/4 of the whites into the batter to lighten, then fold in the remaining whites.
Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 1 hour. Cool thoroughly and frost.
Frosting: Place 8 oz. excellent quality semisweet chocolate in a glass bowl with 1 tbsp. butter. In a saucepan, heat 1 c. heavy cream slowly over medium heat until boiling for about 4 minutes (do not stir). When cream begins to bubble and climb the sides of the saucepan, pour it over the chocolate in the bowl. Again, do not stir. Let the chocolate soften. After 2 or 3 minutes, whisk or beat the softened chocolate until completely melted and smooth. If chocolate has not melted, place over a saucepan of boiling water or in the microwave for a few seconds (glass bowl only) and whisk til smooth.
Black Forest Cake
I once made this for a friend’s birthday. She took one bite of it and immediately took it into her bedroom to hide it so she wouldn’t have to share it!
Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. In a bowl, combine 1 3/4 c.flour, 1 tsp. baking powder and ½ tsp. salt. In double boiler or microwave, melt 3 oz. semisweet chocolate over low heat, then let cool. In another mixing bowl, cream 1/4 c. butter and 3/4 c. sugar until light and fluffy. Add 1 tsp. vanilla. Add 4 eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add melted chocolate and gradually add the flour mixture. Pour batter evenly into the prepared pans. Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. When cool, cut each layer horizontally with a long serrated knife, to make 4 layers.
Filling & Topping: Beat 2 c. whipping cream until very stiff. Gradually add in 2/3 c. confectioners sugar. Divide into quarters. Drain a can of tart red cherries.
Place first round of cake on a plate. Sprinkle 2 tbsp. kirsh over the cake, add a layer of whipped cream, dot with red cherries. Repeat twice. Place fourth layer on top and frost with the last of the cream. Decorate with chocolate shavings and maraschino cherries with long stems.
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