It's a beautiful day here in the hills of southern Indiana. The sun is shining, the sky is blue. If you discount the fact that it's 17 degrees and that's the high for today you might just go crazy and do something like go outside. As soon as you realize your eyelids are frozen open, you'll come back in.
This day started like so many others. Well, actually, it didn't start like any other that I can recall. Darlin' Mark had a 7:30 am flight to catch out of Louisville. A mere 1 1/2 hour drive from our little piece of paradise. So the alarm was set for 4:30 am. Somewhere around 4:15, I was awakened by some sort of ruckus in the other end of the house. Rattling, banging and general clatter. I first thought that maybe some ferocious woodland creature had made it's way inside again. (I'll share the snake story at a later date.) I waited for Darlin' Mark to wake up and come to my rescue, but alas, it was not to be. So I ventured forth and found the source of the disturbance. Seems Pops was up trying to answer the call of nature and found himself trapped in the bedroom by a faulty doorknob. Needless to say, Darlin' Mark had to be summoned to the rescue and with his trusty screwdriver freed Pops from almost certain disaster. Or at the very least having to heave himself out the window in his boxers.
Disaster averted, it was off to the airport. Darlin' Mark has completed the clandestine potato operation and has been given a new assignment. Some sort of top secret jam session in Memphis with the code name Smucker's. A quick trip to town for a stop at the post office, bank and local grocery (where I made a major score on Pop's favorite variety of Hamburger Helper) and I returned to the house to find him napping safe and sound on the couch. Not sure I'll be able to coax him back into his room after today.
I then had to come up with some way to top the excitement of this already monumental day and could only think of one thing. Chocolate. Actually I think of chocolate a lot. I still cannot figure out how a sweet loving, chocolate craving girl like me ended up here with a whole bunch of people who do not believe that dessert is the most important meal of the day or that chocolate is one of the major food groups. I have told them on several occasions that this causes me to doubt their patriotism, intelligence and mental stability. But with Pops here visiting this month, I have a co-conspirator in my quest for sweets, treats and yummy things. He's been known to down an entire box of chocolate covered cherries in a day or two and so the Black Forest Torte was conceived.
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| Black Forest Torte |
This torte is not for the casual chocolate lover. It's packed with a pound of semi-sweet and bittersweet chocolate, butter, eggs and amaretto. Covered with chocolate ganache, topped with more whipped ganache, cherries and whipped cream. The good news is it has no flour, therefore gluten free, and only 1/4 cup of sugar. That's as close as I can get to pretending it's not a heart attack on a plate. But it's Valentine's Week and I love chocolate. And Darlin' Mark will not be here to lavish me with adoration and priceless gifts, so I intend to eat chocolate. And a lot of it.
Keep in mind, the torte needs to cure overnight in the fridge before serving, so a little planning is in order if you plan to make it for a specific occasion.
9 Inch Springform Pan
Butter
Parchment Paper
Large Roasting Pan for Water Bath
Torte
8 oz Bittersweet Chocolate, coarsely chopped
8 oz Semi-Sweet Chocolate, coarsely chopped (can use chocolate chips)
1/2 Lb (2 sticks) Unsalted Butter, cut into cubes
2 Tbsp Amaretto
8 (yes 8) Large Eggs
1/4 C Granulated Sugar
1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 Tsp salt
Ganache
2 1/2 Cups Heavy or Whipping Cream
12 oz Semi-Sweet Chocolate, coarsely chopped
4 oz Bittersweet Chocolate, coarsely chopped
Cherry Topping
2 Cups Fresh or Frozen Tart Pie Cherries
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
2 Tsp Corn Starch
Whipped Cream
2 Cups Heavy or Whipping Cream
1/4 Cup Confectioner's Sugar
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1 Tsp Unflavored Gelatin
4 Tsp Cold Water
Prepare and Bake Torte
Preheat oven to 325 degrees
Butter bottom and sides of springform pan, line bottom with round of parchment paper.
Wrap bottom and up sides of springform pan with heavy duty aluminum foil. Use 3-4 layers of foil to protect from water seeping into bottom of pan.
Combine chocolate, butter and amaretto in metal bowl.
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| You could stop here and be ok |
Using double boiler or metal bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, melt butter, chocolate and amaretto.
While chocolate mixture is melting, combine eggs, sugar, salt, vanilla in bowl of stand mixer or large mixing bowl.
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| That's 8 eggs folks |
Mix on med-high for 5-10 minutes or until frothy and almost doubled in size.
Add 1/3 egg mixture to chocolate mixture and fold gently with plastic scraper.
Repeat x 2 until all egg mixture is combined with chocolate.
Pour batter into sprinform pan.
Place roasting pan on middle rack of oven. Place springform pan in center of roasting pan and add hot water 1/2 way up sides of springform pan.
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| Water bath helps custards, cheesecakes, tortes cook evenly and avoid cracks in top of cake |
Bake until edges of cake just start to set, center will still appear slightly moist. Approximately 40-45 minutes.
Remove springform pan from roasting pan and cool on rack until room temperature. Once completely cooled, cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
Prepare Cherry Topping
In medium saucepan combine cherries, lemon juice, sugar and corn starch.
Cook over medium heat until cherries release their juices and mixture thickens to a syrup consistency.
Chill in refrigerator until ready to assemble cake and serve.
After torte has cured, prepare ganache.
Place 1 lb coarsely chopped semi-sweet chocolate in medium mixing bowl.
Heat 2 1/2 cups cream in small saucepan over medium heat until just comes to a boil.
Pour heated cream over chocolate and let sit 10 minutes.
While ganache is melting, remove torte from pan by running a knife around edge of pan, unlatch springform pan and remove side. Invert cake onto plate, remove parchment paper from bottom of torte, then turn back over onto cake plate or serving plate.
After 10 minutes gently stir the cream and chocolate mixture until all chocolate is melted and it is smooth.
Pour approximately 1 cup of warm ganache over top of cake and smooth to edge of torte. It's ok if it runs over the sides. Let chill until set.
At this time you can decide to serve the torte by letting it set at room temperature for 1 hour before slicing, spooning cherries over the top and adding a dollop of whipped cream. If you want to finish the assembly as pictured in the post, then continue with the directions below for whipped ganache and stabilized whipped cream for piping and decorating.
Let remainder of ganache come to room temperature and then using stand or hand mixer, whip remaining ganache until light, fluffy and consistency of whipped cream type frosting.
Using decorator bag and large star tip, pipe whipped ganache around top and bottom of torte or if you prefer, spread over top of poured ganache layer.
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| Chocolate on chocolate on chocolate has to be one of my favorite options |
Chill torte in refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour until ganache is set.
Spoon cherry mixture over top of torte.
If you plan to spoon whipped cream over torte as it is served, then follow instructions for basic whipped cream below. If you plan to pipe whipped cream onto torte and store until serving, then you will want to prepare stabilized whipped cream to avoid it melting and seeping cream on the cake.
Whipped Cream
In chilled bowl, using stand or hand mixer with whisk attachment, whip cream, sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form.
Stabilized Whipped Cream
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| My son, Sam, was completely dumbfounded as to why anyone would have unflavored gelatin in the house |
Add 4 tsp cold water to small saucepan and sprinkle 1 tsp of unflavored gelatin over water. Let sit until dissolved.
Combine 1 cup heavy cream, 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar, 1 tsp vanilla in large mixing bowl or bowl of stand mixer and whip on medium speed until slightly thickened.
Warm gelatin mixture over low heat until dissolved and nearly clear. Pour into cream mixture with mixer running.
Whip until stiff peaks form.
Using decorator bag and large star tip, pipe whipped cream on torte and garnish with chocolate curls, grated chocolate or cocoa powder.
Let torte sit at room temperature for 1 hour before serving.
Serve it up to your daddy and watch him smile!
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