European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 12, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Forest or Kirsch its name in  apace that Clear Heady Rou do Vic distilled from fermented Cherry juice. Without it a Black Forest Cherry cake would certainly Lack character. Ironically the Best Black Forest Cherry cake i up Ever eaten was not in Germany at All but across the Rhine in Alsace where admittedly much of the cooking is closely related to that of the Schwarzwald on the other Side of the River. We had gone to a Small country inn for sunday lunch and As soon As we entered the dining room i noticed a Beautiful exceptionally tall dark chocolate cake sitting on the Buffet. The sides of the cake were not covered with icing and i could see the Cream and cherries pecking out from Between each layer. Only the top was covered with whipped Cream and decorated with deep red naturally red cherries. Although we were Only the second group of people to arrive for lunch i feared that that exquisite cake would be gone before we got around to ordering dessert. So i asked the Patronne if she would please Reserve two slices for us. It was a Wise request. Long before we finished the meal All but our two reserved pieces of cake had been snapped up by the other customers. The following recipe is for a Black Forest Cherry cake like the one we ate in Alsace. It makes a huge cake 16 serving but i be included instructions on How to Cut the recipe in half. In Germany this Rich cake is eaten not after meals but in the afternoon As an accompaniment to Coffee sometimes with a Glass of chilled Kirsch Wasser on the Side. I have also discovered that chilled dry Champagne goes very Well with Schwarzwalde Kirsch torte at almost any time of the Day or night. Fro Hes Cebu Staci Happy birthday Schwarzwalde Kirsch torte Black Forest Cherry cake note this recipe makes a very Large 4-Tayer cake which serves 16 people. To make a smaller 2 layer Black Forest Cherry cake which serves 8, bake Only one 2-layer cake and reduce by half All the ingredients for the cherries and Cream filling. Use the same amount of chocolate and Cherry Garnish As requited for the larger cake. Cherries 3 cups pitted sour Morello cherries canned or fresh 1 cup sugar Only if using fresh cherries v cup Kirsch first cake 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter 4 Teaspoons unsweetened Cocoa powder for dusting cake pans 1 Teaspoon Vanilla extract 6 eggs 1 cup sugar i cup All purpose flour3 /4 cup unsweetened Cocoa powder second cake make a second 2-layer cake identical to the first cake Cream filling 3 cups Creme Fraiche i cup Light Cream 1 cup confectioners sugar a cup Kirsch Ivi Teaspoons Vanilla extract Garnish i ounce i Square semisweet bar chocolate measured after the cherries have been pitted and drained. Approximately 1 v pounds of cherries weighed after they have been pitted and drained equals 3 cups because of the Large volume of beaten eggs in this recipe it is necessary to make two separate 2-layer cakes to produce the total of 4 layers required cherries. If using canned pitted cherries simply dram them then put them into a Glass bowl with i cup of Kirsch. Stir to mix Well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or As Long As overnight. If using fresh cherries pit them first then poach them by dropping the cherries into a Large Saucepan containing 3 cups of boiling water. Reduce the heat under the pan and let the cherries simmer for 3 to a minutes or until they Are tender. Stir in 1 cup of sugar and Cook another 5 minutes. Let the cherries Cook in the liquid then Drain them and Combine them in a Glass bowl with a cup of Kirsch. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or As Long As overnight. Cakes first cake melt the butter in a Small Saucepan Over Low heat. With a pastry Brush dipped in the melted butter lightly coat the Bottom and sides of two 9-Inch round layer cake pans. Sprinkle 2 Teaspoons of unsweetened Cocoa powder into each pan lightly coating the pan with Cocoa. Shake off any excess. Stir the Vanilla into the remaining butter and set aside in a warm place. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees f. Combine the eggs and sugar in the top part of a double boiler Over not in hot but not boiling water. Stir the eggs and sugar lightly Only enough to mix them. Let the mixture sit Over the hot water for 5 to 10 minutes the stove Burner should be set on Low heat. Stir occasionally to keep the eggs from sticking to the Bottom of the pan. Warming the eggs helps them beat to a greater volume while the eggs Are heating measure the flour and Cocoa by lightly spooning them into measuring cups. Sift the flour and Cocoa together onto a piece of waxed paper. Set aside. When the egg mixture is lukewarm to the touch remove it from the heat and Transfer it to a Large bowl. Using an electric mixer on High Speed beat the mixture for 10 minutes 25 minutes if beating by hand. Scrape the sides of the bowl often and beat the mixture until it is very Light and Fluffy and has tripled in volume. It should resemble whipped Cream Sprinkle the flour Cocoa mixture 2 heaping Tablespoons at a time Over the whipped eggs and they re Cookin in Germany do you know if it is proper to squeeze the vegetables in a German supermarket have you wondered if you can buy spareribs at the German Metzge Rei and even if you could what would you Call them have you Ever wondered How to Cook an elephant for answers to these and other culinary questions the american women s group in Bonn can help. Its new Cookbook. Cooks along the Rhein offers transplanted american Cooks hints for finding ingredients and preparing meals for their families with More than 400 pages the Book includes conversion charts from american measurements to metric party hints and a glossary. The Book is geared toward those living in Germany but would be a Welcome addition to the Kitchen of anyone who enjoys Europe Alf food. Recipes include Snail soup from Germany bean Plankl from Greece Lamb with couscous from Morocco italian Osso Buco and norwegian meatballs. For ar.yc--. Who has struggled with an oversize Cookbook with pages flapping while it s spread open on the Kitchen counter the format of the Book is one of the most Welcome features. Three notebook style rings hold the pages together along the top margin enabling the Book to stand erect with the recipe visible. Cooks along the Khmeln can be ordered from the american women s croup Box a Apo 09080. The Book is $12 or 36 Marks plus $2 for postage and handling. Beverly Bundy gently fold it into the eggs. After All the dry ingredients have been added gently fold in the melted butter 2 Tablespoons at a time use a rubber Spatula or Large Metal spoon Divide the Batter evenly Between the two cake pans. Bake them on the Middle rack of the pre heated oven at 350 degrees f. For 30 to 35 minutes or until the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the Center comes out clean. Let the cakes Cook for 10 minutes in the pans set on a wire rack then carefully remove the cakes and let them continue to Cool on the wire rack. The layers must be completely Cool before you assemble the whole cake. Second cake while the first cake is baking mix the ingredients for the second cake. Bake As directed for the first cake. Note the cake layers can be made Days or weeks in Advance. After they have cooled completely wrap them securely in plastic wrap or aluminium foil and store in the refrigerator 3 to 4 Days or the Freezer 3 to 4 months. Thaw before using. Cream filling put a Large mixing bowl and your electric mixer beaters into the refrigerator or Freezer for 30 minutes before you make the Cream filling. Have the Creme Fraiche and Light Cream very cold. Combine the Creme Fraiche and Light Cream in the chilled mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer a chilled beaters on medium Speed until the Cream begins to thicken. Reduce mixer Speed to Low and add the confectioners sugar v4 cup at a time. Add the Kirsch and Vanilla extract. Continue beating until All ingredients Are Well mixed and the Cream forms stiff peaks but be careful not to overheat. Cover and refrigerate the Cream filling until you Are completely ready to assemble the cake. To assemble the cake thoroughly Drain the macerated cherries reserving All the liquid from them. Set the cherries in a colander Over a bowl to let any excess liquid continue to Drain while you Are preparing the other ingredients. Select 16 of the nicest looking whole cherries for garnishing the top of the cake and set them aside on a paper Towel. Set the piece of bar chocolate in a warm place such As a Gas oven with the Pilot Light on for 5 minutes to soften slightly. Holding the chocolate Over waxed paper scrape the chocolate with a Sharp vegetable Peeler to make chocolate curls for garnishing the cake. You can prepare the chocolate curls in Advance and refrigerate or freeze them until needed place one of the cake layers in the Center of a serving Platter. Spread 2 Tablespoons of the Kirsch Flavoured liquid drained from the cherries evenly Over the top of the cake layer. With a rubber Spatula spread one fourth of the Flavoured Cream Over the top of the cake in an even layer extending to the eur of the cake. Let the Cream very slightly ooze  the Edge of the cake layer. Arrange one third of the cherries in a single layer spacing them evenly apart on top of the Cream. Gently press the cherries into the Cream. Set a second cake layer on top of the first. Spread with 2 Tablespoons of Krsck Cherry liquid one fourth of the Flavoured Cream and one third of the cherries As previously described. Add the third cake layer and cover it in the same manner. To Complete the cake Assembly stack the fourth cake layer on top. Spread with 2 Tablespoons of the Orsch Cherry liquid. At this Point if there s any liquid left drink it yourself As a Reward for getting this far in the recipe spread Only the top of the cake with the remaining one fourth of the Flavoured Cream. The sides of the cake Are not covered with Cream place the remaining 16 whole cherries in an evenly spaced Row around the top Edge of the cake gently pressing them into the Cream. Garnish with chocolate curls sprinkled Over the Cream. Carefully cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate it 2 to 3 hours before serving. Makes 16 Large Servings. Leftover cake should be stored in the refrigerator o Sharon Hudolin. 1ws september 12, ims stripes Magazine