European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 9, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                By Sharon Hudgins it s that time of year again. You be survived the Christmas holidays and gained Only 10 pounds. You be starved yourself into crankiness and depression during the whole month of january. And now that craving for sinful sexy chocolate creeps upon you As Valentine s Day approaches. Let your feelings run wild for a moment. Engage in a Little harmless fantasy. Imagine a world in which people Are free to eat chocolate buttercream without guilt. A place where you can sip hot chocolate for breakfast and not feel compelled to spend an extra hour at the health club that afternoon. A society that values Reuben escue figures. Dream on All you chocolate lovers. If it tastes Good it must be bad for you. Chocolate and sin have been equated for centuries. According to Robert Hendrickson s lewd food Spanish priests in the 16th Century denounced chocolate As immoral and provocative of  for the next 30 years or so clergymen throughout Europe continued to condemn it. The Marquis de Sade mixed chocolate with other powerful stimulants. Casanova considered it second Only to Champagne in its desirable effects upon women. The renowned French gastronome Brillat Savarin wrote in the 19th Century that the Spanish ladies of the new world Are passionately fond of chocolate and not satisfied with taking it several times a Day they even have brought it to  no wonder the clergymen were so upset. Remember when you were suffering through adolescence and your parents told you that chocolate caused your face to break out perhaps those admonitions were moral guidance in disguise. Whatever the dangers to your Waistline complexion and soul chocolate remains de Rigueur for Valentine s Day. So indulge yourself with this delicious recipe for heart shaped Black Forest Cherry cake. This dessert which combines chocolate cherries and  guaranteed to say i love you to anyone you serve it to. Heart shaped Black Forest Cherry cake cherries i a cups pitted sour Morello cherries Viz cup sugar if using fresh cherries i cup Kirsch if using canned pitted cherries simply Drain them then put them into a Glass bowl with /4 cup of Kirsch. Stir to mix Well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or As Long As overnight. If using fresh cherries measure them after they have been pitted and drained. Approximately 12 ounces of pitted drained cherries equals 1 a cups. After pitting fresh cherries poach them by dropping them into a Large Saucepan containing 2 cups of boiling chocolate for Valentine s Day water. Reduce the heat under the pan and let the cherries simmer for 3 to 4 minutes or until they Are tender. Stir in 1/z cup of sugar and Cook for 5 minutes More. Let the cherries Cool in the liquid then Drain them and Combine them in a Glass bowl with 1/4 cup of Kirsch. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or As Long As overnight. Cake 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter 4 Teaspoons and % cup unsweetened Cocoa powder 1 Teaspoon Vanilla extract 6eggs 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup All purpose flour 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 Standard size heart shaped cake pans. Sprinkle 2 Teaspoons of unsweetened Cocoa powder into each pan lightly coating them 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� 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 it for 10 minutes or 25 minutes 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 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 using a rubber Spatula or Large Metal spoon. Divide the Batter evenly Between the two pans. Bake them on the Middle rack of the oven at 350� 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 Cool 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 cake. Cream filling 11/2 cups Creme Fraiche 1a cup Light Cream i cup confectioners sugar 1a cup Kirsch 1 Teaspoon Vanilla extract put a Large mixing bowl and the beaters of your electric mixer into the refrigerator or Freezer for 30 minutes before you make the Cream filling. Have the Creme Fraiche and Light Cream in the chilled mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer chilled beaters on medium Speed until the Cream begins to thicken. Reduce the mixer Speed to Low and add the confectioners sugar 2 Tablespoons 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. Garnish 1/2 ounce semisweet bar chocolate 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 it with a Sharp vegetable Peeler to make chocolate curls for Garnish you can prepare the chocolate curls in Advance and refrigerate or freeze them until needed 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. Place one cake layer in the Center of a serving Platter. Spread 2 Tablespoons of the Kirsch Flavoured liquid drained from the cherries evenly Over the top. Then with a rubber Spatula spread half of the Flavoured Cream Over the top in an even layer extending to the Edge of the cake. Let the Cream very slightly ooze Over the Edge. Arrange half of the cherries in a single layer spaced evenly apart on top of the Cream gently press them into the Cream. Place the second cake layer on top of the first. Spread with 2 Tablespoons of Kirsch Cherry liquid. At this Point if there s any liquid left drink it youself As a Reward for getting this far in the recipe spread Only the top of the cake with the remaining Flavoured Cream. The sides of the cake Are not covered with Cream place the remaining cherries atop the cake gently pressing them into the Cream. Garnish with a sprinkling of chocolate curls. Carefully cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 2 to 3 hours before serving. This recipe makes 8 Large Rich Servings. Leftover cake should be stored in the refrigerator c 1989 Sharon Hudgins 24 stripes Magazine february 9, 1989