Black Forest Cake

For the shortcrust base, knead together 90 g flour, 30 g sugar, 60 g softened butter and 1 egg yolk. Roll out thinly, prick with a fork and bake at 170°C for 10–15 minutes until golden.

For the sponge, beat 8 eggs with 250 g sugar for about 15 minutes until the mixture turns pale and fluffy. Sift 300 g flour with 2 tbsp cocoa powder and gently fold in with a spatula. Pour the batter into a 26–28 cm cake tin and bake at 170°C for about 40 minutes. Cool upside down, then slice horizontally into 3 layers.

Whip the cream with 150 g sugar to stiff peaks. Soak 4 gelatin sheets in 100 ml cold water, melt over low heat, let cool slightly, then whisk in a thin stream into the whipped cream.

Place the shortcrust base on a serving plate and spread with 4–5 tbsp cherry jam. Cover with the first sponge layer. Spread 300 g sour cherries over it, setting a few aside for decoration, and drizzle with about 40 ml kirsch.

Spread a layer of cream, cover with the second sponge layer, press down lightly and soak with another 30 ml kirsch. Add another layer of cream, cover with the third sponge layer and soak with the remaining 30 ml kirsch.

Cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining cream. Using a piping bag, pipe rosettes, then decorate the cake with 100 g chocolate shavings and the reserved cherries.

Chill the cake in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to let the cream layer set and the sponge soak through.