Black Forest Desserts

When in the Black Forest of Germany one must have some Black Forest Cake.  

Black Forest Trifle

Cook's notes: Black Forest gâteau and Black Forest cake are the English names for the German dessert Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte literally means "Black Forest cherry torte", where it originated.
Typically, Black Forest Cake consists of several layers of chocolate cake, with whipped cream and cherries between each layer. Then the cake is decorated with additional whipped cream, cherries and chocolate shavings. In some European traditions sour cherries are used both between the layers and for decorating the top. Traditionally, kirsch is added to the cherries. True Black Forest Cakes are decorated with black cherries.
Several Black Forest Dessert options are posted below.

Ingredients:

• 1 chocolate cake mix (18.25 oz box)
• 2- cans Dark Bing Cherries, pitted in heavy juice
• Fresh orange juice, as needed
• 1 cup + 2 TB. sugar, divided
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons Chambord or Kirsch
• 4 oz. Chocolate mousse mix (commercially prepared) found in baking aisle
• 1 cup milk
• 3 cups heavy whipping cream
• 3/4 tsp. vanilla extract, pure
• 1 oz. shaved chocolate 

Directions:

• Bake cake according to package instructions. Cool. Cut 6 by 8 into 1 1/2" squares.
• Drain cherries and reserve juice. Add enough orange juice to cherry juice to equal 1- 3/4 cups.
• Heat juice and add 1 cup of sugar. Bring to a light boil. Reserve 2 TB. sugar for whipped cream.
• Blend cornstarch with water. Add to boiling juice. Blend with a whisk to thicken.
• Add cherries and cook for 5 minutes. Cool to room temperature and add Chambord. Chill. 
• Whip mousse mix with cold milk and refrigerate to thicken slightly. Mix well with a whisk.
• Whip heavy cream on medium speed. Add remaining 2 TB. sugar and vanilla extract and whip until cream forms soft peaks.
• Assemble torte in an 8" round, 5" deep glass trifle bowl or make individual servings .
• Line the bottom of the bowl with 1 layer of chocolate cake cubes. Fit cake cubes tightly against sides of bowl. (This should take approx. half of the cake.)
• Spread a layer of the cherries and sauce over the cake cubes, making sure they're visible against the side of the bowl. Then add a layer of mousse. Repeat the layers of cake, cherries, and mousse. Reserve 5 to 9 cherries for garnish.
• Spread a layer of whipped cream over the top and garnish with the remaining cherries, Grate chocolate over the top.
  

Black Forest Ice Cream Pie 

Cook's Notes:This ice cream pie is quite versatile. Some options include: a graham cracker or cookie crust, vanilla or cherry chunk ice cream, using reduced fat, low fat or sugar free products and canned cherry pie filling or a homemade cherry sauce. The recipe comes from Midwest Living and I have included my adaptations.
Ingredients:

• 1 package of regular Oreo cookies ( you will need 2 rows 24 cookies, finely crushed crumbs ) and 3 TB melted butter or 2 cups finely crushed graham cracker crumbs with 1/3 cup melted butter, 1 tsp. cinnamon and 2 TB. sugar
• 1 pint vanilla or cherry chunk ice cream
• 1 oz. softened cream cheese
• 6 oz. Cool Whip thawed or 1-1/2 cups heavy cream whipped
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1-21.oz. can cherry pie filing, chilled or make a homemade cherry sauce (recipe below)
• Hot fudge ice cream topping or chocolate flavored syrup

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Use a food processor to make graham cracker or cookie crumb crust, add melted butter and mix well. Pat the crumb mixture in a glass pie pan. Bake 8 minutes. Cool and set aside. 
• Soften ice cream and spoon over cooled crust. Freeze covered 3 hours or until firm.
• In a mixing bowl beat confectioners sugar, cream cheese and Cool Whip or heavy cream whipped.
• Spread evenly over ice cream and return to freezer. Freeze overnight covered with foil. 
• To serve spoon cherry pie filling over pie slice and drizzle with fudge topping.

Homemade Cherry Sauce (better than canned) 
Ingredients:

• 1 can Dark Sweet Cherries, pitted
• 2 TB. cornstarch
• 2 TB. cherry preserves
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract 
• 1 TB. cherry brandy
• Reserved cherry juice

Directions:

• Drain cherries set aside. In a saucepan add reserved cherry juice, cornstarch, cherry preserves and extract. Whisk to blend well. 
• Cook on low heat until mixture starts to thicken. Add drained cherries to the saucepan and cook 2 minutes more. Add a tablespoon cherry brandy, mix and cool. Refrigerate sauce in a covered container until serving.