Chocolate Kirsch Torte With Tart Cherrycranberry Filling Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Butter and line a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper. Butter the parchment paper and set aside.
• Whisk the eggs yolks, eggs, and sugar in a large metal bowl over a pot of simmering water for a few minutes until the mixture is about 120 degrees F. Remove the bowl from the heat, and keep whisking to aerate the mixture until it is thick and fluffy, about 10 minutes. The mixture should increase in size 4 to 5 times and become very pale in color.
• Gently fold in both the sifted flour and wheat flour, and the cocoa powder. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan, and flatten it out carefully with a rubber spatula. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out cleanly. Invert the cake onto a wire rack, and cut a few vents in the parchment paper so that the steam can evaporate. Let inverted cake rest for 24 hours.
• In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons Kirsch, 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, and the corn flour. Add a pinch lemon zest and a pinch of cinnamon to the bowl, and stir to combine. In a small saucepan, bring to a boil the remaining 4 tablespoons Kirsch. Reduce the heat to medium, add the sugar mixture, and stir. Then add the cherries, stir again, and heat through. Remove from the heat, pour into a bowl, and let cool.
• Cut the cake into 3 layers. Spread the melted chocolate evenly over the bottom layer, and place it in the refrigerator to cool and harden slightly. Meanwhile, make the Whipped Cream and the Syrup.
• Remove the chocolate-covered base layer from the refrigerator and brush syrup over the top. Add about 1/2 of the filling mixture, and 1/4 of the whipped cream. Repeat the layer, brushing with Syrup, then filling, and then Whipped Cream. Place the third cake layer on top, brush it with Syrup, and then cover it with Whipped Cream. Spread the remaining Whipped Cream around the side of the cake. Decorate the top of the cake with chocolate shavings and additional cherries.
• Whip together the cream, 2 tablespoons sugar, and vanilla sugar. If you don't have vanilla sugar, you may substitute 1 tablespoon sugar plus 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Begin whipping slowly, making the mixture lighter, and continue until you have achieved light and airy whipped cream.
• Combine 1 1/2 cups water and 3/4 cup sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. When mixture is boiling and sugar has totally dissolved, remove the pan from the heat and add the Kirsch, and stir to combine.

Steps:

• Preparation of Cherry/ Cranberry filling: (Can be made a day ahead of time and refrigerated.)
• Drain cherries reserving cherry juice. Combine sugar, cornstarch and (2/3 cup) cherry juice in a 2-quart saucepan.
• Heat mixture until it comes to a full boil. Add cranberries. Let mixture simmer for 5 to 7 minutes until cranberries spilt open.
• Add cherries and Kirsch and heat just until mixture returns to a boil. Pour mixture into a covered bowl and refrigerate until completely cooled.
• Preparation of Cake:
• Let butter and eggs come to room temperature (20-30 minutes). Preheat oven to 350°F
• Prepare three round 9" x 1½" cake pans; lightly butter the sides and line bottoms with parchment paper.
• Cream butter. Add sugar and cream together until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture alternating with buttermilk.
• Mix until well blended but do not over mix.
• Divide batter evenly between 3 prepared pans. Bake 30 minutes or until top springs back when gently pressed and a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Cool 10 minutes, then remove from pans to a wire rack, peel off parchment paper and cool completely before assembling cake.
• Preparation of the Whipped Cream filling: (prepare just before the cake is to be assembled.)
• Combine gelatin and Kirsch in a small custard cup and let stand about 5 minutes to soften the gelatin.
• Place the custard cup in a small pan of warm water and gently heat mixture over low heat, stirring until the gelatin has completely dissolved.
• Remove from heat. Beat the cream in a chilled bowl until it holds soft peaks. Add powdered sugar and beat until it holds stiff peaks. Add in the gelatin mixture gradually beating until the mixture holds stiff peaks.
• Preparation of Chocolate Icing: (Prepare after the rest of the cake is assembled and use immediately.)
• Cream butter. Whisk together sugar and cocoa. Add sugar mixture alternating with Kirsch.
• Beat mixture until fluffy adding only enough milk to make a thick spread-able icing.
• Assembling the cake:
• Place one layer, bottom side up, on a platter.
• Spoon half the cherry/berry mixture onto the layer and allow the layer to absorb the syrup. Then cover with half the whipped cream mixture.
• Place the second layer, also bottom side up, on top of the first layer. Cover with remaining cherry/ berry mixture (reserving about 5 cherries for garnishing the top of the cake.)
• Top with the remaining whipped cream mixture.
• Add third cake layer. Spread chocolate butter icing in the top of the third layer. Garnish with reserved cherries.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Steps:

• Set aside 1/4 cup crushed cookies for topping. In a large bowl, combine remaining cookies and butter; spread into a 13-in. x 9-in. dish. Set aside. , In a large bowl, combine the whipped topping mixes, milk and vanilla; beat on low speed until blended. Beat on high for 4 minutes or until thickened and stiff peaks form. Add cream cheese; beat until smooth. , Spread over crust; top with pie filling. Sprinkle with reserved cookies. Cover and refrigerate for 12-24 hours before serving.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Combine nuts and 1/3 cup flour in processor; finely chop nuts. Transfer mixture to large bowl. Add remaining 2 cups flour and next 5 ingredients to bowl; whisk to blend. Add butter. Using electric mixer at low speed, blend ingredients until coarse meal forms (this will take several minutes). Add egg yolks and vanilla. Beat until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball. Press 1 1/2 cups (packed) dough over bottom and up sides of prepared pan; spread preserves in dough. Roll remaining dough on sheet of parchment paper to 13x10-inch rectangle. Freeze rectangle 5 minutes to firm. Cut twelve 1/2-inch-wide strips lengthwise from rectangle. Arrange 6 strips across torte, spacing evenly. Arrange 6 more strips across torte in opposite direction, forming lattice. Seal ends of strips to dough edge, trimming excess. Reserve all dough scraps to make cookies, if desired.
• Bake torte until crust is golden brown and preserves are bubbling thickly, about 40 minutes. Cool torte completely on rack. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover with foil; store at room temperature.)
• Push bottom of pan up to free torte from pan. Sift powdered sugar over edge of torte, if desired, and serve.

Steps:

• Whisk together 1/3 cup sugar, kirsch, and cornstarch in a medium pot. Add cherries and any juices. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring constantly, over medium-high until thickened, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and let cool to room temperature.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch metal baking pan. Line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the long sides of the pan. Butter parchment.
• Whisk cocoa with hot water in a medium bowl until smooth. Whisk in sour cream and melted chocolate; let cool. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in another medium bowl.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and 1 2/3 cups sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating to combine after each and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. With mixer on low, add flour mixture in two parts, alternating with the cocoa mixture and beginning and ending with the flour; beat until combined. Fold in 1 1/4 cups cherry filling; reserve remaining filling for topping.
• Pour batter into prepared pan; smooth with an offset spatula. Bake until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Remove cake from pan.
• Transfer cake to a serving platter. In a small saucepan over low, heat gelatin and 2 tablespoons water over low, stirring constantly, just until gelatin melts, about 3 minutes. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk heavy cream and remaining 1/4 cup sugar on medium-high. Once soft peaks form, slowly add gelatin mixture with the mixer running until combined. Frost top of cooled cake and top with remaining cherry filling.