Less than 24 hours after returning from the Black Forest, a gourmet eater e-mailed wondering about this torte, that has a reputation all over the world, as fantastic. I will pretend I'm a food critic and give my opinion after two samplings of the sweet.
It definitely gets a 10 for curb appeal. Three layers of a relatively light chocolate cake ground the pastry. Two layers of whipped cream make it "to die for". And six to seven tablespoons of kirschwasser (kirsch) combined with sour cherries compose a layer of magic. Grated chocolate and cherries decorate the torte's top.
Taste rating was also a 10, but I must warn you! Some recipes suggest subbing cherry jam for kirsch. "Nein"! The cake needs the moisture of the liqueur or it could be dry.
My concerns making this treat are: I don't have a springform pan here, (the cake is cut into layers) my fine motor skills are questionable, (should I buy a pan I might use only once and disappoint myself at the same time?), and it's not served with ice cream so I couldn't hide my Leaning Tower of Torte.
A well bred German Frau would serve "Scharzwalder Kirschtorte" with a proper cup of coffee on a table set with her best dessert plates and a small floral centerpiece enhancing decor. Commonly a big piece of torte is sliced and presented to guests. After taking a good sized bite, exclaim, "sehr gut"! (very good) and smile.
At cafes, which is where I savored the torte, waiters also ask the big question, "Do you like it?"
Since I've got the time (lots of it) I think I'll walk downtown tomorrow to purchase a pan.( I can give the pan to Simon if I screw it up when he visits with Gretchen) If I don't succeed there are also excellent bakeries. (every two blocks Bamberg has one, most quite good)
It definitely gets a 10 for curb appeal. Three layers of a relatively light chocolate cake ground the pastry. Two layers of whipped cream make it "to die for". And six to seven tablespoons of kirschwasser (kirsch) combined with sour cherries compose a layer of magic. Grated chocolate and cherries decorate the torte's top.Taste rating was also a 10, but I must warn you! Some recipes suggest subbing cherry jam for kirsch. "Nein"! The cake needs the moisture of the liqueur or it could be dry.
My concerns making this treat are: I don't have a springform pan here, (the cake is cut into layers) my fine motor skills are questionable, (should I buy a pan I might use only once and disappoint myself at the same time?), and it's not served with ice cream so I couldn't hide my Leaning Tower of Torte.
A well bred German Frau would serve "Scharzwalder Kirschtorte" with a proper cup of coffee on a table set with her best dessert plates and a small floral centerpiece enhancing decor. Commonly a big piece of torte is sliced and presented to guests. After taking a good sized bite, exclaim, "sehr gut"! (very good) and smile.
At cafes, which is where I savored the torte, waiters also ask the big question, "Do you like it?"
Since I've got the time (lots of it) I think I'll walk downtown tomorrow to purchase a pan.( I can give the pan to Simon if I screw it up when he visits with Gretchen) If I don't succeed there are also excellent bakeries. (every two blocks Bamberg has one, most quite good)
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