Cold Black Forest Cake

• vegetable oil↗

  for the pan

• dark chocolate↗300g g
• cream↗400ml ml
• sour cream↗250g full-fat g

  full-fat

• powdered sugar↗80g g
• vanilla bean paste↗½ tsp tsp
• cherries↗460g jar g

  in jar (available online or in the bakery section of large supermarkets)

• Bourbon biscuits700g g
• granulated sugar↗50g g

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Lightly grease a 20 × 25 cm springform cake pan with oil, line it with plastic film, then lightly grease again. Set aside.

2. 2

   Place 200 g of chocolate in a heat‑proof bowl and melt in the microwave in 20‑second intervals, stirring until smooth. Alternatively melt the chocolate in a heat‑proof bowl over a pot of simmering water, ensuring the bowl does not touch the water. Let cool for 10 minutes. Whisk together the cream, soured cream, powdered sugar and vanilla bean paste until soft but spoon‑like in consistency (at this stage the mixture should be quite fluid; it will thicken in the fridge). Transfer half of the mixture to another bowl, then gently fold in the melted chocolate.

3. 3

   Tip: place half of the cherries and all of the juice in a saucepan. Slice the remaining cherries and set aside. In the bottom of the prepared pan, lay a layer of Bourbon biscuits, then spoon half of the chocolate cream, half of the sliced cherries and half of the vanilla cream. Repeat with a second layer of biscuits and the remaining chocolate cream, sliced cherries and vanilla cream. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

4. 4

   Tip: add the granulated sugar to a saucepan with the remaining whole cherries and juice. Cook over low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat, bring to a boil and cook over high heat for 8‑10 minutes, or until the liquid reduces to a syrupy consistency that coats the back of a spoon. Let cool completely.

5. 5

   Carefully remove the cake from the pan and peel off the film. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes to soften slightly. Roughly chop the remaining dark chocolate. Spread the chilled cherries and syrup over the cake and sprinkle with chocolate. Cut into 12 squares for serving. Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to three days.