BLACK FOREST CAKE

Published on June 23, 2026

Category :

Cakes and Tarts

Makes :

10 pieces

Difficulty :

 Easy

INGREDIENTS

An original recipe from L'Ecole Gourmet Valrhona

Chocolate Biscuits:

40g egg yolks
105g eggs
110g (85g + 25g) sugar
65g egg whites
25g flour
25g cocoa powder

Manjari 64% Cream:

125g whole milk
125g heavy cream
25g sugar
50g egg yolks
2g gelatin sheets
110g Manjari 64%

Manjari 64% Chocolate Icing Shell:

800g Manjari 64%
80g grape seed oil

Ivoire 35% Vanilla Kirsch Whipped Ganache:

330g (90g + 240g) heavy cream
10g acacia honey
10g glucose (or corn syrup)
120g Ivoire 35%
2 ea Norohy Vanilla Bean
10g kirsch

Cherry Jelly:

140g frozen cherries
70g cherries in alcohol (or frozen cherries)
4g gelatin sheet
20g sugar
5g kirsch

Chocolate Liquor Soaking Syrup:

140g water
30g sugar
40g chocolate liquor
1 ea Norohy Vanilla Bean

INSTRUCTIONS

Chocolate Biscuits:

Whip the egg yolks, whole eggs, and 85g of sugar with a hand mixer.
Beat 25g of sugar with the egg whites to stiff peaks. Fold into first mixture.
Mix in the flour and cocoa.
Weigh 360g of batter on a 30 x 40 cm baking sheet and spread out with an angled spatula.
Bake at 446°F (230°C) in a convection oven for about 6 to 7 minutes.

Manjari 64% Cream:

Over medium heat, heat the milk and cream.
Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar. Pour in the hot liquid while stirring.
Return everything to the saucepan over low heat. Stir gently until the cream thickened slightly. Using a thermometer, cook until the temperature is 82°C.
Once the temperature is reached, remove the saucepan from the heat and strain.
Add the gelatin previously softened in the cold water and wrung out.
Pour in the melted Manjari 64% chocolate and blend with an immersion blender to a perfect emulsion.
Cover and store in the refrigerator.

Ivoire 35% Vanilla Kirsch Whipped Ganache:

Heat 90g of cream with the glucose (or corn syrup), honey and the two split and scraped vanilla beans.
Pour in the melted Ivoire 35% chocolate and stir vigorously.
Mix and add 240g of cold cream with the kirsch.
Cover and store in the refrigerator, ideally overnight.

Cherry Jelly:

Defrost and blend 140g Frozen cherries in a food processor to make them into a purée.
Soak the gelatin in a large amount of cold water and wring it out.
Chop the 70g cherries.
Heat half the purée with sugar at 140°F (60°C), soak the gelatin in a large quantity of cold water. When soft (3-5min), squeeze out the excess water and add to the hot liquid..
Pour 125g of jelly into the already assembled dessert frame and place everything in the freezer.

Chocolate Liquor Soaking Syrup:

Boil the water, sugar, and the split and scraped vanilla bean. Place in the fridge.
Mix the syrup and add the chocolate liqueur.

Manjari 64% Chocolate Icing Shell:

Melt the Manjari 64% chocolate at 40°C and add the grape seed oil. Use at around 90°F (35°C).

Assembly and Finishing

Cut 4 strips of chocolate biscuit 30 x 10 cm.
In an approximately 12 inches by 4 inches dessert frame, place a strip of biscuit and soak it with the soaking syrup, pipe and smooth over 125g of Manjari 64% Cream then cover with a strip of biscuit, soak and place in freezer.
Spread the whipped ganache until a whip to medium soft peaks is obtained. Pipe and smooth 125g of this preparation on the second biscuit then cover with a strip of biscuit, soak and place in the freezer.
Make the morello cherry jelly and pour 125g over the third cookie. smooth and place the last biscuit strip on top. Soak it then place it in the freezer.
Once well frozen, frame and cut 3 cm wide pieces.
Coat the top and sides with Manjari 64% Chocolate Icing Shell. Place in the freezer.
Put in the refrigerator the day before for optimal tasting.
Note: It is possible to make the whipped ganache without the Kirsch as you wish.

What makes this Black Forest Cake different from the traditional version?

This version uses premium Valrhona chocolates, cherry jelly, vanilla whipped ganache, and a chocolate icing shell for a more refined pastry-style dessert.