BLACK FOREST BOULE-DE-NEIGE

By Vanetta

Chocolate and cherry — the flavors of Germany's famous Black Forest torte — combine in this moist, fudgy cake. Baked in a metal bowl and covered with whipped cream, it resembles a snowball (boule-de-neige). Begin making this at least one day ahead.

Ingredients

• Cake
• Nonstick vegetable oil spray
• 1/3 cup cherry preserves
• 2 tablespoons kirsch (clear cherry brandy)
• 1 1/2 cups dried tart cherries (about 8 ounces)
• 1 pound bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 6 large eggs
• 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• Kirsch whipped cream
• 2 cups chilled whipping cream
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 4 teaspoons kirsch (clear cherry brandy)
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 16 candied violet petals (can also be ordered from chefshop.com)

Preparation

Step 1

For cake:
Position rack in lowest third of oven and preheat to 350°F. Line 10-cup metal bowl with foil, extending 3 inches over sides. Spray foil with nonstick spray. Stir preserves with kirsch in medium skillet over medium heat until preserves melt. Add dried cherries; bring to boil. Cover; remove from heat. Let cool.
Melt chocolate with butter in heavy large saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat. Whisk in sugar and vanilla, then whisk in eggs 1 at a time. Mix in flour, then cherry mixture. Transfer batter to prepared bowl.
Bake cake in bowl 30 minutes. Fold foil overhang over edges of cake to prevent overbrowning. Continue to bake cake until top is cracked and dry and tester inserted into center comes out with some moist batter attached, about 55 minutes longer. Cool cake completely in bowl on rack (cake may fall in center). Press edge of cake firmly to level with center of cake. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight.

For kirsch whipped cream:
Using electric mixer, beat cream, powdered sugar, kirsch, and almond extract in large bowl until cream holds peaks.
Invert cake onto platter. Peel off foil. Spoon whipped cream into large pastry bag fitted with medium star tip. Pipe whipped cream stars over cake, covering completely. Pipe additional stars over top flat center of cake to form dome. (Can be made 1 day ahead; cover with cake dome and chill.) Decorate with candied violets.