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Black Forest Cheesecake

17/11/2023

The Black Forest cheesecake is a variant of the classic dessert that combines the creaminess of cheesecake with the chocolate and cherry flavors typical of the Black Forest cake. Here’s how to prepare it:

Ingredients

For the base:

  • 200 g of chocolate biscuits
  • 100 g of melted butter

For the filling:

  • 500 g of creamy cheese (like Philadelphia)
  • 200 ml of fresh cream
  • 100 g of icing sugar
  • 200 g of dark chocolate
  • 1 packet of sheet gelatin (or agar agar if you prefer)
  • 50 ml of milk

For the topping:

  • 300 g of syrupy cherries (or fresh, if in season)
  • 2 tablespoons of sugar
  • 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
  • Water, as needed
  • Chocolate shavings and additional cherries for decoration

Preparation

  1. Start by finely chopping the chocolate biscuits and mixing them with melted butter. Press the mixture onto the bottom of a springform pan, creating a compact base. Place in the fridge to firm up.

  2. Meanwhile, melt the dark chocolate in a double boiler or microwave and let it cool.

  3. Whip the fresh cream and set it aside.

  4. Soak the sheet gelatin in cold water for about 10 minutes, then heat it with 50 ml of milk until completely dissolved.

  5. In a separate bowl, mix the creamy cheese with the icing sugar. Add the melted and cooled chocolate and the dissolved gelatin in milk, stir until you have a uniform mixture.

  6. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cheese and chocolate mixture, trying not to deflate it.

  7. Pour the filling over the biscuit base and let it set in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or better, overnight.

  8. For the topping, mix the cherries with sugar and cornstarch, adding a bit of water if using syrupy cherries. Cook over medium heat until the sauce reaches a thick consistency.

  9. When the cheesecake has set, spread the cherry sauce over it and decorate with chocolate shavings and whole cherries.

  10. Let it cool a bit more before serving.

Curiosity

The Black Forest, original name “Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte”, is one of the most famous cakes in Germany, and it owes its name to the “Kirschwasser” liqueur, distilled from cherries that grow in the Black Forest region. The Black Forest cheesecake combines two sweet traditions, the Italo-American tradition of cheesecake and the German tradition of chocolate and cherries.

Black Forest Cheesecake