Black Forest cake

A Black Forest Cake ( in Switzerland: Black Forest cake ) is a cream pie, which has spread especially in Germany since the 1930s and was in time to the most popular German cake. Today it is regarded as the classic German cake par excellence and is known all over the world. The essential components are flavored with kirsch chocolate sponge cake, a flavored cherry filling, whipped cream, cherries and chocolate shavings as an ornament. The exact origins are unclear, but they are not necessarily looking to the Black Forest.

Name

Aside from the obvious (but disputed ) theory of the origin of the Black Forest, there are three alternative theories on the origin of the name: First the black Schokoladenraspelbelag could have led to the name because it is reminiscent of a dark forest as the Black Forest. Second, the ingredient may have led Kirsch to name, since this is mainly produced in the Black Forest. Third, there is a possible predecessor called " Black Forest Cake ", but who probably does not come from the Black Forest, but from Switzerland.

It is also possible that the name of the cake borrows from a well-known women's costume from the Black Forest: In the Black Forest villages Gutach, Kirn Bach and Reichenbach, the traditional dress of the girl is black like the chocolate chips, the blouse white as the cream and the Bollenhut consists in unmarried Women of a white background with red balls, which are strongly reminiscent of the cherries.

History

The combination of cherries, cream and kirsch was probably actually in the 19th century in the Southern known, but not in the form of a cake, but as dessert: Stewed cherries were served with cream, sometimes with the addition of cherry brandy. The Black Forest cake could have been a precursor: it was made ​​with sponge cake, cherries and nuts, often in combination with cream, but without the kirsch. But you probably originates from Switzerland.

The confectioner Josef Keller claimed to have invented the pie in 1915 now defunct Café Agner in Bad Godesberg. However, this can not prove beyond doubt. Again, this seems to be rather been a precursor, since his cake had only one layer and a pastry. Keller insists however that he had invented the combination of cherry - cream - chocolate and the flavor of the cream with kirsch. Keller noted the recipe for the first time 1927.

According to previous research by the Tübingen city archivist Udo Rauch increasingly have more evidence suggests that the Tübingen master confectioner Erwin Hildenbrand invented the Black Forest cake in the spring of 1930 at the Café rolling in Tübingen. Tübingen, which is no longer commonly associated with the Black Forest in conjunction, belonged from 1818 to 1924 to the Black Forest Circle.

1934 Black Forest Cake was first mentioned in writing ( " 250 confectionery specialties and how they arise " by JM Erich Weber, Radebeul 1934). The recipe did not provide chocolate soil, but a Haselnussmürbeteigboden was deleted at the cherry jam before a beträufelter with kirsch and sugar ground walnut mass followed. Then we distributed two rings buttercream and a mountain cherry cream (eggs, sugar, milk, gelatin, cream, almonds, stewed sour cherries ). Finally, everything was covered with another layer of walnut ground floor. The curved surface was, like today, from cream with chocolate chips, dusted with powdered sugar. In the 1930s, the cake, especially in Berlin and in the good Pastry German, Austrian and Swiss cities was known. Before a spread of cream cakes was hardly possible, since there were very few electric refrigerators for storage. 1949 Black Forest cake was just ranked 13 of the most famous cakes in Germany.

After that, however, its reputation has developed rapidly. It is now the best known and most popular cake in Germany and known almost anywhere in the world. However, in many countries, at least some components can be replaced by ortsüblichere ingredients or the alcohol is omitted.

Since 2006, the Black Forest cake festival takes place in Todtnauberg, a district of Todtnau in the Black Forest, every two years, competing in the two competition classes amateurs and professionals with their homemade Black Forest cherry cake against each other.

Variants

The term " Black Forest cherry " is now used by numerous Nährmittelproduzenten for a variety of products, eg Cream rolls, yogurt or ice cream. What is meant here then in each case the combination of cherries and chocolate in various forms, with the remaining ingredients of the cake ( sponge cake, whipped cream, cherry brandy ) is often waived in whole or in part.

Public's perception

The usual traffic in Germany view on Black Forest Cake is regulated by the state in the guidelines for pastry. Here the cake is described as follows:

Only cakes that meet these criteria may be sold in Germany under the name Black Forest cake.

The application to register the name Black Forest cake in the European register of traditional specialties guaranteed, contains additional minimum requirements. So the cake must have a diameter of at least 17 ​​cm, have the cream contain at least 30 % fat, the crumb of at least two Bisquitböden exist, the fruit of all or lumpy sour cherries exist (without other flavors ) and the Randgarnierung of chocolate or couverture chocolate.