A Modern Black Forest Cake with Cherry Confit & Vanilla Mousse
A refined twist on the classic Black Forest Cake with cherry confit, dark chocolate crémeux, vanilla mousse, and a stunning whipped cream flower piping.This Forêt Noire 2023 is my fresh take on the beloved Black Forest Cake—elegant, light, and beautifully structured. While I adore the traditional version, I wanted something more refined and balanced in flavor, and this version delivers just that.Each layer is carefully crafted: from the moist cocoa sponge soaked in cherry syrup to the rich dark chocolate crémeux, tangy cherry confit, and a cloud-like vanilla mousse. Topped with smooth vanilla mascarpone whipped cream piped in a petal-like floral finish, this entremet is as stunning visually as it is delightful in taste. It’s the perfect dessert for special occasions, blending tradition with a touch of modern pastry flair.
Ingredients
Cocoa Sponge
- 70 g egg yolks
- 60 g sugar 1
- 25 g cocoa powder
- 35 g flour
- 70 g egg whites
- 12 g sugar 2
- 25 g butter
Dark Chocolate Cremeux
- 150 g heavy cream
- 22 g egg yolks
- 6 g sugar
- 7 g gelatin mass 1 g gelatin powder + 6 g water
- 60 g dark chocolate 70%
- Pinch of fleur de sel
Cherry Confit
- 315 g cherries pitted
- 20 g sugar
- 4 g pectin NH
- Insert Assembly J-2
- Cocoa sponge x2 layers
- Cherry juice for soaking
Cherry confit
- Griottines or jarred cherries
Vanilla Mousse
- 16 g gelatin mass 2.3 g gelatin powder + 13.8 g water
- 20 g egg yolks
- 20 g sugar
- 65 g whole milk
- 14 g cream
- 1 vanilla bean
- 200 g cream whipped
Vanilla Mascarpone Whipped Cream
- 300 g cream
- 10 g sugar
- 10 g gelatin mass 1.4 g gelatin powder + 8.4 g water
- 1 vanilla bean
- 30 g mascarpone
Instructions
Cocoa Sponge
- Whisk egg yolks with sugar (1). Sift cocoa + flour.
- Whip egg whites with sugar (2). Melt butter.
- Combine yolk mix with part of the whites. Add sifted dry ingredients and remaining whites.
- Mix a small portion with melted butter, then fold into batter.
- Bake in an 18 cm ring at 160°C for 10–15 minutes.
- Cool, unmold, and cut into 2 layers.
Chocolate Cremeux
- Heat cream. Whisk yolks and sugar.
- Temper yolks, return to heat, cook to 83°C.
- Remove from heat, stir in gelatin mass.
- Pour over chocolate, add fleur de sel, and blend until smooth.
Cherry Confit
- Cook pitted cherries.
- Add sugar + pectin. Boil a few minutes. Blend until smooth.
Insert Assembly
- In a 16 cm ring (lined with acetate), place one cocoa sponge and soak with cherry syrup.
- Spread chocolate crémeux. Add second sponge, soak again.
- Spread cherry confit, add whole griottines.
- Freeze overnight.
Vanilla Mousse
- Boil milk + 14 g cream + vanilla seeds.
- Whisk yolks and sugar, temper, then cook to 83°C.
- Add gelatin mass. Cool to 25°C.
- Fold in whipped cream.
- Final Assembly
- In an 18 cm ring, place the frozen insert in the center.
- Pipe vanilla mousse around and over it. Smooth.
- Leave ~0.5 cm space at the top for chocolate band. Freeze overnight.
Vanilla Mascarpone Chantilly
- Infuse vanilla in cream + sugar.
- Add gelatin mass, cold cream, and mascarpone. Blend and refrigerate overnight.
- Next day, unmold entremet. Pipe petals using Wilton 125 tip.
- Let thaw in fridge for at least 4 hours before serving.
I’m Chef Mimo, a passionate pastry chef with over 17 years of experience in the world of fine desserts. I specialize in French-style entremets, refined cakes, and creative chocolate work. Pastry is not just my profession—it’s my lifelong passion. Through PastryCrafted.com, I love sharing my recipes, techniques, and inspirations with anyone who dreams of mastering the art of pastry. Whether you’re a curious beginner or a seasoned pro, you’re welcome in my sweet world.