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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.
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Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 2 minutes
Servings 12 people

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.