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Friday, March 11, 2011

Schwarzwaldtårta: The Swiss Pastry Shop's Black Forest Cake!

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Thanks to Wikipedia, I have found that the Swiss Pastry Shop's version of Black Forest Cake, which is comprised of layers of almond meringue and whipped cream topped with shaved dark chocolate is REAL. It is called Schwarzwaldtarta. Wikipedia states:
"A Swedish cake called Schwarzwaldtårta is related to the traditional Black Forest cake only by name. It consists of layers of meringue with whipped cream in between. The whole cake is also covered with whipped cream and decorated with chocolate."

So there, it is a real cake from Switzerland Sweden (Thanks! I make mistakes.) I've been eating this cake with my family since I was a child and I love it. It is delicious - the best cake ever. The only problem is that the only place that makes it is The Swiss Pastry Shop in Fort Worth. And I don't live in Texas anymore.

After looking around on the internet for recipes, I found one, and I tried to follow it. It called for using unflavored gelatin to stabilize the whipped cream. I followed the instructions for the gelatin, dissolving it in water:


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And it smelled terrible. Like a wet dog. So I threw it out - I was really afraid of ruining my whipped cream, so... I decided just to do it my own way. And I was successful - my end result brought me right back to Fort Worth, Texas - which was exactly my goal.

Here's how to make the Swiss Pastry Shop's Black Forest Cake in 7 somewhat easy steps!

1. Make 3 layers of Almond Meringue. One meringue recipe should yield 3 layers.

2.Beat 3 c. of whipping cream with 6 T confectioner's sugar. Confectioner's sugar contains cornstarch and will help to stabilize the whipped cream.You could also use gelatin - at your own risk!

3. Layer the meringue and whipped cream in alternating layers, starting with almond meringue and ending with whipped cream. Cover the sides of the cake with whipped cream as well.

4. Gather some beautiful dark chocolate and grate it.

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5. Sprinkle the grated chocolate over the top layer of whipped cream.

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6. Attempt to cover the sides of the cake with chocolate sprinkles.

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7. Slice and enjoy!

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17 comments:

  1. Have looked for this recipe for years. Used to eat it at the Marrioot in Atlanta, Georgia back in the late 60's.

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  2. Sweden and Switzerland are two different countries.

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  3. I mean seriously this is not a geography lesson, you have way too much time on your hands!!!! just enjoy the cake!

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  4. Oh my gosh! I'm so excited to find this recipe! Every year I drive to Fort Worth and buy this cake at the Swiss Pastry Shop for my husband's birthday! This year, I decided he would think it is WAY cooler if I figure out how to make it myself! So, guess what my 10-yr-old and I will be doing tomorrow night, while my 15-yr-old daughter takes him out for dinner!

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  5. The ingredients and how to make the meringue section no longer exists :(

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    1. Thanks! I think I fixed it... I recently moved this site to blogger and not all of the links work, so thanks for pointing it out.

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  6. I, too, moved away from Fort Worth and the Swiss Pastry Shop after enjoying this fantastic cake for over 20 years . . . and I'm thrilled to have found the recipe! As soon as I can gather all of the ingredients, I'm so making it . . . this weekend for sure! It is without a doubt the best cake ever made, and boo to those who say this isn't the 'real' "Black Forest Cake" because it doesn't have cherries . . . I love cherries too . . but save them for cheesecake.

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  7. OMG....I have been thinking about the BEST cake ever....I too moved away from the DFW area and I miss this wonderful cake more than anything! I am going to try this ASAP....my daughter is going to be surprised because it is her favorite too! Thanks for sharing this little slice of heaven :-)

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  8. Well my Swiss German relatives make a Swiss Black Forest cake and it is similar but it has thin sheets of almond cake with the rest the same and have said this is what you would get in Switzerland if you get a black forest cake. It is a family recipe that have been made for several generations

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  9. My Swiss Dad owned Albert’s Swiss Pastry Shop in Dallas in the 1960s/1970s. He passed away April, 2020. In reaching into our deep roots, we visited a “Swiss” pastry shop in Ft Worth last month. It’s NOT the same! Fake cream, bright colors, low quality chocolate etc. Very disappointed. ☹️����

    I found my Vati’s original Swiss Pastry recipes last week - ones he personally meticulously wrote out while training throughout Europe in the 40s-50s. If there is any interest; I will translate in English, compute to a “family size” not a bakery size and convert to American measurements and share at some point.

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    1. .....and NO SPRINKLES!!!! Yuck!!!!

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    2. It would be awesome if you shared your recipe!!

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    3. It would be awesome if you shared your recipe!!

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    4. PLEASE share your recipe, Schaufelberger! I have loved Swiss Black Forest cake since moving to the DFW area in the late '70's! And when I discovered I needed to eat gluten-free, it became my go-to cake for all occasions...so PLEEEEEEAAASEEEEE share!!!!

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  10. You must not have had the same cake at the Fort Worth location as the rest of us. There is no food coloring or sprinkles, just chocolate shavings.

    ANYWAY, I am very interested in YOUR recipe as I live making unique cakes for special occasions. Thank you for all of your contributions!

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    1. Thought this was kind of funny when I stumbled upon this recipe by accident. We know the owner of the Swiss Pastry Shop and have the recipe as we are in the industry. I will hunt it down and post it soon.

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  11. What temperature do you cook the meringue at? I don't see it above.
    I live in the Fort Worth area, but I am excited to know how to make it!

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