Chocolate cake with cottage cheese & cherries

We all know that there are some combinations of tastes that are recognized as the perfect ones. It’s impossible not to fall in love with them. Chocolate and cherry are truly one of these options. Sweet and sour berries and the cocoa flavor have already become the top of the culinary bliss. Cherries create a certain charm by diluting the rich chocolate and the curd layers. You will think about eating the whole cake on your own!

The diameter of the cake is 18 cm (7 inch), and its’ final weight is about 2860g (100 oz). That’s a very tender, nourishing and reasonably sweet cake!

All the ingredients should be at a room temperature.

1. Whip the butter with the powdered sugar and salt for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the eggs and whip again until smooth.
2. Add the sifted flour with the cocoa and the baking powder in parts. Knead the dough.
3. Divide it into 8 equal parts, roll out each piece on parchment about 20 cm (8 inch) in diameter, and send the blanks to the freezer for 20 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 200C (392F) using a “convection” mode. Bake the well-cooled cakes in turn, each for 8 minutes (it is important not to dry them out!).
5. Cut the finished cakes to 18 cm (7 inch) in diameter (you can use a ring-mold). Cook all the cakes.
6. Gently stack the cakes on top of each other (without removing the parchment), and cover them with a cling film.

Let's move on to the custard.

1. Mix the sour cream, eggs, sugar, vanilla sugar and the cornstarch in a saucepan with a thick bottom. Cook until thickened for 10 to 15 minutes on a slightly less than medium heat, stirring constantly.
2. Cool the finished custard, and cover with foil in contact. Put it in the fridge for 3 to 4 hours.
3. After 3 to 4 hours, grate the curd through a sieve. Whip the sour cream custard base with the mascarpone at maximum speed for 3 to 4 minutes. At the end, add the grated cottage cheese and vanilla paste. The custard is done!

The custard and the cherry filling better be prepared the night before!

Heat the cherries to 40C (104F). Add the sugar, mixed with pectin. After boiling, boil for another 2 minutes, stirring constantly. The filling is ready!

Mix the chilled curd cheese with the room temperature butter and the powdered sugar. Whip at the maximum speed for 5 minutes. The custard is ready!

1. For a beautiful, aesthetic cut of the cake, it is necessary to weigh the custard and divide it into 7 equal parts for each cake layer.
2. The assembling order should be: chocolate shortcrust + cream + cherry. It is necessary to assemble the cake carefully in order not to violate the integrity of the cakes.
3. Wrap the ready cake in a cling film. Place a flat plate with a small weight on the top of it. Place the cake in the fridge for 1 hour. An hour later, decorate the cake with the finishing custard, and refrigerate it overnight.

Bon Appetit!