Equipment
Ingredients
Macerated Cherries
- 250 g sweet cherries, pitted and halved
- 30 g caster sugar
- 45 ml kirsch
Chocolate Oats
- 15 g unsalted butter
- 75 g rolled oats
- 20 g light brown sugar
- 15 g cocoa powder, sifted
- 30 g dark chocolate, finely grated
Vanilla Cream
- 250 ml heavy cream, cold
- 15 g powdered sugar, sifted
- 5 ml vanilla extract
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 432 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbohydrates
- 36 g
- Fat
- 29 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 30 g
- Sodium
- 30 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 18 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 79 mg
- Potassium
- 325 mg
- Calcium
- 89 mg
- Iron
- 1.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 42 mg
- Phosphorus
- 94 mg
- Zinc
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 288 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 5 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 4 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.04 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.16 mg
- Niacin
- 0.3 mg
- Folate
- 6 mcg
- Water
- 89 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
- Caffeine
- 12 mg
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Combine the halved cherries, caster sugar, and kirsch in a small mixing bowl. Toss to coat evenly. Allow to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to draw out the juices and soften the fruit.
Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the rolled oats and brown sugar, stirring constantly until the oats become fragrant and slightly caramelized, about 5 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and immediately stir in the sifted cocoa powder until the oats are evenly coated. Transfer the mixture to a plate or cold baking sheet to cool completely. Once cold, gently toss the grated dark chocolate into the oat mixture.
In a chilled bowl, combine the cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Whip using a whisk or hand mixer until soft peaks form. The cream should hold its shape but still look smooth and billowy.
Arrange four serving glasses. Spoon a layer of the cooled chocolate-oat mixture into the bottom of each glass. Top with a layer of the macerated cherries, including a small spoonful of the cherry juices. Follow with a generous layer of the whipped cream. Repeat these layers until the glasses are full, finishing with a layer of cream.
Top each dessert with a reserved whole cherry, a sprinkle of leftover chocolate oats if any remain, and a drizzle of the remaining kirsch syrup from the bottom of the cherry bowl. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Using steel-cut oats instead of rolled oats provides a substantially crunchier texture. If using steel-cut, extend the toasting time by two minutes to fully develop their nutty flavor.
- For the best whipped cream volume, chill your mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the refrigerator for 15 minutes before whipping.
- The kirsch provides authentic Black Forest flavor and helps cut the richness of the cream. If avoiding alcohol, substitute with a high-quality tart cherry juice and one drop of almond extract to mimic the stone-fruit notes of the liqueur.
- Layering the dessert immediately before serving ensures the oats retain their crunch. If the oats sit in the cream and cherry juices for too long, they will soften.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 day — Store unassembled components separately to maintain texture. Assemble immediately before serving.
Troubleshooting
Whipped cream is grainy and separated
Cause: The cream was whipped past the soft peak stage and the butterfat has begun to separate
Fix: Gently fold in 15ml to 30ml of unwhipped cold heavy cream to smooth the texture back out
Prevention: Whip at a moderate speed and switch to whisking by hand as the cream begins to thicken
Oat mixture clumped into a solid mass
Cause: Grated chocolate was added to the oats while they were still hot, causing the chocolate to melt
Fix: Break apart with a fork or pulse briefly in a food processor once fully cooled
Prevention: Ensure the toasted oats are completely cool to the touch before mixing in the chocolate
Cultural Context
This dessert marries two distinct European traditions. It takes the layered oat, fruit, and cream structure of a classic Scottish Cranachan, typically made with fresh raspberries and whisky, and reimagines it with the iconic dark chocolate, kirsch, and sweet cherry flavor profile of Germany's Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte.
