Black Forest Tiramisu pays homage to two of the most famous European desserts: Italian Tiramisu and German Black Forest Cake.
This easy Cherry Tiramisu recipe is prepared like a trifle and often served at special occasions like a birthday party, Valentine’s Day, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day or Christmas.
Our Black Forest Tiramisu recipe features decadent mascarpone cheese, whipping cream, coffee, marsala wine, ladyfingers cookies, amarena cherries, cocoa powder, fresh cherries and dark chocolate shavings.
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What Is Black Forest Tiramisu?
Black Forest Cake is a chocolate sponge cake with a rich cherry filling based on the German dessert Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte. The famous German cake consists of several layers of chocolate sponge layered with whipped cream and cherries.
Tiramisu is a coffee-flavoured Italian dessert. It is made of ladyfingers dipped in coffee, layered with a whipped mixture of eggs, sugar, and mascarpone cheese, and flavoured with cocoa. The recipe has been adapted into many varieties of cakes and other desserts.
Black Forest Tiramisu is our creative take on the two famous European desserts.
Traditional Black Forest Cake ingredients like dark chocolate and cherries are used in a classic Tiramisu preparation. The dessert is served in a glass pie plate or casserole dish and scooped out with a spoon like a trifle.
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Travel to Germany by Making Cherry Tiramisu at Home
I love traveling to Europe.
As a professional food and travel journalist, I’ve had the opportunity to enjoy amazing meals in Europe, from traditional markets to award winning restaurants.
For over ten years, I’ve been on the hunt for the best Cherry Tiramisu recipe. I’ve embarked on culinary adventures at German restaurants throughout Western Europe in Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Switzerland and Austria.
On a road trip of Germany, I forked through Black Forest Cake at restaurants in Freiburg, Berlin, Ahrenshoop, Hamburg, Spreewald, Potsdam, Dresden, Leipzig, Frankfurt, Cochem, Mettlach, Nennig, Dusseldorf, Cologne, Munich, Koblenz and Rudesheim.
The first time I ever ate Black Forest Tiramisu was during a memorable meal in Munich. After noshing on Speckknödel, Kartoffelknödel and Pork Rouladen, I enjoyed a sweet finish by spoon through a glass bowl of creamy Cherry Tiramisu.
After you’ve enjoyed your first taste, you’ll realize why Black Forest Tiramisu is a must-try when visiting Germany!
My Family Loves Black Forest Tiramisu
My family loves baking.
We’ve mastered the art of sourdough bread, moist muffins, pretty pancakes, crunchy cookies, homemade pies and celebratory cakes.
When I was little my mom would dedicate hours to decorating specialty cakes for our birthdays. She’d visit the local bake shop to purchase cake pans in the shape of our favourite heroes of the moment, from My Little Pony to Cookie Monster.
She’d decorate our birthday cakes each year using specialty piping bags. Famously one year when I was a toddler, she was piping bright red fur onto a chocolate cake shaped like Elmo. Halfway through icing the cake she went to answer the phone and when she returned the icing had moved from the cakes surface to a joyous smear across my giggling face.
My love for eating cake into adulthood has been an honest and enthusiastic evolution.
I prepared this Black Forest Tiramisu for Father’s Day as my dad loves cherries, dark chocolate, creamy mascarpone and coffee.
The impressive dessert is surprisingly easy to make, so it’s our go to recipe for last minute celebrations.
We love to serve Cherry Tiramisu in the summer when stone fruits are in season.
The cakes red and white colour scheme also makes it a great option for Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day. Add a sprig of green mint and serve on a Christmas holiday dessert table.
Cherry Tiramisu Recipe Tips
If it’s your first time making Black Forest Tiramisu at home be sure to review our detailed step-by-step recipe below. Here are some helpful tips and tricks to get you started.
- You’ll save yourself time and energy by using a stand mixer to beat the mascarpone cream. You can also use a handheld egg beater or whisk as an alternative.
- We‘ve prepared the tiramisu in a glass pie plate as it allows guests to peak at the layers inside just like a trifle.
- If you are going to have leftovers store the cake in the fridge under a cake dome to keep it fresh.
- We’ve used drip coffee in this recipe but you could substitute for espresso for a stronger flavour.
- We purchased ladyfinger cookies when making this recipe but if you call yourself a gourmet and have the time feel free to bake homemade ladyfingers.
- Be sure to use high quality Amarena Cherries, which are sold in jars swimming in a sweet cherry syrup.
What To Serve with Black Forest Tiramisu
We suggest serving this decadent Cherry Tiramisu recipe for special celebrations like birthday parties, Mother’s Day, Fathers Day, Valentine’s Day or Christmas.
We love serving a creamy scoop at tea time or during a coffee break. It pairs nicely with a hot pot of floral black tea or dark roast coffee.
Since the recipe is a synergy of two popular German and Italian desserts you might like to serve it as a sweet finish to feast featuring some of these popular regional recipes:
- Schwäbische Käsespätzle German Cheese Noodles
- Speckknödel German Bread Bacon Dumplings
- Semmelknödel German Bread Dumplings
- Kartoffelknödel German Potato Dumplings
- German Pork Rouladen with Bacon, Apple & Pickles
- Flädlesuppe German Pancake Soup
- Ndunderi Amalfi Lemon Ricotta Gnocchi
- Sartu Di Riso Italian Baked Risotto
- Maccheroni al Ferretto Pasta with Beef Ragu
- Vegetarian Gorgonzola Risotto al Radicchio
- Crispy Roast Chicken and Leek Risotto
- Caprese Gnocchi Cheese Bake Casserole
- Homemade Corzetti Pasta
- Burrata Bruschetta Crostini with Tomato Chutney
- Culurgiones Sardinian Cheese & Potato Stuffed Pasta
- Involtini di Pollo
- Creamy Parmesan Ditalini Soup
Essential Cake Tools & Equipment
Whether you’re a novice baker or consider yourself a pastry king or queen, it’s important to outfit your kitchen with quality tools and equipment.
We’ve created a list of our favourite baking gadgets on Amazon to help you make this impressive Cherry Tiramisu at home!
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- French Knife
- Round Cake Pans
- Stand Mixer
- Cooling Rack
- Spatula
- Skillet
- Cake Turntable
- Offset Icing Knife
- Cake Dome
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How To Make Black Forest Cherry Tiramisu
Black Forest Cherry Tiramisu
Equipment
- Stand Mixer or Egg Beaters
- Spatula or Wooden Spoon
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- Glass Pie Plate or Casserole Dish
- mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 4 Egg Yolks
- 2/3 cup White Sugar
- 1 cup Mascarpone Cheese
- 1 cup Whipping Cream lightly whipped
- 1 cup Strong Coffee room temperature
- 1/2 cup Marsala Wine
- 20 Ladyfinger Cookies
- 2/3 cup Amarena Cherries
- 1/2 cup Cocoa Powder
- 1/2 cup Fresh Cherries pitted
- 1/2 cup Dark Chocolate Shavings
Instructions
- Beat together the egg yolks and sugar for 5 minutes until very pale and creamy, then beat in the mascarpone cheese. Fold in the whipped cream and set aside.
- Mix the coffee and Marsala in a bowl.
- Place a shallow serving dish or pie plate on the counter. Dip the lady fingers into the coffee mixture and one by one arrange half of them flat in the serving dish. Scatter half the Amarena Cherries on top. Spread half the creamy mixture on top. Repeat with an additional layer of lady fingers, Amarena Cherries and creamy mixture.
- Smooth the surface with a palette knife or spatula. Dust with cocoa powder, chocolate shavings and top with fresh cherries. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill for 2-3 hours before serving.
Nutrition
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