Cherry Torcik

• The inspiration behind the flavours in this torcik is from a Black Forest Gateau, which is a chocolate cake with sour cherries and Kirshwasser – a cherry spirit, and often with cream.
• It is claimed to have been invented in 1915 but other sources say it was in the 1930s.
• It was very popular in Britain in the 1970s and 1980s.
• This torcik is a variation on two that I made previously with different fruits and bases.

When making a torcik you need time to let one layer set before starting on the next.

This torcik is composed of 3 layers

1. Chocolate sponge base
2. Sweet curd cheese with black cherry jelly
3. Drained bottled cherries in black cherry jelly

Ingredients – base

• 200g sponge cake crumbs  – I used some of my  kefir sponge cake. 
• 40g butter
• 50g dark chocolate

Ingredients – cherry layers

• 300g twaróg or yoghurt cheese (you could use full fat cream cheese)
• 100g icing sugar
• 80g butter
• 4 yolks
• 1 packet of black cherry jelly
• *
• Sweet or sour bottled cherries
• 1 packet of black cherry jelly

Method

• Use a 22cm diameter loose bottomed or spring-form tin.
• Lightly rub the base and sides with some butter.
• *
• Melt the butter and chocolate and leave to cool a little.
• Stir in the cake crumbs.
• Mix together well.
• Place on the base of the tin and pat down with a spoon.
• Leave to go cold.
• *
• Dissolve the cherry jelly in 150ml of boiling water and leave to cool.
• The tricky bit is having the jelly at the right temperature to use.
• *
• Cream together the butter and icing sugar.
• Add the egg yolks, one by one, alternating with the twaróg.
• Mix thoroughly.
• Gently mix in the cool jelly.
• Pour the mixture over the sponge base.
• Level the top.
• Leave to set – best in the fridge – for at least 3 hours.
• *
• Mix up the black cherry jelly as per the instructions with 500ml of boiling water.
• Leave the jelly to cool.
• *
• Drain the cherries from the juice.
• Arrange the drained cherries over the black cherry/cheese layer.
• Gently put the black cherry jelly over the cherries – use one spoon to pour this over the back of a second spoon.
• Leave it to set again in the fridge – can take several hours.
• Take great care when removing the torcik out of the tin.
• Sprinkle some chocolate curls or flakes around the serving plate.

Tea Plates by Royal Crown Derby – Derby Posies  – 1972