Black Forest Gateau

Ingredients:
Three chocolate genoise cake layers (see October 5th post)

CHERRIES
1 can cherry pie filling
1 jar maraschino cherries with juice

WHIPPED CREAM FILLING
2 cups cold whipping cream (35%)
1/4 cup granulated (white) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

CHOCOLATE FLAKES
4 Tablespoons granulated (white) sugar
2 Tablespoons water
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

CHERRIES: Drain the cherry pie filling by scooping out the excess cherry "goop" and leaving primarily the actual cherries.
Drain the jar of maraschino cherries, reserving the juice. Pat the cherries dry.

WHIPPED CREAM FILLING: In a large bowl, beat the cream until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the sugar until stiff peaks form. Beat in the vanilla.

CHOCOLATE FLAKES: In a small saucepan, heat the sugar and water to a boil. Remove from heat and quickly stir in chocolate chips until smooth. Use immediately. Spread out in a thin layer on a parchment lined baking sheet. Let stand for at least an hour until hardened. Break into flakes. Note: I did this in two separate batches, because I doubled the recipe, but didn't know if it would work well if I made the batches together.

1. Place one cake layer on a flat surface. 
2. Moisten it by brushing it with a third of the juice from the jar of cherries. Using a pastry bag without a tip, pipe a circle of whipped cream around the rim of the cake. Fill the center with whipped cream, making it the same height as the circle you piped. Smooth it out using a small offset spatula. Spoon half of the cherry pie filling on top, leaving a half inch border all around. 
3. Gently center another cake layer on top and repeat above procedure. 
4. Repeat with third layer, but do not top with cherry pie filling (as you will have none left anyway).
5. Fit the pastry bag with an open star tip and pipe 24 rosettes around the top of the cake. Top every second rosette with a maraschino cherry.
6. Pipe a shell border along the bottom of the cake.
7. Fill the top middle of the cake with chocolate flakes. Pile them on, and carefully arrange a few of the bigger flakes on top.
8. Fix up any edges of the cake by smoothing out the whipped cream, scraping excess cream off, etc.

This is a very special recipe, so take note! This cake sold for $60!