Shortcrust base

• 125g (3/4 cup) flour
• 10 g (1 tsp.) cocoa powder
• 3 g (½ tsp.) baking powder
• 50 g (¼ cup) sugar
• 8 g (2 tsp) vanilla sugar (1 packet)
• 1 egg white
• 50 g (¼ cup) butter

Cake

• 3 ea. eggs
• 1 ea. egg yolk
• 2 Tbs. warm water
• 100 g (½ cup) sugar
• 8 g (2 tsp.) vanilla sugar (1 packet)
• 3 drops bitter-almond oil (2 tsp. almond extract)
• 1/8 tsp. cinnamon
• 75 g (½ cup) flour
• 10 g (1 Tbs.) cocoa powder
• 25 g (3 Tbs.) cornstarch
• 1½ g (½ tsp.) baking powder

Filling

• 1 can (24 oz) sour cherries, stoned (750g)
• 80 g (6 Tbs.) sugar
• 40 g (5 Tbs.) cornstarch
• 2 Tbs. Kirschwasser (cherry water)
• 2 tsp. gelatine, powdered
• 3 Tbs. cold water
• 500 ml (2 cups) heavy cream
• 8 g (2 tsp.) vanilla sugar (1 packet)
• 1 Tbs. sugar
• 40 g (2 oz.) shaved chocolate for garnish
• 1 jar glacé or maraschino cherries for decoration ^[1]

For the shortcrust base:

1. Mix the flour, cocoa and baking powder in a bowl. Mix the eggs with the sugar and vanilla sugar and pour into a well in the middle of the flour.
2. Mix the liquid into some of the flour until it forms a porridge-like mass
3. Add the cold butter, cut into pieces
4. Mix in the rest of the flour and knead briefly into to a ball
5. Rest the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes
6. Then roll the dough out to fit the base of a 20 cm (8 inch) spring form cake pan
7. Bake at 160ºC ( 325ºF) for 20 minutes

For the cake:

1. Mix the flour, cornstarch, baking powder and cocoa powder with a whisk
2. Whisk the 4 egg yolks with the warm water until it is foamy and little by little add 2/3 of the sugar, the vanilla sugar, almond extract and cinnamon
3. Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks and beat in the rest of the sugar a little at a time
4. Fold the beaten egg whites into the egg yolk mixture
5. Sprinkle the flour mixture onto the egg mixture and carefully incorporate.
6. Pour into a 20 cm/8 inch springform pan lined with parchment paper
7. Bake at 160ºC/325ºF oven for about 35 minutes until a wooden skewer or toothpick comes out clean when the cake is pierced
8. Cool cake in pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack to cool completely

Filling:

1. Drain the cherries in a sieve. Reserve the juice.
2. Heat ¾ of the juice
3. Mix the cornstarch with the rest of the juice
4. When the juice starts to boil pour a little onto the cornstarch. Mix well and while stirring pour it back into the saucepan. Cook until thickened.
5. Add the sugar and dissolve
6. Mix the cherries in and allow to cool.
7. Add the Kirschwasser.
8. Sprinkle the gelatin onto the 3 tablespoons of water and allow to bloom for 10 minutes stirring from time to time.
9. Heat carefully until the gelatin has dissolved. Allow to cool to room temperature.
10. Whip the cream to soft peaks and fold in the completely cool but still liquid gelatin. Whip until stiff adding vanilla sugar to taste. (If you don't have vanilla sugar, use a tablespoon of vanilla extract and granulated sugar to taste.)

Assembly:

1. Spread half the cherry mixture and then 1/3 of the whipped cream mixture onto the shortcrust base.
2. Cut the cake horizontally into two discs using a length of cotton thread
3. Press one disc down well onto the filling
4. Spread the rest of the cherry mixture onto the cake and half of the rest of the whipped cream.
5. Cover the filling with the last disc of cake and spread the rest of the whipped cream on top.
6. Strew the top of the torte with shaved chocolate and decorate with glacé or maraschino cherries and refrigerate for 4 hours or longer