Go Back

Juicy Black Forest Cheesecake with Cherries: A Dream Recipe for Home

Ah, Black Forest Cherry! The name alone awakens memories of cozy coffee gatherings with grandma, festive occasions, or simply a piece of happiness on a plate. While the classic cream cake is a poem in itself, have you ever tried the cheesecake variant? A Black Forest Cheesecake with cherries! It's cheesecake love meets Black Forest longing. And I'll tell you what: it's easier to make than you think! A juicy chocolate shortcrust base, an incredibly creamy Quark filling with fruity cherries, and topped with a delicious chocolate glaze. Doesn't that sound heavenly? Grab your apron, let's bake a piece of Black Forest happiness!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Baking, Dessert
Cuisine: German
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Chocolate Shortcrust Base
  • 150 g all-purpose flour
  • 20 g cocoa powder unsweetened
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 60 g powdered sugar
  • 150 g butter cold, cubed; plus extra for greasing the form
  • 4 eggs (size M) 1 yolk for the base, remaining eggs for the filling
  • flour for the work surface
  • baking weights (e.g., dried peas) for blind baking
For the Cherry Compote
  • 1 jar sour cherries 750 ml drained weight; reserve the juice
  • 1 packet custard powder or cornstarch vanilla or neutral, for cooking
For the Quark Filling
  • 1 kg Quark (40% fat)
  • 3 eggs remaining from base ingredients
  • 120 g cornstarch
  • 120 g sugar
  • 1 vanilla bean
For the Chocolate Glaze
  • 250 g dark chocolate couverture
  • 120 g heavy cream
  • 20 g coconut oil

Equipment

  • Springform (26 cm)
  • Hand Mixer
  • Pot
  • Bowl
  • Rolling Pin
  • Baking Paper
  • Baking Weights
  • Oven
  • Deep Baking Tray
  • Wire Rack
  • Knife

Method
 

  1. Step 1: Preparation: First, grease your springform pan (26 cm Ø) carefully. Separate one egg. You will need the yolk for the dough later; the egg white is not needed for this recipe.
  2. Step 2: Mix the Shortcrust Dough: In a bowl, mix the flour, cocoa, salt, and powdered sugar. Add the egg yolk and the cold butter in small pieces. First, briefly knead everything coarsely with the dough hooks of your hand mixer, then use your hands and quickly knead everything into a smooth dough. Do not knead for too long, otherwise it will be tough!
  3. Step 3: Form and Chill the Base: Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a circle that fits the base of your springform pan (approx. 26 cm Ø). Line the form base with it and chill it for approx. 20-30 minutes. This is important so that the dough keeps its shape during baking.
  4. Step 4: Prepare the Cherry Compote: While the dough is chilling, we'll turn our attention to the cherries. Drain the cherries well, but definitely catch the juice in a pot! You'll need the juice immediately.
  5. Step 5: Mix the Compote Sauce: Take 4 tbsp of the reserved cherry juice and mix it smoothly with the custard powder in a small bowl.
  6. Step 6: Cook the Compote Sauce: Heat the remaining cherry juice in the pot until boiling. Remove the pot briefly from the heat, quickly stir in the mixed custard powder. Put the pot back on the hot stove and let the sauce simmer for approx. 1-2 minutes while stirring until it thickens.
  7. Step 7: Fold in Cherries and Cool: Carefully fold the drained cherries into the thickened sauce. Transfer the finished cherry compote into a bowl. To prevent a skin from forming, cover the compote directly on the surface with cling film. Let it cool completely.
  8. Step 8: Blind Bake the Base: Take the cold dough base out of the refrigerator. Line it with baking paper. Fill it with dried peas (or other legumes) – these are our baking weights. They prevent the base from bubbling up or shrinking.
  9. Step 9: Bake and Cool: Preheat your oven (Electric: 185 °C / Fan: 150 °C / Gas: according to manufacturer's instructions). Bake the base with the peas inside for 10-15 minutes. Then take it out. Remove the dried peas and the baking paper immediately and let the base cool completely.
  10. Step 10: Prepare Springform for Water Bath: Wrap the springform tightly several times from the outside with aluminum foil. This is super important for the water bath so that no water runs into the form!
  11. Step 11: Prepare Vanilla: Halve the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with the back of a knife.
  12. Step 12: Mix the Quark Mass: In a large bowl, whisk the Quark (remember the 40% fat!), the remaining eggs, cornstarch, sugar, and the vanilla seeds until smooth with the whisks of your hand mixer. Do not whisk for too long, only until everything is creamily combined.
  13. Step 13: Layer the Cake: Spread half of the creamy Quark mass evenly on the cooled shortcrust base. Dot the completely cooled cherry compote on top (not quite up to the edge so it doesn't run out when spreading the next layer). Carefully and evenly spread the remaining Quark mass over it and smooth the surface.
  14. Step 14: Water Bath for the Cake: Now place the prepared springform pan into a deep baking tray filled with hot water (the baking sheet usually at the bottom of the oven). The water should be about 2.5 cm high in the tray. The water bath ensures very gentle, even heat and prevents the surface of the cheesecake from cracking.
  15. Step 15: Bake the Cake: Place the tray with the cake pan in the hot oven. Bake the cake at the same temperature for approx. 50 minutes. The cake should be firm at the edges but still slightly wobbly in the center (this is normal, it will firm up as it cools).
  16. Step 16: Patience During Cooling: Take the cake out of the oven, but let it stand in the water bath on a wire rack until it has cooled down a bit. Then carefully remove the water bath and let the cake cool completely in the pan on the wire rack – this takes a good 2-3 hours. The slower it cools, the lower the risk of cracks.
  17. Step 17: Prepare the Chocolate Glaze: When the cake is almost cold, finely chop the dark chocolate couverture. Heat the heavy cream together with the coconut oil in a small pot, take it off the heat briefly, add the chopped chocolate and stir until it is completely melted and a smooth, glossy ganache is formed.
  18. Step 18: Glaze and Chill: Carefully remove the cake from the springform pan. If you like, you can now place it in a cake ring (for a clean edge!). Pour the chocolate glaze evenly over it and spread it to the edge. Now chill the cake for at least 1 hour (preferably longer) until the glaze is firm.
  19. Step 19: Finish and Enjoy: Carefully remove the cake ring (or run a knife around the edge if you didn't use a ring). Cut the cake into pieces with a warm knife and serve. A dream!

Notes

Key tips for a perfect cheesecake: Use Quark with 40% fat for the creamy texture. The water bath ensures gentle, even baking and prevents cracks. Slow cooling is crucial; let the cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack after baking. Blind baking the base ensures it stays crisp. You can prepare the cherry compote and the dough base the day before to save time. Store the cake well-wrapped in the refrigerator for approx. 3-4 days. It can also be frozen in pieces (without glaze) and thawed overnight in the fridge.