Bolero rezy: Slovak cherry and quark cake bars

Tip: tap a step to mark it as done.

1. Sponge

   Beat the eggs with a pinch of salt and the powdered sugar until thick and foamy. Gradually beat in the oil and warm water, then gently fold in the flour mixed with the cocoa powder and baking powder.

2. Bake

   Pour the batter into a baking pan approximately 25 × 35 cm lined with parchment paper. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for about 20 minutes. Let cool.

3. Quark layer

   Mix the quark with the powdered sugar and vanilla sugar until smooth, then spread over the cooled sponge.

4. Sour cherries

   Finely chop the canned sour cherries and place them in a saucepan with their juice. Add the sugar, syrup, and cornstarch mixed with a little cold cherry juice. Bring to a boil and cook briefly, stirring constantly, until thickened. Remove from the heat, let cool, and spread over the quark layer.

5. Chocolate buttercream

   Heat the cream and stir in the broken-up chocolate and sugar until melted; do not boil. Let cool completely. Beat the butter until fluffy, then gradually mix in the cold chocolate cream.

6. Finish

   Spread the frosting over the cake, dust with cocoa powder, and refrigerate until set. For best results, slice the next day using a knife dipped in hot water.

   Recipe by: Ivka Vargová

Tip: Let the cherry layer cool completely before spreading it over the quark, as a warm mixture would melt it. Add the chocolate cream to the butter a spoonful at a time to keep the frosting from splitting.

This recipe was translated from the Slovak original: Bolero rezy s tvarohom, višňami a parížskym krémom