James Martin Black Forest Gateau Recipes

BLACK FOREST GATEAU

Steps:

• Pre heat the oven to 350 degrees
• Grease and line two 9" cake pan
• Sift together all purpose flour, corn flour and cocoa powder
• Beat eggs and sugar till light and fluffy
• Fold in the flour
• Pour the batter in the prepared pans equally and bake for 30-35 minutes
• Take out from the oven and cool in the pan for 5 minutes
• Remove from the pan and cool on a wire rack
• Cut each cake into 2 layers
• Mix water, cherries and sugar in a pan and boil till the mixture is reduced to half
• Add rum when the mixture is cooled
• Refrigerate till use
• Add whipping cream, vanilla extract and sugar and whip till stiff soft peaks are formed
• Add melted butter and beat again till stiff peaks are formed
• In a pan, add chopped cherries and sugar
• Dissolve cornflour in water and add to the pan
• Cook for 2-3 minutes
• Remove from the heat and cool
• Put one layer of the cake on the cake board
• Brush with soaking syrup
• Put 1 cup of whipped cream and spread on top
• Sprinkle 1/3 rd of the cherry filling on top of the cream
• Keep another layer of cake and brush with soaking syrup
• Spread the cream and sprinkle the cherry filling
• Repeat with all the layers
• Give a crumb coat to the cake
• Cover the cake with the remaining cream and decorate with chocolate shavings and cherries

BLACK FOREST GâTEAU

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. With an electric mixer, beat the 175g butter with the caster sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla, 100g melted chocolate, flour, cocoa powder and bicarb until combined. Finally, beat in the 150g soured cream. Divide between the 2 prepared tins, level the tops and bake for 30 minutes or until risen and springy to the touch. Cool the cakes in the tins for 5-10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely (see Make Ahead).
• To make the chocolate shards, lay out the baking paper on a work top, then spread thickly with 300g melted chocolate. Roll up the paper straightaway, then put in the freezer to set.
• Make the buttercream by beating the butter with the icing sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy (put a clean damp tea towel over the bowl when you start mixing to stop a cloud of icing sugar from escaping). Once the mixture is fluffy, beat in the soured cream and vanilla.
• For the filling, put the double cream in a large mixing bowl, add the icing sugar and 1-2 tbsp of the kirsch, then whisk to soft peaks using an electric mixer.
• Put one of the sponges on a cake stand or plate and drizzle with 2 tbsp of the kirsch from the cherry jar. Spread over the cream, then scatter with half the drained cherries. Sandwich the second sponge on top and use a palette knife to cover the top and sides of the cake with the buttercream icing.
• Meanwhile, put the remaining kirsch in a small pan and simmer over a medium heat until the liquid is reduced and thick and syrupy. Set aside to cool.
• To decorate the cake, take the rolled chocolate paper out of the freezer and leave at room temperature for 5 minutes. Carefully unfold and separate into long shards. Dust with cocoa, then stick the shards around the side of the cake. Arrange the reserved cherries on top, then drizzle with the reduced kirsch.

BLACK FOREST TRIFLE

Steps:

• Put the custard into a pan with the chocolate pieces. Gently heat, stirring, until the chocolate has melted into the custard. Cover with cling film and cool.
• Arrange the brownies in the base of a trifle bowl. Drain the jars of cherries, reserving the liquid, and scatter over the brownies. Drizzle over 100ml reserved liquid. Spoon the cooled chocolate custard over and chill while you make the topping.
• Lightly whip the cream with the crème fraîche and icing sugar until soft peaks form. Chill until ready to serve, then pile on top of the trifle and decorate with grated chocolate and fresh cherries, if you like.

BLACK FOREST GATEAU

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.

BLACK FOREST GâTEAU

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Grease and line the base of three 20cm/8in sandwich tins with baking paper.
• In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar with an electric hand whisk until very light and fluffy. The mixture should leave a visible trail when you lift the whisk (ribbon stage). This will take around 10 minutes.
• In a separate bowl, sift the flour and cocoa powder together before folding it into the egg mixture, being very gentle so as not to knock the air out.
• Gently pour in the cooled melted butter down the inside of the bowl and carefully fold it in.
• Divide the mixture equally between the three tins and bake for 20-25 minutes, until springy to the touch. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack, peeling off the baking paper, and allow to cool completely.
• Heat the jam in a small saucepan to melt. Reserve eight of the tinned cherries for the top of the cake, then mix the remainder into the jam. Set aside to cool completely.
• Whisk the cream and icing sugar together until soft peaks form. Set aside in the fridge until you are ready to assemble.
• When the cake is completely cool, place the whipped cream in a piping bag with a star nozzle and pipe a small amount of cream onto the first layer of sponge and spread evenly. Then pipe a ring around the edge and fill the middle with half the cherry mixture. Place the second layer of sponge on top and repeat the process.
• Pipe eight swirls of cream on top of the cake, topping each with a reserved cherry.
• Use a vegetable peeler to shave the dark chocolate into curls over the top (alternatively, grate the chocolate and sprinkle over). This cake is best eaten on the day it's made.