Black Forest Gateau
Serves 8-12
125g unsalted butter
125 (1/2 cup) caster sugar
100g (3/4 cup) ground almonds
4 large eggs
100g dark cooking chocolate, melted
60g (1/2 cup) plain flour
60g (1/2 cup) cornflour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Filling and Topping
125ml (1/2 cup) kirsch or white rum
1/4 cup black cherry jam
680g jar morello cherries in syrup, drained and pitted
600ml thickened cream, whipped
100g chocolate curls
1. Grease and line the bases of three 20cm sandwich cake tins. Preheat oven to 180C.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer, until light and creamy. Beat un the almonds, eggs and melted chocolate.
3. Sift the flour, cornflour and baking powder over the mixture and fold in with a large metal spoon.
4. Divide the mixture between the three sandwich cake tins and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cakes are well risen and firm to the touch.
5. Turn out onto a wire cooling rack to fully cool. Once the cake has cooled slightly, remove the lining paper.
6. Sprinkle each cake with 8 teaspoons of kirsch or rum. Spread a layer of jam, cherries and half the whipped cream over 2 of the cakes. Put one on top of the other and top with the remaining cake.
7. Spread the cake remaining cream over the cake. Press on chocolate curls and serve.
Tip: A quick and easy way to make chocolate curls is to use a swivel-bladed vegetable peeler. Simply make shavings from a well-chilled chocolate bar.