Black Forest Gâteau Food

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.

BLACK FOREST GATEAU (SCHWARZWALDER KIRSCHTORTE)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Butter and line a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper. Butter the parchment paper and set aside.
• Whisk the eggs yolks, eggs, and sugar in a large metal bowl over a pot of simmering water for a few minutes until the mixture is about 120 degrees F. Remove the bowl from the heat, and keep whisking to aerate the mixture until it is thick and fluffy, about 10 minutes. The mixture should increase in size 4 to 5 times and become very pale in color.
• Gently fold in both the sifted flour and wheat flour, and the cocoa powder. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan, and flatten it out carefully with a rubber spatula. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out cleanly. Invert the cake onto a wire rack, and cut a few vents in the parchment paper so that the steam can evaporate. Let inverted cake rest for 24 hours.
• In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons Kirsch, 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, and the corn flour. Add a pinch lemon zest and a pinch of cinnamon to the bowl, and stir to combine. In a small saucepan, bring to a boil the remaining 4 tablespoons Kirsch. Reduce the heat to medium, add the sugar mixture, and stir. Then add the cherries, stir again, and heat through. Remove from the heat, pour into a bowl, and let cool.
• Cut the cake into 3 layers. Spread the melted chocolate evenly over the bottom layer, and place it in the refrigerator to cool and harden slightly. Meanwhile, make the Whipped Cream and the Syrup.
• Remove the chocolate-covered base layer from the refrigerator and brush syrup over the top. Add about 1/2 of the filling mixture, and 1/4 of the whipped cream. Repeat the layer, brushing with Syrup, then filling, and then Whipped Cream. Place the third cake layer on top, brush it with Syrup, and then cover it with Whipped Cream. Spread the remaining Whipped Cream around the side of the cake. Decorate the top of the cake with chocolate shavings and additional cherries.
• Whip together the cream, 2 tablespoons sugar, and vanilla sugar. If you don't have vanilla sugar, you may substitute 1 tablespoon sugar plus 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Begin whipping slowly, making the mixture lighter, and continue until you have achieved light and airy whipped cream.
• Combine 1 1/2 cups water and 3/4 cup sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. When mixture is boiling and sugar has totally dissolved, remove the pan from the heat and add the Kirsch, and stir to combine.

BLACK FOREST GATEAU (SCHWARZWALDER KIRSCHTORTE)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Butter and line a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper. Butter the parchment paper and set aside.
• Whisk the eggs yolks, eggs, and sugar in a large metal bowl over a pot of simmering water for a few minutes until the mixture is about 120 degrees F. Remove the bowl from the heat, and keep whisking to aerate the mixture until it is thick and fluffy, about 10 minutes. The mixture should increase in size 4 to 5 times and become very pale in color.
• Gently fold in both the sifted flour and wheat flour, and the cocoa powder. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan, and flatten it out carefully with a rubber spatula. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out cleanly. Invert the cake onto a wire rack, and cut a few vents in the parchment paper so that the steam can evaporate. Let inverted cake rest for 24 hours.
• In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons Kirsch, 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, and the corn flour. Add a pinch lemon zest and a pinch of cinnamon to the bowl, and stir to combine. In a small saucepan, bring to a boil the remaining 4 tablespoons Kirsch. Reduce the heat to medium, add the sugar mixture, and stir. Then add the cherries, stir again, and heat through. Remove from the heat, pour into a bowl, and let cool.
• Cut the cake into 3 layers. Spread the melted chocolate evenly over the bottom layer, and place it in the refrigerator to cool and harden slightly. Meanwhile, make the Whipped Cream and the Syrup.
• Remove the chocolate-covered base layer from the refrigerator and brush syrup over the top. Add about 1/2 of the filling mixture, and 1/4 of the whipped cream. Repeat the layer, brushing with Syrup, then filling, and then Whipped Cream. Place the third cake layer on top, brush it with Syrup, and then cover it with Whipped Cream. Spread the remaining Whipped Cream around the side of the cake. Decorate the top of the cake with chocolate shavings and additional cherries.
• Whip together the cream, 2 tablespoons sugar, and vanilla sugar. If you don't have vanilla sugar, you may substitute 1 tablespoon sugar plus 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Begin whipping slowly, making the mixture lighter, and continue until you have achieved light and airy whipped cream.
• Combine 1 1/2 cups water and 3/4 cup sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. When mixture is boiling and sugar has totally dissolved, remove the pan from the heat and add the Kirsch, and stir to combine.

BLACK FOREST SUNDAES WITH BROWNIES

Steps:

• For the ice cream, pour the cream into a pan and bring to the boil. Beat together the sugar, egg yolks and vanilla. Pour over 2 tbsp of the cream and whisk into the egg mixture. Pour the egg mixture into the pan with the cream, lower the heat, then cook for a few mins, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon, until the custard coats the back of the spoon.
• Melt the chocolate in the microwave on High for 1 min, then stir into the bowl of custard. When the custard has cooled, churn in an ice-cream maker according to manufacturers' instructions.
• To make the sauce, drain the cherries, reserving the liquid, then set aside. Place the liquid in a pan with the kirsch or brandy and simmer for 5 mins, or until syrupy. Return the cherries to the pan to heat through.
• To assemble the sundaes, whip the cream with the icing sugar until soft peaks form. Cut the brownies into bite-size pieces, then place a handful at the bottom of 4 glasses. Scoop the ice cream on top, then drizzle with the cherries and sauce. Dollop with whipped cream and scatter with grated chocolate.
• FOR THE BROWNIES: Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4, then grease and line a 20cm square brownie tin. Heat the butter and dark chocolate in a pan until melted. Stir through dark brown sugar and granulated sugar. Leave to cool for 5 mins, then mix through the eggs. Stir in the almonds and flour. Pour into the tin, then bake for 30-35 mins until just cooked through. (Makes 16)