Black Forest gateau
This Black Forest gâteau reimagines a classic, with elegant squares of rich cocoa sponge soaked in cherry syrup, topped with vanilla-whipped cream, jewel-like Amarena cherries and dark chocolate curls. Baked in a single tray and sliced to serve 20, it’s perfect for parties, celebrations or family gatherings.
Method
Preheat oven 140C (Fan). Grease and line a 20 x 30 cm cake tin. Measure the dry ingredients, including the sugar into a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine or use a stand mixer.
Weigh all the wet ingredients into another bowl except the hot water, whisk again to combine.
Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients, whisking continually until the mixture is smooth but thick without lumps.
Add the hot water and whisk again until it is incorporated.
Pour the batter immediately into the prepared tin and bake for 50 minutes until the top is springy and an inserted skewer comes out clean.
Leave to cool completely in the tin, then invert onto a board to cut into 20 squares.
Place a square on the plate, drizzle with the cherry syrup, whip the cream with the vanilla paste and spoon a generous amount on top.
Decorate with a few Amarena cherries, scatter with chocolate curls and finish with a fresh cherry, if in season.
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Ingredients
For the sponge:
330g plain flour
150g cocoa powder
1½ tsp fine sea salt
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1½ tsp baking powder
500g caster sugar
3 large Burford Brown eggs
1½ tsp vanilla extract
300g plain yoghurt
150g vegetable oil
340ml hot water
To serve:
300ml double cream
30g icing sugar
1 tbsp vanilla bean powder
Amarena cherries
Chocolate curls from a bar of 70 percent chocolate
Fresh cherries