Black Forest Gateau

Total Time: 1 hr 18 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 18 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 6 eggs
• 1 cup sugar, scant
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup best quality cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 4 tablespoons kirsch or 4 tablespoons other cherry flavored liqueur
• 2 1/2 cups whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons icing sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 (1 1/2 lb) jar of pitted morello cherries, well drained
• icing sugar, for dusting
• grated chocolate
• chocolate curls
• morello cherries (fresh or drained canned)

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350°f.
• 2 butter three 8 inch in diameter cake pans.
• 3 line the bottom of each with wax paper, and butter that.
• 4 combine the eggs with the sugar and vanilla in a bowl and beat with a hand-held electric mixer until pale and very thick, about 5-7 minutes.
• 5 sift the flour and cocoa powder over the mixture and fold in lightly and evenly with a spatual.
• 6 gently stir in the melted butter.
• 7 divide the mixture among the prepared cake pans, smoothing them level.
• 8 bake for 15-18 minutes, until the cakes have risen and are springy to the touch.
• 9 leave them to cool in the pans, on a rack, for about 5 minutes, then turn out and leave to cool completely.
• 10 remove the lining paper from each cake layer.
• 11 prick each cake layer all over with a skewer or fork, then sprinkle with kirsch.
• 12 using a hand-held electric mixer, whip the cream in a bowl until it starts to thicken, then gradually beat in the icing sugar and vanilla until the mixture begins to hold its shape.
• 13 to assemble: spread one cake layer with just under a 1/3 of the cream and top with about half the cherries.
• 14 spread a second cake layer with a little less than 1/2 the remaining cream, top with the remaining cherries, then place it on top of the first layer.
• 15 top with the final cake layer.
• 16 spread the remaining cream all over the cake.
• 17 dust a plate with icing sugar, and position the cake carefully in the centre.
• 18 press grated chocolate over the sides and decorate the cake with the chocolate curls and fresh or drained cherries.