Recipes

Black Forest Cake

Ingredients:

125 unsalted butter, chopped

1 ½ cups caster sugar

¼ cup cocoa powder

½ teaspoon bicarbonate soda

400g dark chocolate chopped

2 eggs

1 ½ cups self raising flour

2 tablespoons arrowroot

300mL thickened cream

2 tablespoon kirsch

Maraschino cherries, to decorate (optional)

Filling:

400g can pitted sour cherries, drained, juice reserved

3 teaspoons arrowroot

300mL thickened cream

2 teaspoons icing sugar

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line a deep 20cm spring-form cake pan.

Step 2: Place butter, sugar, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda, 60g chocolate and 1 cup (250ml) water in a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring to the boil, stirring until melted and combined, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 3 minutes or until smooth and slightly thickened. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

Step 3: Stir the eggs, flour and arrowroot into the chocolate mixture, then pour into the pan and bake for 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool slightly, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 4: Meanwhile, to make the ganache icing, place the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to just below boiling point. Place the remaining 340g chocolate in a bowl and pour over the hot cream, then stir until melted and smooth. Allow to cool slightly.

Step 5: For the filling, place cherry juice in a small saucepan over medium heat. Dissolve the arrowroot in a little cold water, then stir into the juice and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until thickened. Set aside to cool. Whisk the cream and icing sugar with electric beaters to stiff peaks.

Step 6: Cut the cake horizontally into 4 layers. Place one layer on a serving plate, drizzle with one-third of the kirsch and a little cherry syrup, then spread with one-third of the whipped cream. Dot with the sour cherries. Repeat layering, finishing with a cake layer. Spread the ganache over the cake and garnish with maraschino cherries.