Black Forest Gateau
5 hours cooking time
Black Forest Gateau
Method
Cake
1
Preheat the oven to 160°C.
2
Beat butter and sugar together on high-speed until well mixed.
3
Beat in the eggs one by one, mixing well before adding the next. Mix in vanilla.
4
Sift together flour, cocoa and baking powder, and mix gently the dry ingredients and milk into the butter mixture until well combined.
5
Grease a 22 cm round cake tin with butter and line the bottom with baking paper.
6
Pour the batter into the tin and smooth the surface.
7
Bake the cake approx. 60 minutes or until baked, and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
8
Let the cake cool completely before cutting it into 3 layers.
Cherry filling
1
Place the cherries in a saucepan with ½ of the water, sugar and lemon juice.
2
Cook at low to medium heat until the sugar is dissolved.
3
Mix the remaining water with corn starch and add it to the cherries.
4
Continue to cook at low heat while stirring – the mixture will thicken and look glossy.
5
It has the right texture when it clearly coats the back of a wooden spoon.
6
Remove from heat and add cherry syrup to taste.
7
Let the cherry sauce cool completely before assembling the cake.
Italian vanilla buttercream
1
Mix egg whites, sugar, and vanilla seeds in a metal bowl over simmering water.
2
Whisk constantly to dissolve the sugar until the mixture reaches 70°C. Use a thermometer for correct temperature.
3
Pour the mixture into another bowl and whisk on high-speed until the mixture cools down to room temperature. It needs to be cool enough for the butter to be added without melting.
4
Gradually add cold butter cubes while whisking on medium speed.
5
Add the salt and whisk until the buttercream is smooth, light and fluffy.
Assembling the cake
1
Place a cake layer on a serving plate.
2
Spoon on a liberal amount of cherry syrup to moisten the cake.
3
Spread out evenly a 1/3 of the buttercream and top with ½ of the cherry filling.
4
Place a second cake layer on top and repeat the process with cherry syrup, buttercream and cherry filling.
5
Place a third and final cake layer on top and gently press down to make the cake stable.
6
Decorate the top with the remaining buttercream and fresh cherries.
