Gordon Ramsay’s
Black Forest cake Recipe
Ingredients
·
For The Chocolate Sponge:
·
125g self-raising flour
·
2 tsp baking powder
·
3 tbsp cocoa powder
·
5 large eggs, separated
·
200g unsalted butter, softened
·
150g caster sugar
·
2 tbsp cooled espresso or strong coffee
·
100g dark chocolate (minimum 65% cocoa solids), melted in a bowl
set over a pan of simmering water
·
For The Filling And Topping:
·
500g ripe cherries
·
60g caster sugar
·
75ml kirsch or cherry brandy
·
550ml double cream
·
1-2 tbsp icing sugar, to taste
·
4-5 tbsp good-quality cherry compote
·
Grated chocolate, to garnish
Method
·
Preheat the oven to 150ºC/Gas 2. Butter, line and butter again
the base and sides of a 23cm cake tin. Sieve the flour, baking powder and cocoa
powder together and set aside.
·
In a large grease-free bowl, whisk the egg whites to firm peaks
using an electric beater. Beat the butter and sugar in another mixing bowl
until pale and light. Beat in the yolks one at a time, then fold the espresso
through, followed by the melted chocolate.
·
In several batches, fold the sifted flour mixture and the beaten
egg whites alternately into the butter mixture. Spread the combined batter over
the base of the prepared tin and level with a spatula.
·
Bake for 40-50 minutes until a skewer inserted into the middle
of the cake emerges clean. Cool for 5 minutes and then turn out on to a wire
rack. Peel off the baking parchment.
·
Remove the stems and pit three-quarters of the cherries, leaving
the stems on the remaining cherries to garnish. Put all the cherries, the sugar
and kirsch in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the cherries are
just soft, giving them an occasional stir. Tip the cherries and kirsch syrup into
a bowl and leave to cool completely.
·
Meanwhile, whisk the cream and icing sugar into soft peaks.
·
Using a long, sharp knife, halve the cake horizontally. Drizzle
each half with the kirsch syrup from the cherries to moisten. Place the bottom
half on a cake stand and spread over half the whipped cream. Arrange the
stemmed and pitted cherries over the cream, then spoon over a layer of cherry
compote. Top with the upper half of the cake. Spread the remaining cream on
top. Sprinkle over a little grated chocolate, then garnish with the whole
stemmed cherries.
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