mary berry recipe for black forest gateau

Cut each cake layer in half horizontally. I recommend wrapping the cakes in plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze them for several hours before cutting them. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pan before unmolding, then let cakes cool completely on a wire rack. Bake cakes for 30-35 minutes (depending on your oven - this might take longer), or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. Don't overbeat - batter will be lumpy at first, but mix gently and eventually stir with a whisk just until smooth. Add egg mixture into flour mixture and mix until smooth. In a medium bowl, mix together eggs, oil, vanilla, buttermilk, and water (pour the water slowly so it won't cook the eggs).In a large bowl, place flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar.Generously butter two 8-inch cake pans that are at least 2-inches high, and dust with cocoa powder, tapping the ramekins slightly to remove any excess. To make the chocolate cake: Preheat oven to 350☏/180☌.If the chocolate starts to harden while you are piping, seal the tip with a little tape, place the piping bag in a bowl and microwave for a few seconds. With the remaining reserved cream, pipe rosettes of cream around the top edge of the cake and decorate with the chocolate dipped cherries. Spread half of the reserved whipped cream around the sides of the cake and cover with the chocolate trees.Top with another sponge layer and continue until you have three layers of cherries and cream. Divide one half of the cream into thirds and spread one third over the cherry mix. Spread one third of the cherry mix over the sliced sponge. Cut each sponge into 2 layers using a long sharp knife.Divide the cream in half, setting aside one half for the sides and top of the cake. Pipe thin lines of plain chocolate over the white chocolate dipped cherries. When the chocolate on the cherries has set, snip the end of the white chocolate piping bag and pipe thin lines of white chocolate over the plain chocolate dipped cherries.Pipe 12 (plus a few spare in case they break) chocolate tree shapes onto the non-stick parchment. Snip off the tip of the plain chocolate piping bag (start with a very small tip). lay a sheet of non-stick parchment paper over the template. Draw a tree within the rectangle to use as a template.

Draw a credit card size rectangle on a piece of paper and position it vertically.Spoon the remaining melted chocolate into 2 separate disposable piping bags. Dip the remaining 12 fresh cherries into the white chocolate and leave to set. Dip 12 of the fresh cherries into the plain chocolate and leave to set on a sheet of non-stick baking parchment. For the decoration, melt the white and plain chocolate in 2 separate bowls set over 2 pans of gently simmering water.Remove from the heat, add the cherries and leave to cool. Place over a medium heat and bring slowly to the boil, stirring until thickened, then simmer for 2 minutes. Measure the cornflour into a small saucepan, make a paste with a small amount of the reserved juice, then stir in the remaining juice. For the filling, drain the jars of cherries, reserving the juice.Turn out onto a wire rack to cool and peel off the parchment. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the sponges are well risen and beginning to shrink away from the sides of the tin.Carefully fold in the sifted flour and cocoa powder. Break the eggs into a mixing bowl, add the sugar and whisk until the mixture is pale and thick enough to leave a trail when the whisk is lifted out of the bowl.lightly grease two 23cm/9in cake tins and line the base with greased non-stick baking parchment. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.250g/9oz plain chocolate (about 46% cocoa solids).

2 x 390g jars black cherries in kirsch (500g/1lb 2oz drained weight).

Mary berry recipe for black forest gateau