Black Forest gateau


Black Forest gateau
Black Forest gateau is a sophisticated dessert which comes from Germany. It is essentially a combination of four flavours: chocolate, cherries, cream and kirsch. Here is my own version.
153 K 4.6/5 (19 reviews)
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Last modified on: November 27th 2011
For 1 Black Forest gateau, you will need:

Times for this recipe
Preparation: 2 hours 35 min.
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Step by step recipe


Stage 1 - 1 hour 25 min.
Black Forest gateau
Prepare a chocolate-flavoured 1 Génoise (Genoa sponge): make the genoa sponge as usual, but add 2 tablespoons powdered cocoa to the flour before adding the beaten eggs.

You can scatter a few flaked almonds in the bottom of the mould or tin before pouring in the mixture, but this is not essential.

Stage 2 - 5 min.
Black Forest gateau
Slice the sponge in two horizontally.

For real attention to detail, you can trim off the the top crust, which will help the cake to absorb the syrup later.

Stage 3 - 3 min.
Black Forest gateau
Place a layer of sponge on the serving plate.

Stage 4 - 3 min.
Black Forest gateau
Drain 200 g Griottine cherries but save all the syrup.

Stage 5 - 5 min.
Black Forest gateau
Use a brush to soak the sponge on the plate with the syrup from the cherries.

Stage 6 - 5 min.
Black Forest gateau
Surround the sponge with a band of paper or plastic to make the assembly which follows easier.

Of course, if you have a dessert ring of the right size, use this.

Stage 7 - 15 min.
Black Forest gateau
Soak 1 sheet gelatin in cold water.

Warm 3 tablespoons Kirsch in a small pan, then incorporate the gelatine and leave to cool.

Make a chantilly (whipped cream) with 200 ml liquid cream, 10 g Vanilla sugar and the kirsch.

We add the gelatine to make the cake firmer and easier to asemble. It also keeps better.

Stage 8 - 5 min.
Black Forest gateau
Spread a layer of cream on top of the sponge. If your cream is not in a cream whipper, use a forcing bag to make this easier.

Stage 9 - 5 min.
Black Forest gateau
Spread an even layer of cherries on the cream.

Stage 10 - 5 min.
Black Forest gateau
Then a second layer of cream.

Stage 11 - 5 min.
Black Forest gateau
Soak the second half of the sponge with cherry syrup and sit it on the cream layer.

Stage 12 - 5 min.
Black Forest gateau
Add a third layer of cream on the top.

Stage 13 - 3 min.
Black Forest gateau
Sprinkle with cocoa powder or scatter with chocolate chips.

Stage 14 - 5 min.
Black Forest gateau
Remove the band of paper and refrigerate until serving.
Remarks
If you can't get griottines, you can use amarena cherries in syrup or fresh cherries (when in season, of course). In which case, you will need to stone them first, then simmer them in a pan with a little sugar and kirsch.

For a richer and more sophisticated gateau, you can slice the genoa sponge into 3 layers (rather than two) and add an extra layer of cherries and cream.

Heston Blumenthal, the famous English chef, is a fan of Black Forest gateau, which he calls BFG. He includes surprising variations on his menu, including a little individual kirsch spray.
Keeping: 1 or 2 days in the fridge, covered with film.
Source: Home made.
Nutritional information
Proteins (gr)Carbohydrates (gr)Fats (gr)Energy value (in k-calories)Energy value (in k-joules)
Whole recipe260 RDI=100 %1,610 RDI=150 %560 RDI=90 %12,510 RDI=630 %52,380 RDI: 630 %
Per 100 g30 RDI=10 %160 RDI=20 %60 RDI=9 %1,260 RDI=60 %5,280 RDI: 60 %
The % figures are calculated in relation to the Recommended Dietary Intake , or RDI of 2,000 k-calories (or 8,400 k-joules) per day for a woman Change to a man
Possible allergens in this recipe: egg, Milk, Gluten, Nuts
How much will it cost?
  • For 1 Black Forest gateau : 10.75 €

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Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
This recipe uses (among others)
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