Black Forest Gateau

Talk about the classic type of cake, how can you miss the all time favourite - Black Forest!

The other day, a friend of mine asked me whether I can make a cake for his home fellowship, and of course I'd say 'yes'! Don't think I have ever declined a cake making request!! hahaha.. Initially I was asked to make a chestnut cake!! Ummm... that's a challenge! I have never made a chestnut cake before, not because I don't want to, (both my mum and hubby loves chestnut cake!) but because I haven't been able to find chestnut puree! If you have seen them around, please let me know, I'd love to give it a go! So at the end I went for his second choice - black forest gateau!

I have made black forest quite a few times already, and it's one of those cakes that requires alot of time and patience! The coating of the entire cake in cream is a very messy process, and making the chocolate shavings is time consuming too! Every time my kitchen would look like a war zone after making a black forest cake, and I had to do the clean up afterwards reluctantly! I so wanted to just scream for hubby and ask him to clean it up for me.... but I thought that's a bit slack! So I ended up cleaning up my own mess! =(

Ingredients

5 eggs

175g caster sugar

50g plain flour

50g cocoa powder

75g butter, melted

Filling

90ml kirsch

600ml double cream

425g can black cherries, drained, stoned and chopped

Decorate

handful of fresh cherries

Chocolate shavings

1) Preheat oven to 180C, and grease 2x 20cm round cake tin

2) Beat together the eggs and sugar for 10 minutes, or until thick and pale. Sift over the flour and cocoa, and fold in gently. Drizzle the melted butter on top and fold gently.

3) Transfer to the cake tins. Bake for 30 minutes. Leave in the tins for 5 minutes then turn out on to a wire rack and cool.

4) Cut each cake in half horizontally and brush each half with the kirsch.

5) Whip the cream to soft peak. Combine 2/3 of the cream with chopped cherries. Place a layer of cake on a serving plate and spread with 1/3 of the filling. Then repeat with the other layers. Use the reserved cream to cover the top and sides.

6) Decorate the gateau with chocolate curls and fresh cherries.

How to make the chocolate curls?!?!? I usually just get a block of chocolate and use either a peeler or shaver to make the curls. It does take a while!! But I have seen them coming in packs in some specialty stores if you feel like being lazy! Of course their curls do look more uniformed in size, but the price is probably 10 times more expensive then buying a nice block of chocolate!!!!