Tonights Dessert in the Burntgravy House

Chocolate Cherry Gateau

This is a cake based on a Blackforest Cake recipe from Masterchef Australia,
so I cannot take credit for the recipe, although I did modify it slightly by adding
50 gms of melted butter to the sponge mix. I also left out the hazelnut praline
and only constructed 3 layers as it makes the cake more managable in my opinion.
I call it a Chocolate Cherry Gateau, as there was some spirited debate on the Masterchef
Forums as to whether or not it was a traditional Blackforest Cake.
I side with the opinion that it is not.

The full recipe can be found at http://www.masterchef.com.au/black-forest-cake.htm

 Recipe

Chocolate Sponge

7 Large Eggs (59 Gms ea Approx)
250 Gms Caster Sugar
200 Gms Plain Flour
50 Gms Cocoa Powder
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Essence
50 Gms melted butter (optional)

Sift flour, cocoa powder and baking powder together twice.
In the bowl of an electric mixer whisk together eggs, caster sugar and vanilla.
Place over a pot of simmering water and continue to whisk unti mixture reaches 37C.
Continue to whisk using the electric mixer on medium speed until the mix has cooled and attains a thick
mousse like consistency.
Fold sifted dry ingredients into the egg mixture in three lots and lastly fold in melted butter.
The mix will lose some of it's volume during the folding process (approx 1/3rd).
Divide mix evenly between two 20 cm greased and lined cake tins.
Bake for approx 20 -- 25 minutes at 160C in a fan forced oven.
The cakes are cooked when the sponge springs back when lightly touched.
Allow to rest in the tins for 10 minutes and then turn onto wire racks and allow to cool fully.

(You can fill this cake however you desire
Suggested fillings can be found at the link to Masterchef,
They are not difficult to make.
I made a full quantity of mousse and a half quantity of Mascapone cream
and used one 425 gm can of dark pitted cherries for my cake.)

Make a simple syrup with the juice from the cherries.
Slice the cakes into as many rounds as you require ( my version requires 4 rounds
So I have some cake in the freezer for another day)
Place one round on platter and brush liberally with cherry syrup. Spread on half of the mousse
and place another layer of cake on top. Spread again with cherry syrup and then evenly spread on
mascapone cream and scatter on the drained cherries.
Place a third layer of cake on top and again spread with cherry syrup and then evenly spread on the
remaining mousse.
Place on a fourth layer of cake ( here might I suggest using the base of one of the cakes, inverted,
as you will get a smooth surface for the top of your cake) and spread with remaining cherry syrup.
Gently pour on chocolate ganache until it coats the top of the cake and just starts to drip over the sides.
Decorate as desired and Bon Apetit.

P.S. You will most likely have some choccy ganache left over for which you should be able to find
plenty of decadent uses---Ahhh!! such is life--enjoy.