Black Forest gâteau with malt chocolate ganache
- Prepare
- over 2 hours
- Cook
- 30 mins to 1 hour
- Serve
- Serves 6–8
Ravneet's take on the classic German dessert is as delicious as it is beautiful!
Ingredients
For the dry cake mix
- 125g/4½oz caster sugar
- 125g/4½oz light brown sugar
- 80g/3oz cocoa powder
- 230g/8oz plain flour
- 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp sea salt flakes
For the wet cake mix
- 175ml/6fl oz mild olive oil, plus extra for greasing
- 2 free-range eggs
- 175ml/6fl oz buttermilk
- 170ml/6fl oz boiling water
- 1 tsp instant coffee
For the malt chocolate ganache
- 150g/5½oz dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), chopped
- 50g/1¾oz plain chocolate (55% cocoa solids), chopped
- 300g/10½oz double cream
- 1 tbsp malt extract (alternatively use black treacle, maple syrup or honey)
- sea salt flakes
For the cherry compôte
- 200g/7oz pitted fresh cherries
- 50g/1¾oz caster sugar
For the decorations
- 200g/7oz dark chocolate
- 200ml double cream
- flaked sea salt
- 12 fresh cherries, to serve
Method
To make the cake, preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4 and grease and line two 20cm/8in cake tins.
Add all of the dry cake mix ingredients into a large bowl and stir together with a whisk to fully combine.
Add all of the wet cake mix ingredients, except the water and coffee, into another large bowl and whisk together.
Mix the coffee with the boiling water in a cup, pour it into the bowl of wet ingredients and stir well.
Add the dry mix to the wet mix and whisk until well combined.
Divide the mixture evenly between the prepared tins (if you want to be precise, you can weigh the total batter, then divide it exactly in half).
Bake for 35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tins for 20 minutes before flipping onto a wire rack and allowing to cool fully.
To make the ganache, put both the chocolates and a pinch of sea salt in a large heatproof bowl.
In a saucepan, heat the cream with the malt extract until steaming but not boiling. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and leave for 1 minute.
Use a whisk to stir the ganache from the middle outwards – so as not to whisk in any air – until silky and beautiful. Let the ganache sit for 1 hour in the fridge.
To make the cherry compôte, put the cherries into a wide, deep frying pan, add 150ml/5fl oz water, then bring to the boil. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring now and again, until the fruit is starting to soften.
Tip in the sugar and stir until it dissolves. Cook for 15 minutes until the fruit has collapsed a little and the sauce is syrupy, smooth and dark purple.
Spoon a little of the juice onto a saucer and leave to cool for 30 seconds. Push it with your finger; it’s ready if the syrup wrinkles. Leave to cool.
To make the decorations, put a lipped baking tray into the freezer and leave for 10 minutes to chill.
Meanwhile, melt the dark chocolate in a bowl over a pan of gently simmering water.
Remove the tray from the freezer, pour over the melted chocolate and then use a metal bench scraper to make shards.
Whip the double cream with a pinch of salt until it forms soft peaks.
To assemble, place one of the baked cakes on a serving platter. Place three tablespoons of the ganache in the centre of the cake and spread evenly with a palette knife or a spoon. Add the cherry compôte on top.
Spread most of the whipped cream evenly on top and finish by placing the second cake on top.
Place the cake in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up before covering it with the rest of the ganache with a palette knife.
Decorate the cake by piping on the rest of the whipped cream, then dotting with the fresh cherries and chocolate shards.
