Black Forest Gateau Dessert Recipe

Andy McLeish brings this seventies classic up to date. His black forest gâteau recipe includes a sumptuous flourless cake with a kirsch milk chocolate mousse and chocolate glaze. Why not hold your own seventies-inspired dinner party and serve this as a lavish dessert – prawn cocktail would make a great starter and chicken Kiev could be your main.

Ingredients

print recipe

shopping List

Metric

Imperial

Flourless cocoa cake

155g of unsalted butter, at room temperature
420g of caster sugar
8 eggs, at room temperature
130g of cocoa powder, sifted

Kirsch milk chocolate mousse

1/2 tbsp of kirsch
1 sheet of gelatine
1 tbsp of water
120g of milk chocolate, 50g extra for melting
74ml of whole milk
1 pinch of salt
70ml of double cream

Dark mirror glaze

8 sheets of gelatine
160ml of water
280ml of whipping cream
400g of caster sugar
140g of cocoa powder, sifted

Garnish

12 pitted cherries

print recipe

shopping List

Stick blender
20cm x 30cm baking tray
30cm tart ring

Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4

Cream the butter and sugar in a mixer fitted with a paddle for 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, making sure to incorporate each one before adding the next

155g of unsalted butter, at room temperature
420g of caster sugar
8 eggs, at room temperature

Add the cocoa powder in 3 or 4 additions, then mix until fully incorporated, making sure to scrape the sides every so often

130g of cocoa powder

Line two 25x35cm trays with baking paper and spread the mixture to a thickness of 1.5cm. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the sponge springs back when lightly pressed. Leave to cool on a wire rack

Once cool cut with a 16cm ring to give 4 cakes

For the Kirsch mousse, soak the gelatine in the water and leave to soften for 10-20 minutes

1 sheet of gelatine
1 tbsp of water

Melt the milk chocolate in a bowl over a pan of boiling water

120g of milk chocolate
74ml of whole milk
1 pinch of salt

In a pan, heat the milk and add a pinch of salt. Once boiling, remove the pan from the heat. Add the softened gelatine, along with the water it was soaked in to the hot milk and stir to dissolve

Pour the hot milk into the melted chocolate in 3 or 4 additions, working with a rubber spatula to ensure a smooth paste. After adding all the milk, use a stick blender to emulsify the mixture for 2 minutes, it should be very thick

Leave the chocolate mixture to cool to room temperature and whip together the Kirsch and double cream to soft peaks

70ml of double cream
1/2 tbsp of kirsch

Fold the cream into the chocolate to give a smooth mousse

To build the gateau place the 16cm ring on a tray lined with baking paper. Put a layer of sponge into the ring and spread with a layer of mousse, repeat this twice more and finish with a final layer of sponge. If the mousse starts to get to warm transfer to the fridge for 10 minutes to firm up

Place the gateau in the freezer for at least 30 minutes to chill

For the glaze, soak the gelatine in 80ml of water and leave to soften for 15-20 minutes

8 sheets of gelatine
80ml of water

Heat the cream, adding the sugar and second measurement of water. Boil for 2 minutes

280ml of whipping cream
400g of caster sugar
80ml of water

Remove from the heat and add both the soaked gelatine (including the water) and the cocoa powder

140g of cocoa powder

Use a stick blender to blitz until smooth and shiny. Leave to cool to room temperature

Melt the extra 50g of chocolate and brush the bottom of the frozen cake to seal - this will stop it from sticking to the plate, return to the freezer

To glaze the cake transfer it to a wire rack and carefully remove the metal ring. Liberally ladle the glaze over the cake from a height in order to get an even covering then transfer to the fridge to set

Garnish the surface with cherries and allow a couple of hours to thaw

12 pitted cherries

Discover more:

Share recipe

Andy McLeish

Andy McLeish takes the field to fork ethos seriously, hunting and butchering his own game to ensure his menus at Chapter One offer the finest of local ingredients treated with respect.