Name: Black forest gateau
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: Serves 10
Ingredients: 250g dark chocolate roughly chopped; 150g butter plus extra for the tin; 5 eggs separated; 150g caster sugar; 30g ground almonds; 1 tbsp kirsch; 250ml double cream; 2½ tbsp icing sugar; 1½ tbsp kirsch; ½ a jar Opies Black Cherries with Kirsch; to decorate dark chocolate curls (see notes below)

250g dark chocolate
roughly chopped
150g butter
plus extra for the tin
5 eggs
separated
150g caster sugar
30g ground almonds
1 tbsp kirsch

TOPPING

250ml double cream
2½ tbsp icing sugar
1½ tbsp kirsch
½ a jar Opies Black Cherries with Kirsch
to decorate dark chocolate curls
(see notes below)

Method

step 1
Heat the oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Butter and base-line a 23cm round springform cake tin with baking paper.
step 2
Melt together the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over (but not touching) a pan of gently simmering water (or melt in short bursts in the microwave).
step 3
Put the egg yolks and whites in separate bowls. Beat the yolks until light and fluffy.
step 4
Cool the chocolate mixture until just-warm then stir in 50g of the sugar. Gradually stir in the egg yolks. Stir in the almonds and kirsch.
step 5
Whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form, then whisk in the rest of the sugar, 2 tbsp at a time, until you have stiff, glossy meringue. Add a large spoonful of the egg whites to loosen the chocolate mixture then gently fold in the rest of the meringue, keeping in as much air as possible.
step 6
Spoon into the tin and bake for 30-35 minutes, then leave to cool completely in the tin. It will sink and crack a little but you’ll cover this with decoration.
step 7
To finish, whip together the cream, icing sugar and kirsch until soft peaks form. Dollop over the cake, then add cherries and chocolate curls to finish.